Southern tourism pioneer celebrates 100th birthday
Olive, Lady Hutchins (nee Simpson) celebrated the milestone at Queenstown Country Club retirement village, where she lives, with her large family — including some of her 18 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren — and some old friends.
Cards from King Charles and Queen Camilla and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon were proudly on display.
To acknowledge her birthday, RealNZ, begun by the Hutchins family, ran a "kids go free" weekend for all its experiences, and took a group of local children to Walter Peak on Saturday afternoon to plant a grove of native plants in Lady Hutchins' honour.
Born in Invercargill in 1925, the youngest of three children of farming parents from Myross Bush, Lady Hutchins went to the local primary school and then Southland Girls' High School before taking a job in the office at Invercargill's H&J Smiths.
In 1945, when she was 20, she met her future husband, Les, at a dance in Invercargill, shortly after he returned from the war.
The couple married at Invercargill's First Church in 1948 and had four children.
Les ran a furniture business in Invercargill but left that under management in 1954 after buying Les Murrell's estate, which included a Manapouri-based "walking tour", traversing the Wilmot Pass, into Doubtful Sound, and back, and two boats, The Constance and The Pilgrim .
Turning that into the Manapouri-Doubtful Sound Tourist Company, the family initially spent summers in Manapouri but made it their permanent home in 1956.
Mrs Hodges said her mother was "a typical 1950s woman — she just followed Dad", and while she was kept busy raising the family, she would also cater for the boats and man the radio when Les was away.
The couple became central voices in the Save Manapouri campaign, launched in response to the government's announcement it intended to raise lakes Manapouri and Te Anau for hydro-electric development.
The couple's business, renamed Fiordland Travel (now RealNZ), grew when they bought the TSS Earnslaw in 1969 — it was to have been scrapped the year prior — and spent years restoring the 1912 Edwardian twin-screw steamer, ensuring the "Lady of the Lake" was preserved for future generations.
In 1970 Fiordland Travel launched Milford Sound cruises and in 1991 it secured a lease at Queenstown's Walter Peak High Country Farm, opening up a slice of rural New Zealand to visitors.
It was around that time Les handed the reins of the company to son Bryan.
In the early 1990s the couple moved to Kelvin Heights.
Les was named a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002, the year before his death.
Bryan said that was bestowed during a period when "Sir" and "Dame" weren't used.
However, after the titles were reintroduced, in 2009, the late Sir Eion Edgar "pestered" their mother to take the title of Lady.
Mrs Maslin said her mother "loved it — she was very proud of Dad [and] we thought it would be very cool for all the grandkids."
Lady Hutchins, a keen Presbyterian church-goer, set up a charitable trust at least 20 years ago to help underprivileged people.
The trust continues and is now run by some of her family.
Her family said she also adored gardening and was even known to pop over to Walter Peak with friends on occasion to help out the gardener there. She loved bridge, croquet, card games and played a bit of golf, and had been somewhat notorious for her lead foot while driving.
Well-read and a member of the National Party, she was also not afraid to share her views, particularly with politicians and her family.
Mrs Maslin said her mother was "never backwards in coming forward with her children ... if she was disappointed, you knew".
"She had spunk."
Lady Hutchins remained in Kelvin Heights until about six years ago, when she moved into the retirement village.
