James Beech

St John ambulance officers will be ready to take the blood pressure of shoppers in Wakatipu New World on Saturday as part of the Stroke Foundation's Down with Blood Pressure campaign.

A Fiordland tourism company bought by the Skeggs family, of Dunedin, nearly three years ago, is expanding again.

Eleven dangerously decayed and half-dead trees were felled by a contractor last week, as part of the Queenstown Lakes District Council's ongoing maintenance programme.

Alcohol is the main cause of violence in Queenstown and more police are needed on streets, according to some public and private operators in the resort who were surveyed by students from the University of Otago.

A black-tie charity dinner and ball in aid of Christchurch earthquake relief is being organised by a group of Wakatipu friends inspired by the fable of "stone soup".

Queenstown and Auckland airport chiefs and Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden have welcomed the withdrawal of legal actions to overturn the controversial share deal between the two airports.

Thousands of books and bargains, raffle prizes and entertainment are being prepared this week for the annual St Joseph's School book fair on Sunday.

Wakatipu High School's board of trustees say they welcome a Ministry of Education troubleshooter to sort out employment issues in senior management.

A school for 112 primary school pupils will be built on Speargrass Flat Rd, near Arrowtown, if the $3 million-$5 million project is not challenged again by neighbouring opponents of the development.

A saucy comedy starring a Dancing with the Stars winner and two acting veterans of more than 30 years will deliver the laughs in the Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall, on Saturday, May 21.

Artwork salvaged by a Christchurch artist from her earthquake-wrecked studio will find a new home in a Queenstown gallery from next Friday.

As many as 48 former Christchurch pupils and their families have put down roots in the Wakatipu, instead of returning to the earthquake-affected city.

Landing the lead role in the stage musical All Shook Up led to a crash course in acting and dancing, James Stephenson, of Queenstown, says.

A total of $270 was raised for the SPCA from registrations and donations, when the second annual Dux Wonder Dogs show was held, in Queenstown, yesterday.

Inspiring wearable art was displayed on the catwalk for the entertainment of a sold-out audience, when the Wallace & Gibbs Art 2 Wear Show was staged as part of the Arrowtown Autumn Festival on Friday.

About 50 Auckland and Hamilton mums, their 80 relatives and well-wishers descended on Queenstown for a specially themed Air New Zealand flight to celebrate Mothering Sunday and New Zealand Music Month yesterday.

The 27th Arrowtown Autumn Festival ended with an entertainment-packed variety concert in front of a sell-out audience last night.

An Arrowtown artist says he is "delighted" to win the people's choice award in the Arrowtown Autumn Festival Locations Art Exhibition.