Lakes Weekly Bulletin

19/06/2026

Sixteen volunteer firefighters from Frankton, Queenstown and Arrowtown took part in what was a tricky rescue after a young woman in her 30s or 40s fell about 6m down a steep bank off a walking trail above the Kawarau River on Saturday night (13 June).

Read the full story and more Crimeline. 🔽

Tricky rescue after woman falls above Kawarau RiverSixteen volunteer firefighters from Frankton, Queenstown and Arrowtown took part in what was a tricky rescue after a young woman in her 30s or 40s fell about 6m down a steep bank off a walking trail above the Kawarau River on Saturday night (13 June...

18/06/2026

Local little boy Dylan is fighting brain cancer for a second time. A Givealittle page has been set up to help give him every possible chance at a brighter future. As the family face ongoing treatment and travel costs, plus focusing on getting Dylan the care he needs, their financial burden has been immense. You can read more about Dylan's story and donate below.

After beating cancer once, Dylan is fighting again. Help give him every possible chance at a brighter future

17/06/2026

Theresa Swain - There’s no taming Theresa

While other 50-something mums endure night sweats at home after a long day at work, longtime Queenstown dance teacher Theresa Swain is out working up a night sweat of a different kind, moonlighting as a drag queen and nightclub DJ.

At 53, Theresa, who grew up in a theatrical family in Dunedin, decided a few years ago it was “time to do something for me”.

Ever since, Theresa - a ballet and dance teacher to a school of 120 kids by day, has been transforming into a DJ by night, donning full drag costuming to the delight of the crowd... well, most of the crowd.

Read the full story:

While other 50-something mums endure night sweats at home after a long day at work, longtime Queenstown dance teacher Theresa Swain is out working up a night sweat of a different kind, moonlighting as a drag queen and nightclub DJ.

16/06/2026

Established as a charitable trust in 2013, the Wakatipu High School Foundation exists to support Wakatipu High School - the only public high school serving the Wakatipu Basin - in its mission to deliver New Zealand’s best all-round education. Their major fundraiser of the year will take place on Thursday, 18 June.

Established as a charitable trust in 2013, the Wakatipu High School Foundation exists to support Wakatipu High School - the only public high school serving the Wakatipu Basin - in its mission to deliver New Zealand’s best all-round education.As Queenstown continues to grow, so too do the opportuni...

15/06/2026

Editorial 1055

Sustaining the Heart of the Whakatipu
by Paula Denton - Community Connector, Volunteer South

With National Volunteer Week (14-20 June) upon us, it is time to turn up the volume and celebrate the incredible volunteers who keep our community thriving. This year’s theme, Your Year to Volunteer – Tōu tau ki te tūao, marks the International Year of the Volunteer 2026. It’s the ultimate moment to honour our current volunteers and inspire others to get involved.

Volunteering is at the heart of strong, connected and resilient communities. Living in the Queenstown Lakes District brings undeniable magic, but it also comes with a unique set of pressures. Cost-of-living challenges and a transient population are stretching our social fabric, creating a disconnect between our resort image and the everyday reality. Yet beneath the surface lies a powerful, quiet force holding our communities together: volunteers.

New Zealand’s volunteering participation remains strong, but the way we give our time is changing. Busy lives mean fewer hours and a shift toward flexible, casual roles. Volunteers, particularly younger people, are increasingly motivated by personal values, skills development and alignment with causes they care about.

At the same time, community organisations face real pressures - from time constraints and the cost of living to an ageing workforce and rising red tape. They don’t have to navigate it alone though. Volunteer South remains dedicated to ensuring grassroots organisations have the support they need to manage this changing landscape.

Leading up to National Volunteer Week, Volunteer South has been encouraging organisations to share stories that celebrate the heart, impact, and people behind their mahi. We were thrilled by the fabulous response from Queenstown Lakes organisations and will be sharing these wonderful stories on our website and social media. Keep an eye out over the coming weeks - you might just find a story that inspires you to get involved.

Recently, we also facilitated a student volunteer day. While a school day off is usually a chance to sleep in, 56 Wakatipu High School students chose to spend their Teacher Only Day supporting their local community. Their teamwork contributed 188 hours of mahi across the district, from environmental restoration with Mana Tāhuna and the Wakatipu Wilding Control Group, to helping out at the SPCA Op Shop and QLDC Libraries. They also contributed to community creativity at Te Atamira, and provided vital social connection through Happiness House, Plunket, and Wakatipu Senior Citizens. It’s so encouraging to see youth volunteering thriving - bringing fresh energy and building lifelong community connections.

At Volunteer South, we help connect people with causes that strengthen our district. Whether it’s planting trees, supporting social services, or sitting on a board, your time matters. This National Volunteer Week, why not find a role that matches your passion and lifestyle? Visit volunteersouth.org.nz to explore local opportunities. When motivation matches opportunity, our entire community thrives.

11/06/2026

Mike Brettell - Making sure the show goes on

Some people make more of an impact backstage than centre stage and Queenstown sound and lighting legend Mike Brettell is one of those people.

Renowned locally for his tireless dedication behind the scenes assisting at everything from kids’ shows and community concerts to Remarkable Theatre performances and autumn festivals, Mike’s been setting the scene and sound.

After 30 years in the business, much of that as a heavily discounted community service, at 60 Mike had been hoping to “wind down” a bit since branching out on his own in the audio-visual business eight years ago.

