Tracey Roxburgh

The Georgian Rugby World Cup squad arrived at the Skyline complex in Queenstown yesterday smiling - and left with the hearts of many following its official civic welcome.

More than 100 people - including children waving Georgian flags - turned out at Queenstown Airport last night to welcome the Georgia Rugby World Cup squad to the resort and New Zealand. Members of the Georgia RWC squad, including captain Irakli Abuseridze (second from right) are pictured taking in the atmosphere at the airport.

National women's mountain biking champion Kate Fluker, of Queenstown, has entered for the first time in Patagonia 8hrs@Jacks, a multi-lap mountain bike relay event being held at Jacks Point next month.

Queenstown golf courses have come in first, second and third in the South Island in a list ranking New Zealand courses.

Simon Green has been reappointed as director of the Queenstown Winter Festival but will take on an expanded role of Destination Queenstown events manager.

The hard work put in by Lakes Leisure to prepare facilities for the visiting Irish rugby team has paid off, with the Irish Rugby World Cup squad yesterday giving the thumbs-up to facilities at the Queenstown Events Centre.

Good demand for in-town property from the Australian and New Zealand domestic markets resulted in two sections selling for more than $1 million each and three apartments for more than $1.25 million each in July, Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Queenstown spokesman Kelvin Collins said.

Creating a "vision of success for the future" for the Queenstown Lakes district will be the aim of community meetings this month, part of the Shaping our Future process.

A commercial floatplane operation first mooted in the Otago Daily Times two years ago has finally been publicly notified.

For seven years, developers told the Queenstown Lakes District Council its plan change to deliver "affordable" housing would not work.

All is not yet lost for the Queenstown Lakes District Council Plan Change 24 - Community Housing, but next month's meeting in Wanaka will be critical, Councillor Cath Gilmour says.

The majority of inquiries at Citizens Advice Bureau Queenstown in the 12 months to June 30 were in the "legal and government" category - which includes immigration inquiries, Cab Queenstown office co-ordinator Gabby Lake said on Friday.

Hannah McKenzie-Yates isn't allowed to complain about the amount of time her husband Matty spends playing poker.

A Christchurch woman who took a wrong turn on the Coronet Peak skifield late on Saturday afternoon hiked about 10km over "very challenging terrain" in the dark to a farmhouse.

The first unsupported, expedition-style adventure race to be held in New Zealand in 22 years was launched in Queenstown yesterday, with the event already invited to join the Adventure Racing World Series.