Lucy Ibbotson

By the time thousands of Challenge Wanaka competitors begin their exercise in extreme endurance this morning, Wanaka GP Andrew McLeod (53, pictured above) will have already swum the equivalent of 152 lengths of Moana Pool and biked the equivalent distance in kilometres from Dunedin to Christchurch.

A Tarras farming family is angry an electric fence used to contain cattle has been anonymously dismantled almost daily for the past couple of weeks.

A misunderstanding nearly led to a full-scale search and rescue operation being launched yesterday after two 61-year-old Hamilton men were reported overdue from a tramping trip on the Motatapu Track.

Boil-water notices were lifted from Glendhu Bay and Arrowtown yesterday.

A flood is again heading towards Lake Wanaka - not a surplus of water, but a deluge of triathletes arriving for Saturday's Challenge Wanaka endurance race.

Dangerously high flows in the Clutha River from recent heavy rainfall have forced the postponement of this week's inaugural Wild Descent kayak adventure race.

Complaints about conflict between lake users at Wanaka's Penrith Beach have prompted the installation of a 5-knot speed limit buoy to remind boaties to keep their speed down near the shoreline.

Challenge Wanaka race director Victoria Murray-Orr says high lake levels and a partly submerged run course are no cause for concern - yet. The long-distance triathlon is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, and organisers have been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and rising lake and river levels after several days of heavy rainfall.

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden's election campaign promise to further reduce council spending on consultants has been realised, financial records show.

Nearly 70 community organisations, social service agencies and arts and performance groups have confirmed their interest in being part of a proposed community house for Wanaka, in the project's latest feasibility study.