Read the full story:

Some people make more of an impact backstage than centre stage and Queenstown sound and lighting legend Mike Brettell is one of those people.Renowned locally for his tireless dedication behind the scenes assisting at everything from kids’ shows and community concerts to Remarkable Theatre performa...

09/06/2026

Drawing Space, Embodied Drawing Workshop

Sunday, Jun 14, 2026
2:00 PM
VENUE: WHAKAARI, TE ATAMIRA
$30 + BOOKING FEE

Being a body in space is a complicated, non linear experience. Artist Chora Carleton invites you to join her for an experimental drawing workshop embodied in response to the ‘Infinite Possibilities’ exhibition. Taking place in the Whakaari gallery space at 2pm, this workshop runs for 90minutes, and spaces are limited.
Explore how you might describe motion, map trajectories not yet made and respond to the space as you draw it. How can movement and slowly looking leave traces and renderings in the process of mark making?

Open to everyone, this workshop will provoke experimentation and play, meeting you where you are at in your creative journey.

Drawing materials will be provided. Feel free to bring your own dry materials and paper if you have your favourites. Spaces are limited to 12, so book to secure yours.
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The Whakaari Gallery space is accessible, but please let us know if you require additional support.

In her practice, Chora Carleton examines embodiment and perception at the intersection of the materiality and post human/neurodiverse consciousness. Interpreting space, colour and line she uses materials and mark making to describe the world through a unique visual language. This workshop is adapted from her time teaching at Whiti o Rehua, School of Fine Art at Massey University Wellington.
Book tickets: https://nz.patronbase.com/_TeAtamira/Productions/IPW1/Performances

08/06/2026

Join this week's conversation with the Lakes Weekly poll on current Queenstown issues. The poll should take less than 2 minutes of your time. Follow the link to answer the questions:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RDRMCYW

The results of these questions will be published in next week’s print edition.
Your response to the survey is anonymous and we don’t publish individual responses.

Subscribe to LWB's polls: https://forms.gle/DPHWEcFkTGQaTcjK9

08/06/2026

Editorial 1054

Thank you incredible Trail Lovers
by W***y - Queenstown Trails Trust

As we wrap up another summer season, the Queenstown Trails Trust is putting a new spin on its annual ‘Trail Lovers’ Campaign, celebrating the benefits the trails increasingly bring to our community and thanking all our recent and reoccurring supporters who are instrumental to the trail’s success.

Following the opening of the Wharehuanui and Shotover Gorge Trails last year, the recognition of what the trails mean for Queenstown’s tourism proposition are clear, with over 120,000 users confirming their popularity, with spectacular recreational opportunities including the Hugo Tunnel and Kimi-ākau bridge.

The positive impacts of trails in our region are set to be boosted further with the completion of the Kawarau Gorge Trail in September 2026, which will connect the 150km Queenstown Trail network to Central Otago and beyond.

Equally at the heart of what inspires Queenstown Trails, is the appeal of trails to locals and their important role in connecting our communities, conservation outcomes, and alternate modes of transportation.

Our current focus has shifted to linking our fastest growing residential suburbs to the wider trail network and places of work or school. The Southern Corridor route from Jacks Point to Frankton is consented and has recently gone through its detailed design phase, ready for construction later this year. We were extremely thankful to Central Lakes Trust to grant an initial $313,000 towards this project which got us on our way. The community rallied to the cause and raised $33,000 during our Tour Aotearoa fundraising effort and subsequently the shortfall has been made up through generous funding commitments made by Park Ridge and Darby Partners with further announcements expected soon. The generosity of landowners who have enabled access has also been pivotal to establishing this trail.

Another vital aspect of our active transport network has been a safe crossing of SH6 to link the eastern suburbs of Lower Shotover into Frankton and Queenstown. To support this Waka Kotahi NZTA project, QTT successfully applied for funding of $110,000 from the Mactodd Community Charitable Trust to construct the trail connections to the new Pūāhuru Bridge, linking the Old Lower Shotover Bridge to existing shared pathways through Five Mile and the new BP intersection. These projects will provide additional transport choices, reduce congestion and bring health and wellbeing benefits for our community.

Looking further ahead, we are also lining up permissions for our next exciting trail expansion projects that align with our ten year strategic plan – including a recently granted DOC concession for a trail from Sunshine Bay to 12 Mile which will form the initial phase of an off-road trail all the way to Glenorchy in conjunction with Te Araroa and the Glenorchy Trails Alliance. There are plenty more irons in the fire which we’re keen to develop into trails on the ground, subject to funding support.

So, a resounding THANK YOU to all our incredible Trail Lovers, recurring donors, corporate sponsors and generous philanthropists who keep the cogs turning and enable us to turn trail dreams into epic adventures. See you out on the Trails!

04/06/2026

Burglars who targeted 11th Avenue in Frankton, hit twice in the past week, were “pretty determined”, those caught on security camera even bringing empty plastic milk containers to fill from the beer taps, co-owner Gino Mendoza says.

Determined burglars nab thousands of dollars worth of beer – 11th AvenueBurglars who targeted 11th Avenue in Frankton, hit twice in the past week, were “pretty determined”, those caught on security camera even bringing empty plastic milk containers to fill from the beer taps, co-owner Gino Men...