My Life Story

He may be one of Queenstown’s most legendary hospitality icons and restaurateurs, but these days Bruce Leitch is iconic for his own catch of the day.

He may be a 4th dan black belt in karate, but Craig McLachlan’s more renowned locally for his soft, gentle side and beaming smile.

He’s negotiated the craggy Shotover River canyons and the shallow Dart River braids at speed for 40 years, taking thousands of thrillseeking tourists on the jet boat ride of their lives.

Hailing from one of NZ’s most famous sporting families, little brother Greg wasn’t about to be beat. Born in Dunedin in 1963, Greg Turner’s older brother Glenn – 16 years his senior, was captaining the NZ Cricket Team, while Brian, almost 20 years older was playing hockey for NZ.

When you’re the eldest of nine kids it’s all about pitching in and being organised, something Jan Maxwell has modelled her life on. A busy mother of five, Jan grew up in Gore in a happy blended family, after her first father died when she was five. Theatrics and music were in the blood with Jan’s mother a talented ballerina and choreographer.

They say you can’t keep a good man down and Queenstown’s veteran of off road adventure Denis Columb wasn’t going to let a broken neck, broken back, a sharemarket crash, or cancer keep him from his off road motorbike passion.

She’s led a significant sector of New Zealand’s tourism industry, green tourism initiatives, and helped lead one of the country’s fastest growing districts, all without even passing School Certificate. That was never a problem. If Erna Spijkerbosch didn’t know how to do something she found someone to teach her and learned.

One bleak English day while operating a digger a young Doug Champion saw a plane passing over and thought, “Gee, I want to be somewhere else’. An Agricultural College graduate, he worked hard in his transport company job saving to travel, buying a 327pound one-way ship-jet ticket from England to Perth. It was a week-long journey.

Queenstown’s probation officer for almost 20 years, Mary Stamers-Smith was not only highly respected by the judiciary, but also by her clients. Her choice of career – social work, may have been a shock and a first for her St Margaret’s Girls College headmistress in Christchurch, but Mary, a deputy head prefect, had read a book inspiring her and there was no stopping her.

She started life on a farm near Whanganui but it was a rainy high school tramping trip to Mount Ruapehu that first drew one of the Wakatipu’s greatest outdoor legends into the hills.

A successful artist for 32 years and a born creative, Gus Watson wasn’t always on the trajectory to a creative career. The youngest son of a well-known Invercargill lawyer, Gus was headed for a legal career, just like his grandfather, father and two brothers before him.

Growing up in Te Anau from the age of two, Hank Sproull, who’s just celebrated 50 years in aviation, was fascinated by light aircraft and hangars from a very young age.

Renowned and adored locally not only for his incredible musical ability, but also his infectious trademark laugh, Mark Wilson has graced more local stages and late night venues than he’s had Fergburgers. The son of an Anglican vicar, Mark has only known blind, but despite that he’s embraced life and all its opportunities with full joy and gusto and the most positive of attitudes. “I guess I’m a glass half full person,” he admits.

The daughter of a Swedish journalist and Kiwi miner, Joan Allan, was born near Greymouth, moving with the family to Dunedin, aged three. Hijinks and hilarity have always been who she is, ordered off the Otago Girls’ High School stage for hysterically laughing while reading a Greek poem. Sadly, Joan’s parents parted when she was 12 and Joan and her brother grew up around the Evening Star newsroom in Dunedin. Her mum covered many a Royal Tour, getting to know many famous people, including Princess Diana’s father.

Renowned locally as one of the Wakatipu’s most popular, fun-loving publicans, former Eichardt’s Tavern owner John Mann was destined for a life in entertainment.

You could say he’s somewhere between a Southern Man with a big heart and New Zealand’s own version of Bear Grylls, but KC Wilson is probably his own unique version of icon.

She was the joyful, welcoming face of Skyline for 23 years, her bright hazel eyes and wide, beaming smile calming many a nervous tourist after they stepped off a hairy gondola ride.

One of Queenstown’s most prominent, long-time resource management lawyers, Graeme Todd arrived in Queenstown for just one year as a 22-year-old, fresh out of Otago University Law School. He’s still practising here 40-plus years later after witnessing many landmark decisions.

As a youngster growing up in Frankton during the 1960s, Paul Wilson enjoyed the life of Riley – summers were hot and winters were big, skating on ice, fishing, biking, and roaming the hillsides.

Owner of iconic local business Stitch N Time for the past seven years, Kate’s planning to close her sewing machine case and open up a new chapter of her life somewhere outside of Queenstown.