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Police are appealing to the public for help after a woman’s handbag was stolen from the Hanley’s Farm Playground on Bannister Street around 4.35pm on Monday, 26 January. Constable Amanda Shute says the offender left the area in a blue vehicle, which had been parked on Bannister Street, and the handbag was later located nearby. However, a number of items from inside the bag been taken, she says.

Mental Health by Katherine Froggatt

Social media posts painting ‘walk in the park’ pictures of some of the Southern Lakes’ most challenging climbs and hikes have raised fresh concerns for local specialist rescue volunteers, after being called out to some eight rescues in the past month.

Snow Machine is bringing their frosty festivities back to New Zealand in 2026. From 8-13 September 2026, Snow Machine returns to the breathtaking alpine playground of Queenstown, marking the 5th edition of the festival. Bringing world-class music, snow sports and unforgettable parties to the slopes, join Chet Faker, Ninajirachi, Restricted and many more. Performing across an impressive eight stages, including the Main Arena, on-mountain Apres stages, Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, ski runs by day become dancefloors by night.

She may have left school and her tiny hometown at 16, headed for bright lights and the first career that was on offer - hairdressing, but 40 years later Arrowtown’s Tracy Pool had become the boss of a leading Queenstown hospitality company managing 11 bars.

Local creators putting together a curated walking tour, available in the palm of your hand. That’s the business model for VoiceMap, a downloadable app on your phone, and Virginia Driver is the voice behind the local tours which shine a spotlight on Queenstown and Arrowtown’s rich history.

If you’re into lower bills, lower emissions and higher resilience, then it’s time to go electric.

Wellington-based artist Hana Dean will lead a portrait painting workshop at Te Atamira this weekend.

A former World Bank senior economist says people buying holiday homes and leaving them empty in Queenstown for much of the year are on track to "hollow out" the town, unless authorities take strong action to build more affordable housing for workers.

He’s been a builder, jetboat driver, not so confident horse handler and a very successful tourism events organiser. Geoff Clear may not have excelled academically at school but he did know how to party, which, coupled with a good sense of humour and an enterprising spirit, saw him develop a successful corporate events business with wife Janice some 30 years ago.

Women from across Queenstown gathered on Saturday 19 January for a free community event hosted by Queenstown Medical Centre. The speakers and panel discussion focused on perimenopause, menopause, and sexual wellbeing — topics often overlooked despite affecting women throughout midlife and beyond.

Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover is calling on suitably qualified and passionate members of the community to come forward and apply for one of the three seats on Council’s newly re-constituted Risk and Assurance Committee that are to be filled by independent members of the public.

2026 is shaping up to be another big year for DISHrupt, Sustainable Queenstown’s reusable serveware initiative that’s helping transform how our community runs events.

Local rescuers are again urging backcountry explorers not to rely on information, comments and advice posted on social media before heading into the hills with Wakatipu specialist alpine rescuers called in yet again to help, this time on Rob Roy Glacier, near Wanaka.

People are being sought to volunteer in some of Wānaka’s most stunning homes, while making a difference for breast cancer. With just one month to go, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is seeking more volunteers for the NZ House & Garden Tours in Wānaka on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February. The tours offer an exclusive look inside the beautifully curated homes and gardens featured in NZ House & Garden magazine.

Disqualified driver allegedly assaults Police: A 29-year-old local man was charged with assaulting and resisting Police, refusing to accompany an enforcement officer and driving while disqualified after Police were called to Hanley’s Farm by a member of the public concerned about the way a van was allegedly being driven at 12.30am on Tuesday, 13 January.

Workers are arriving in Queenstown and leaving within weeks because the cost of living is too high, recruiters and unions say. Despite record-high visitor spending and hundreds of job listings, data shows a growing gap between average pay rates and day-to-day living costs in the district.

Arrowtown Creative Arts Society’s (ACAS) Remarkable Picnic Opera will return in February. Off the back of a successful 2025, the seventh Opera features seven ‘big’ voices, a varied programme and includes a new, vibrant pre-show performance from renowned electric violinist, Arna Morton.

For more than 50 years he’s played a key role in Search and Rescue at the head of Lake Wakatipu, often in treacherous alpine terrain, with some 100 operations under his pack belt.