Tracey Roxburgh

Concepts for a conference centre in Queenstown are being sought by the steering group investigating its feasibility.

The "last remaining link" in providing total emergency cover for the Milford Rd has come by way of satellite tracking technology, installed in two of Real Journeys' Volvo B12B coaches.

Plenty of elbow grease was used to get about 40 vehicles spic and span for the Queenstown Car Club's fourth annual Show and Shine day in the resort on Saturday.

England rugby officials tried their best to keep their arrival quiet, but hundreds of English nationals, rugby fans and Queenstown residents tracked the England Rugby World Cup squad down yesterday - and gave the team a fitting welcome at Queenstown Airport.

Immediate action was needed by the Ministry of Education to address enrolment-zone and roll-growth issues in the Wakatipu, the Remarkables Primary School's board said last night.

Despite a nerve-wracking first 60 minutes, the England coaching staff were "pretty pleased" with the team's opening game in the World Cup, played in Dunedin on Saturday night.

Sir William Hayward Pickering (1910-2004) was a Wellington-born engineer, who headed JPL for 22 years.

One of the great loose forwards has been named in the French team to do battle against the Classic All Blacks in Queenstown next weekend.

At 9.45am yesterday Te Anau had a taste of things to come, when the first BAE-146 chartered Whisper Jet service landed at Te Anau-Manapouri Airport.

The Georgian Rugby World Cup squad arrived at the Skyline complex in Queenstown yesterday smiling - and left with the hearts of many following its official civic welcome.

More than 100 people - including children waving Georgian flags - turned out at Queenstown Airport last night to welcome the Georgia Rugby World Cup squad to the resort and New Zealand. Members of the Georgia RWC squad, including captain Irakli Abuseridze (second from right) are pictured taking in the atmosphere at the airport.

National women's mountain biking champion Kate Fluker, of Queenstown, has entered for the first time in Patagonia 8hrs@Jacks, a multi-lap mountain bike relay event being held at Jacks Point next month.

Queenstown golf courses have come in first, second and third in the South Island in a list ranking New Zealand courses.

Simon Green has been reappointed as director of the Queenstown Winter Festival but will take on an expanded role of Destination Queenstown events manager.

The hard work put in by Lakes Leisure to prepare facilities for the visiting Irish rugby team has paid off, with the Irish Rugby World Cup squad yesterday giving the thumbs-up to facilities at the Queenstown Events Centre.

Good demand for in-town property from the Australian and New Zealand domestic markets resulted in two sections selling for more than $1 million each and three apartments for more than $1.25 million each in July, Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Queenstown spokesman Kelvin Collins said.

Creating a "vision of success for the future" for the Queenstown Lakes district will be the aim of community meetings this month, part of the Shaping our Future process.