Latest News

Wānaka artists encouraged to enter awards

Budding young artists in Wānaka, and established ones, are being encouraged to start thinking about the Central Otago Arts Gold Awards this year, with prizes on offer of up to $10,000.  This is a biennial art competition run by the Central Otago...... Read More

“Knife-edge” honey prediction for local producers

It could be a boom or bust for local honey producers this season, dependent on the weather through January. Beekeepers said the recent rain was a much-appreciated boon, and if the next month was a hot one, they could be looking at a stellar harvest. Steve...... Read More

Sharp decline in visitor numbers to Wānaka tracks

New Department of Conservation (DOC) figures are showing a sharp decline in walkers on Roys Peak and Mt Iron tracks, down 42 percent and 67 percent respectively over the spring compared to the previous year. DOC said from September to October’s...... Read More

Boaties asked to avoid areas laid with weed mats

Boaties seeing new yellow buoys with red and black stickers on them at locations around Lake Wānaka can expect there to be weed-prevention mats lurking beneath and should avoid them.   Before the end of 2020  LINZ will install 15-20 buoys...... Read More

Don’t be an arse: a how to guide

Everyone’s been an arse at some point in their life, but the plea from the Wānaka community is for you to minimise your inner arse this summer. Follow these steps so that you too can bid a safe and arse-free farewell to this year and say a hearty...... Read More

Wānaka events to raise funds for Foodbank

The collaborative “Summer Series” events in January will celebrate some of Central Otago’s most important wine and food industry players ahead of the highly anticipated Ripe wine and food festival at the Corbridge Woolshed...... Read More

More help coming in Lakes area for mental health

As the district faces ongoing effects of COVID-19, a new role to connect people with mental health and wellbeing support in the Central Lakes area will be available for assistance from early 2021.     The Mental Wellbeing Navigator role is...... Read More

Meg on track to complete Hāwea leg of swim

Boosting her energy with gummy snakes and slurps of hot chocolate every so often, Dunedin schoolgirl swimmer Meg McLaughlan is right now ticking off the kilometres and long hours in her epic swim of Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka to raise money for the...... Read More

Our local seed-loving “good sort”

Andrew Penniket, who this year retired as manager of Wānaka community-based native plant nursery, Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust, has left an impressive legacy on habitat restoration over more than a decade, according to his peers.   The Trust specialises...... Read More

Thank you!

It’s been a tougher year than most, and we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of our readers and advertisers for your continued support in 2020. From all of us here at the Wānaka Sun, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Read...... Read More