Who could not love Queenstown with all our naturally gifted glory? Well it might come as a shock but quite a few people actually, many of whom live in the small towns that surround the Wakatipu Basin. In Wanaka for example it is common to hear people referring to Queenstown as the flashy big brother who sold its soul to the devil in exchange for dollars, Yen and Chinese Yuan. We are somewhat like the Auckland of the South in many people’s eyes. Jealously loved to be hated.

Just as I was starting to wonder if it was time to stop wishing people a happy new year and start getting on with the year that is, along comes another convenient reason to turn a new leaf. A large portion of the world’s population including many resident or visiting Chinese in Queenstown are celebrating Chinese New Year over the next two weeks and welcoming in the Year of the Dragon. Having been lucky enough to join the celebrations with a Kiwi Chinese family and friends here in Queenstown on ‘New Year’s Eve’, it surprised me how the Chinese New Year tradition mirrors western celebrations over the Christmas and New Year period. It also surprised me how large and active the Chinese community in Queenstown is, albeit with little fanfare.

Most of us are not farmers, so the hot dry start to the summer has been more than welcome. Life is certainly better when the sun is shining. However there is a bit of an issue with water supply, particularly those on bore water like Lake Hayes and Arthurs Point. The downpours we experienced last week have not changed the fact water conservation is needed in some parts of the Basin. It seems almost ridiculous to me considering the size of that great big puddle otherwise known as Lake Wakatipu. I guess the problem is not so much the availability of water but the cost associated with getting it to our taps. Up until this summer I had not thought too much about the water coming into my house and watering the garden is not something I have ever considered a luxury.

The Queenstown-Lakes District is often referred to as the jewel in New Zealand’s crown and over the Christmas New Year holiday period, it has certainly lived up to that reputation. It is a pleasure to see so many happy holidaymakers enjoying a stellar summer and seeing the area with its best foot firmly planted forward.