tracey.roxburgh@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Auckland poised as key hub with Southern Cross aviation project
Auckland lies along natural great-circle routes connecting cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires. One example: the nearly 100,000 travellers who fly between Tokyo and São Paulo each year. Most must pass through Los Angeles, dealing with long delays, visa issues, and logistical complications. Auckland offers a faster, smoother, and more humane alternative. Spin a globe, not a Mercator map, and Auckland becomes the obvious midway point. Yet we've barely begun to tap that advantage. NZIER analysis estimates the Southern Cross Project could bring up to NZ$1.87b in economic benefits over 10 years through deeper trade, freight, tourism, and education flows. These are not just forecasts; they are grounded in real trade data, airport capacity, and passenger modelling. Airlines are beginning to take notice. China Eastern's Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires service, launching in December, validates the route and is expected to generate NZ$48 million annually in visitor spending. Other airlines are quietly exploring similar opportunities to integrate Auckland into their long-haul networks. Infrastructure is keeping pace. São Paulo's Guarulhos Airport—the busiest cargo hub in South America — handles 38% of Brazil's imports and exports in a modern, 97,000sq m terminal. Meanwhile, Auckland Airport is undergoing a NZ$5.7b upgrade, including a new integrated terminal and expanded runway capacity. Transit facilities alone have grown by 80%. Marcelo Menoita, CEO, NZ Brazil Business Chamber The timing could not be more opportune. The pandemic and geopolitical instability have exposed weaknesses in global supply chains. Businesses are rethinking logistics strategies, seeking resilient alternatives to overstretched hubs. The Southern Cross Project offers precisely that: a future-proof, Pacific-based bridge between high-growth regions. Brazil, the world's tenth-largest economy, remains underexplored by New Zealand exporters. In 2023, our goods exports to Brazil totalled just NZ$127.4m. A direct air corridor could dramatically boost trade in high-value goods such as meat, dairy, software, and engineering services — while enabling Brazilian companies to access Asia-Pacific markets through Auckland. There's a powerful human element too. Around 20,000 South Americans now live in New Zealand, many of whom endure costly, multi-leg journeys to see loved ones or conduct business. Improved connectivity would strengthen family ties, boost tourism, and diversify our international student base. Sceptics point to infrastructure constraints or demand uncertainty. But Auckland already processes close to 19m passengers annually, and the current expansion will increase that capacity significantly. Strong forward bookings and active airline engagement confirm the project's commercial potential. The Southern Cross Project is not just an aviation initiative — it's a strategic leap for New Zealand. As Asia and Latin America grow closer economically, the countries that connect them will benefit the most. We can choose to lead or be left behind. The map, the maths, and the market momentum are aligned. What's needed now is political and commercial leadership. Wellington and Brasília must finalise the air-services agreement currently under negotiation. Industry and airport partners must coordinate to streamline customs and promote Auckland globally as the new bridge between continents. New Zealand has long punched above its weight through bold ideas and global thinking. The Southern Cross Project is our next opportunity to lead on the world stage. The question is no longer if this connection will be built, but whether New Zealand will be its builder or merely a bystander. For the sake of our exporters, our students, our families, and our global relevance — we must choose to lead.
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Scoop
Rotorua Lawyer Warns MBIE Mediation Backlog Is Costing Businesses
A more than two-month delay for Government mediation services is costing businesses time and productivity as they wait to resolve employment issues, a Rotorua-based specialist employment lawyer says. Dealing with an employment issue can be a costly and time-consuming exercise for both a business and staff member, but not dealing with it effectively and efficiently could cost both parties even more, workplace law barrister, Michelle Urquhart, says. This is what local businesses are facing with the current nine-week wait for the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) free mediation service. 'Having to wait more than two months for mediation – which is meant to be an early intervention service – is far from ideal in the current economic environment,' Mrs Urquhart says. 'Workplace issues can do a great deal of damage to a public or private organisation, and they don't tend to fix themselves. A dispute will initially impact the people directly involved, but it doesn't take long for it to start impacting wider teams, productivity, morale and ultimately, the bottom line. 'Getting on top of the concern early, having calm conversations, and developing a resolution plan that works for everyone is critical to moving forward before too much damage is done. Mediation is often key to the success of this.' Mrs Urquhart says mediation is an invaluable tool to help resolve disputes without the stress, time or cost of an expensive legal process. It also helps build a stronger business, with better communication and sustainable outcomes. She says the current delays at MBIE for mediation mean increasing numbers of businesses are turning to independent specialists – or are not dealing with the issue at all. 'The second option is a lose-lose for both parties. In the current employment environment, no one wants to be looking for a new job. For an employer, it can cost up to 1.5 times a person's salary to replace them, including recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity. Mrs Urquhart says businesses looking for external mediation support should look for someone with proven experience, relevant qualifications and professional membership with either the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand or the Resolution Institute. 'Industry membership means the adviser has the appropriate qualifications and experience to deliver mediation, while also working under an industry code of ethics. 'This is important, as it gives employees and organisations a level of reassurance they're working with someone who is qualified to help get them on the right track. In a stressful and emotional situation, this benchmark is something people should be looking for.' And her biggest piece of advice for either an employee or employer? 'Don't wait. Start addressing the issue sooner rather than later and get some help to ensure it's done right the first time.'
