Latest News

We Love Whakatipu's Cath Gilmour on why QLDC selling its Queenstown Airport shares would be a "serious mistake, sacrificing long-term community control to short-term political expediency".

Despite hundreds of millions of dollars of investment into retirement villages in Queenstown Lakes, many older, long-time residents “face eviction from this district” because there’s nowhere affordable and suitable for them to live, Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust CEO Julie Scott says.

Some unruly visitors in town over the long weekend had Police busy, breaking up fights, chasing down burglars and getting drunk drivers off our roads.

Darby Partners has just started construction of a new boutique hotel development at Jack’s Point Village and director John Darby says they hope to start building a new supermarket early next year.

Construction of 42 private residences is about to start soon alongside the $80million Glendhu Championship Golf Couse development, near Wanaka, now well into construction and set to open late next year.

James (Jim) Boult (CNZM) has been appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government, tourism and the community in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.

Serious concern continues to grow across the Southland and Otago regions after a further 64 paradise shelducks have been discovered mysteriously dead on the fore-shore of Lake Te Anau, just weeks after an initial 100 birds were collected from Dub-lin Bay, at Lake Wānaka, last month.

The Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment staff will keeping a sharp eye on employers and landlords in the Queenstown Lakes District this ski season to ensure workers are being treated fairly and within the law, with a large influx of temporary migrant visa workers anticipated.

Drivers between Cromwell and Queenstown, on SH6, will need to build in at least an extra hour next Wednesday afternoon, 29 May.

A heartfelt tribute to a "southwestern gentleman" has earned singer-songwriter Holly Arrowsmith the 2024 APRA Best Country Music Song award.

Police have released the name of the man found dead in Invercargill on Sunday morning.

Police are warning of a significant rise in the use and sale of cocaine in the region, with ongoing dealing and use of synthetic party drugs like MDMA and ketamine.

Police and Search and Rescue volunteers are warning of catastrophic outcomes and potentially loss of life after a number of close call rescues on the Brewster Glacier trek near Makarora in the Mt Aspiring National Park, with unprepared visitors lured there by a plethora of sunny day social media posts.

Bus patronage in Queenstown and Dunedin is at a six-year high.

International student numbers are on the rise at local language schools amid a renewed interest to study English in beautiful surrounds.

DarkSky International has announced the certification of Kawarau Gibbston as an International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) and recognises Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park as a very special place on the planet.

El Nino weather conditions in the past six months have left Central Otago winemakers smiling with good yields and excellent quality grapes, in anticipation of some delicious wines to come.

There’s growing frustration in local health circles with no firm decisions being made on the future use of the current 34-bed Lake Wakatipu Care Centre rest-home located next to the Lakes District Hospital, which will be vacated later this year.

The first few days of a week-long trial closing off traffic to Arrowtown’s quaint main street Buckingham Street and prioritising greater pedestrian use have drawn a mixed, in some cases strong, response.

Arrowtown’s own hometown, folk, ‘alt country’ style songwriter Holly Arrowsmith is still making powerful music waves with her single Desert Dove, now named one of just four finalists for Best Country Music Song in New Zealand’s top country awards Country Music Honours.