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Beijing 2022 Olympian Finn Bilous has finished in fifth place at the second stop of the 2023 Freeride World Tour overnight held in Ordino Arcalís, Andorra. Bilous was the top performing Kiwi in what is his rookie Freeride World Tour season.

An array of Central Otago’s winemakers and food producers joined forces from 26 – 29 January to bring us Roam Central. The schedule included 19 events that were spread across 38 wineries and involved dozens of chefs and food producers.

Queenstown has been ranked 25th of the 100 most loved destinations in the world by the Tourism Sentiment Index (TSI).

The fabulous food, divine drinks and thoughtful service Future Hospitality Group is known for are front and centre at its latest Queenstown venue. The unusually-named ‘Odd Saint’, in homage to its location alongside St Peter’s Church in the heart of town, arose in a spot that housed a much-loved locals café run by previous owners for 15 years.

Queenstown's main swimming pool Alpine Aqualand is closing weekends from 18 February due to a shortage of lifeguards.

When a couple of passionate, meat loving South Americans got chatting while working at Sofitel Queenstown in 2007, little did they know they’d soon be preaching meat to Kiwis and leading the charge.

Queenstowners can expect to see Beam electric scooters on the streets by the end of the month.

The 2023 NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival will run in Wānaka from 23 to 27 June, in Queenstown 29 to 30 June and online from 23 June to 23 July.

Tahuna’s Waitangi Day celebrations will this year return to Queenstown Gardens after the past couple of years of moving around to different spots. The 2023 event has a strong focus on whanau and will include live music, Kapa Haka, kai, and activities for tamariki.

As I dip the quill in the ink it’s another sizzling hot day, nudging over 30 degrees celsius without a breath of wind. Summers arrived with a bang and so too is the garden starting to produce the goods for us, based on our spring efforts. I have a scarce garden this year, I’ve focused all my time on building a Natural swimming pool from scratch, more on that later.

Initially launched in 2018, DISHrupt was an idea born out of Sustainable Queenstown’s passion to create Zero Waste Events. Events where peoples’ habits can be broken, smarter decisions can be made, and more importantly spaces where food and beverages can be enjoyed and shared without rubbish bins being full of single use waste.

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.

They may seem soft and furry with their little bunny ears bobbing about our district, but for most people the cutesy reputation of the rabbit has long since worn thin. abbits are a destructive force and it seems no matter what measures are implemented to try and keep their ever expanding populations under control they just keep breeding more because, well… they’re rabbits!

The ultimate mountain biking road trip is returning to Queenstown Lakes next month with the Crankworx Summer Series New Zealand.

Great Southern Television and Queenstown Lakes District Council have announced the four recipients selected for the 2023 Tāhuna Writers Retreat.

Barbara Bridger is the new chief executive of Central Lakes Trust (CLT).

This past Saturday Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall was transformed into a wee Scottish town as 200 people headed out to celebrate Burns Night. The event, which is a celebration of the 1700’s poet Robert Burns included haggis, poetry reading, a band, traditional dance and drinks – a dram or two was certainly had. The celebration is set to return again in 2024.

The ten-day Queenstown Bike Festival has wrapped up after a hugely successful year.

An Australian who drowned in Lake Wakatipu at Glenorchy has been remembered as a "dependable friend" who dedicated his life to helping others.