Scoop
9 hours ago
- Scoop
Gartner's Khurram Shahzad on satellite broadband
Set to go mainstream Leo satellite broadband has been popular with New Zealanders in remote areas since it first arrived four years ago. A year ago Download Weekly reported: ' New Zealand has the highest number of satellite connections per person in the OECD '. Melbourne-based Gartner director analyst Khurram Shahzad says the technology will soon break out of its rural niche and become mainstream. He says, 'Up until three years ago, there were only around 3000 satellites in the sky. But in the last three years we have reached around 11,000. At this pace, we are on track to exceed 40,000 satellites in the next three years. It means satellite communication will become more mainstream.' Reusable rockets change the economics One of the drivers is that, thanks to reusable rockets, the cost of satellite launches has dropped to the point where it is no longer a barrier to entry. Shahzad says Starlink has the first mover advantage and has the largest constellation, but it is not the only player. There are new companies focused on different markets like services for IoT or direct to mobile. Satellites have long been the obvious choice in places where there is no terrestrial connectivity. Shahzad says this will expand so that the technology will complement existing services and, in some cases, replace them. Better quality for rural users 'There are still a lot of areas where broadband quality is not good enough, or the infrastructure does not provide high-speed broadband. Leos (Low Earth Orbit satellites) can provide better speeds in those instances. 'And there are businesses who want a backup or a fallback. So if there is an outage, they still have business continuity.' Another area where satellites are likely to dominate is with connected or autonomous vehicles. Shahzad says new electric vehicles now come with embedded satellite connectivity, to the point where some car manufacturers are launching their own satellites. The technology is also being used where people work at a temporary location such as a construction site. And then there are the maritime and aviation applications, neither of these are well served by existing networks. Competition coming Amazon's arrival will sharpen market competition. Shahzad says we can expect to see five or six major players but there will be more. 'By our last count, there are almost 20 providers in this space who are all building their own constellations.' The bottleneck for the industry is finding launch slots, which is where SpaceX and Starlink have another advantage. Many of the would be competitors will use SpaceX for launches. 'Once this bottleneck is overcome, we can expect to see tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of satellites in the sky. He says experts estimate the maximum number could be around a million.' Challenges remain Despite cheaper launches, the technology has one big disadvantage over terrestrial networks: satellites have a limited life span. 'It's around five years for the earlier versions. Starlink says the new satellites last eight to 10 years, perhaps. But even then, they need to replenish those satellites quite often. It also means that there is potential of a lot of space debris. And that is one area which is still a little grey.' Another grey area is spectrum. Satellite operators typically don't buy spectrum and there are multiple competing and conflicting standards around the world. Direct to mobile When it comes to direct to mobile services there are some satellite operators who use the spectrum allocated to their mobile network operator partners. That will make newer satellite operators dependent on their partners. Because spectrum is allocated on a country by country basis, and most MNOs are based in a single country, satellite operators will have to manage a patchwork of standards. Shahzad says there are issues managing interoperability and handover: 'How do you manage interference between the two? How do you manage the handover, and do you want to carry on the session from one network to the other—and how do you bring it back?' This analysis was originally posted in the August 1, 2025 edition of Download Weekly newsletter and can now be found at Gartner's Khurram Shahzad on satellite market.
