Tracey Roxburgh

From today, Arrowtown entrepreneur Michael Hill will be able to add author to his ever-increasing list of accomplishments.

Michael Hill could have been excused for popping a Champagne cork yesterday after independent commissioners John Matthews and Andrew Henderson granted resource consent for 17 underground houses to be built on The Hills golf course near Arrowtown.

Treble Cone chairman Nat Craig yesterday said the ski area had been approached by "some parties" and was in discussions over a possible sale.

"Pretty stoked" is how the Remarkables Ski Area manager Ross Lawrence described the feeling ahead of the field's 2009 season opening this weekend.

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes yesterday confirmed plans for a new $30 million council headquarters had been shelved after strong opposition from ratepayers.

A "minor" spill of about 1000 litres of sewage near the Frankton track about noon yesterday is being investigated by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

For the first time in 10 years, Mt Hutt Ski Area's slopes will open two weeks ahead of schedule - with help from its "sister mountains" in Queenstown.

Management at Queenstown's two skifields were thrilled with the weekend cold front which brought a month's worth of precipitation to the Wakatipu in two days, although neither field plans to open early.

With the opening of Coronet Peak Ski Area just eight weeks away, there was no better reminder winter was on its way than the 10cm of snow that fell at the skifield on Tuesday night, and also at The Remarkables Ski Area.

Seven state-of-the-art Kassbohrer Pisten Bully 600 and 400 series snow groomers, valued at $550,000 each, are on their way to NZSki's slopes.

From fog, to frost, snow and then sun, Wakatipu residents appear to have had four completely different weather patterns in four days.

Queenstown's "party town" reputation, coupled with drug dealers targeting the resort during winter months to "ply their wares", creates an environment "where lawlessness can flourish", Clutha-Southland MP Bill English says.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council's engineering department restructuring, outlined in the council's 10-year plan, is under way.

Cardrona Ski Resort Ltd was yesterday ordered to pay almost $60,000 including court costs in the Queenstown District Court before Judge Paul Keller, of Dunedin.

Swine flu infection-control procedures at Queenstown Airport will be "ramped up" in the next two weeks ahead of the winter influx of Australian visitors.

A war of words which erupted between Wanaka resident Andre Prassinos and the Queenstown Lakes District Council last year has been investigated by the Privacy Commissioner.

It's Tuesday night and those walking past an old farmhouse in Arrowtown could be forgiven for thinking there's a party going on inside.