Wānaka Sun

13/12/2025

Cheers to all the lovely cafes and restaurants who invited us along to sample your beautiful food and venues.
The food reviews have been a right highlight for 2025, in the Wānaka Sun .
Quick thank you to my meal mates, who accompanied me all year, here we all are!

12/12/2025

The wonderful Michelle Simpson.
A pre school teacher originally from Northland and moved here in 2019. She's always carried a talent of drawing and art, as well as being super fit running up in the mountains - we've had a few runs together and I can confirm she has gas in the tank!

Nice story on how all the above, connects her with her late father.

Olivia

11/12/2025

Lots of good stories this week, but this is my favourite.
Solo sharing parent Dana, found herself struggling a few years back because of unplanned circumstances.
Dana has been working her business between school runs, after the kids go to bed, and raising her three girls. She "just got on with it".
She has managed to save for her house, and business is taking off.
Very inspirational.

10/12/2025

I spoke to Hawea local, and preschool teacher Michelle Simpson about her artwork and the inspiration behind it.
Quite a story she has.

Grab yourself a Wānaka Sun this Friday. Our penultimate for the year.

08/12/2025

Details of the champs.

NZ champs a stone’s throw away | Otago Daily Times Online News

New Zealand’s first national stone-skimming championship is set to make a splash at Lake Hāwea next year. The event is inspired by Scotland’s long...

07/12/2025

I love this,
Lake Hawea Station will be hosting the inaugural NZ stone skimming champs next year.
Richie Laming took me for a skim! At Lake Hawea's the Hide.
I was hopeless.

06/12/2025

Students selected for Phoenix academy | Otago Daily Times Online News

Two Mount Aspiring students and Wānaka Football Club players have had their dreams come true this week, getting the call-up for the Wellington...

04/12/2025

We don't usually do personalities on the front page, but by the sounds of it, PL wasn't one for rules and nor am I.
PL Anderson was heavily involved in the Upper Clutha Rugby Club becoming one of the first rugby clubs in New Zealand in allowing women into aftermatch functions at the club rooms.
Good on him.

What a refreshing story to write about this farmer who had old school values. Thank you to his family for being so welcoming.

Olivia

From Tarras to Wānaka — the man of the land with a giant phone bill | Otago Daily Times Online News https://share.google/SWVOy1k5lhfDUdah4

03/12/2025

Had a lovely chat to Jan Anderson, wife of PL Anderson who I'm sure many know. But for those who don't, PL was a Tarras farmer, huge rugby club man, a keen dog trialer and from what I'm hearing, a grand community man.
Much loved by his family.
He will appear in the Wānaka Sun on Friday, and the ODT also.

Olivia

01/12/2025

The most precious interview I've done in sometime, meet Alfie and Dan. They've had big news this week about the Wellington Phoenix academy.
Very well spoken, could give us all lessons I'd think.
Good luck to these boys And a successful footy career ahead, I hope we see those Liverpool and Real Madrid jerseys on each of them some day.

In the Wānaka Sun Friday

29/11/2025

The Wānaka Fete! In its second year, what a fabulous wee addition to town. Heaps of local producers from our flower farmers, creators, artists and more. Some out of towners too.
From left; Lesley Bracefield and her jackets made of recycled materials (I got one) the Scotsmen Louis and Ewan who hold Forbes 2024 whiskey of the year, Raasay (that can't be an easy feat) and Southland's own distillery, Auld who featured on Country Calendar once upon a time.

Heaps to see, nice day for it too.

29/11/2025

Want to take time to welcome new reporter Evie Sinclair aboard. Evie is a local, knows the people and the town and has got stuck in. In fact! She started off with a hiss and a roar by filling the paper while I was on leave for a week.

Welcome aboard Evie!

A story from her below;

Town’s longstanding GP fondly recalled | Otago Daily Times Online News

A well-known Wanaka GP who died this month was a "country doctor really of another time", his daughter says. Sarah Pezaro, daughter of Dr Dennis...