Issue #905

by Scott Stevens

Who likes the cold? I don’t. I love it. Why would you live here in the Deep South if you didn’t? Despite the best efforts of marketing gurus at DQ, ABPA and Wanaka Tourism to promote the virtues of the summer season, the cold truth is, we are a cold weather gem. When it gets as cold as it did last week and the trees and streams freeze, teamed with brilliant clear sunny days. Just wow. A good glass of red in front of a roaring fire. Sitting back gazing at snowy mountains as far as the eye can see. That’s our point of difference. These mountains and these temperatures are our Australasian unique factor with the magic of ice and snow drawing the crowds.

Miserable May. Tumble Weed early June. These months are always a struggle for hospo and retail in Queenstown. All we can do is wait, with growing expectation for the mountains to open and the crowds to flood our businesses again. Like a tidal wave of Australian twang and Auckland attitude, you know it’s coming but the calmness that precedes always seems to catch me by surprise. Which is weird given it’s been the same pattern since forever, barring the recent covid disruption. And here we are again, waiting for the crowds to turn up and put energy into our CBD again. Winter 2023 starts this weekend and not a moment too soon.

As much as some don’t like “the big end of town”, it is the big end corporates like NZSKI and RealNZ who sink tens of millions into maintaining and improving our surrounding ski fields. Imagine the economic carnage if Coronet Peak didn’t open this year because its owner was having issues with its financial affairs. Proof of point is the insolvency of North Island ski fields Turoa and Whakapapa. I imagine the economic mood on the main street of Ohakune is a bit grim. It’s a tough old game making a buck out of snow sports in the Southern Hemisphere.

That’s business. It comes and goes, but what is always around is the local enthusiasm for snow sports in this District. Just yesterday (Sunday) I strolled up Bush Creek from the Dishery Restaurant and historic Chinese gold mining camp in Arrowtown to find a hive of enthusiasm and fun times on what was a long forgotten and degraded outdoor community ice rink. A bunch of volunteers helped by a little bit of community funding have worked for the last 3 years digging out and restoring this nostalgic gem. The naysayers said global warming will make it impossible. Believe me there is ice and it is bloody cold in that little corner of the Whakatipu. How long will the ice last? Who cares, it’s there now so live in the moment and go and enjoy it. Such simple pleasures as a toasted marshmallow over a brazier, a thermos of Mulled Wine shared, and kids skating on a little square of lovingly tendered ice. Brilliant.