Latest news with #MountainScene
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Queenstown crime drama 'huge hit' overseas
A second series of Queenstown-based TV murder-mystery drama A Remarkable Place to Die is set to be shot in the resort from this November till the end of April. The first series, filmed during the first half of last year, has enjoyed excellent viewer numbers in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Germany, as well as on video-on-demand (VOD). Local-based Screentime NZ CEO Philly de Lacey, whose company co-produced the first four-part series with Germany's Real Film Berlin, says she can't comment at this stage. However, Mountain Scene understands a new five-part series is close to being officially green-lit, providing once again a huge shot in the arm for Queenstown, not only for the spend in the resort for the duration of the shoot but in terms of promoting the destination, and NZ, to an international audience. De Lacey says ratings for the first season, which had a budget of about $15million, exceeded expectations. "In NZ it performed phenomenally well, and then the Australian audience exceeded our expectations, with really strong viewing numbers in prime time." It's subsequently been shown in the US — "we were absolutely thrilled with the audience reception to it" — before debuting last month in Germany, where it's titled Queenstown Murders with the sub-title Drop-Dead Gorgeous. "We've hit a really broad demographic, sort of young and old audiences." In an email last month to various bigwigs, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, De Lacey relates how A Remarkable Place to Die launched on Germany's ZDF with 2.5 million viewers and a 17.6% channel share, as against an average 15%, in addition to very strong VOD numbers. "It has now been a huge hit in Australia, NZ, the US and Germany, and couldn't be a better calling card/advertisement for NZ, showcasing the stunning scenery of Otago. "In the US, [ selected it in the top five shows to watch on Acorn [in April]." De Lacey tells Scene its success stems from both its genre — "I mean, it's cosy crime, or chocolate box crime" — and having Queenstown as "an absolutely stand-out location". She also reflects on the downstream benefits from last year's shoot, which took just over 70 days. "When you think of all the different sectors film work touches, from construction to medical, to catering, accommodation, choppers, everything, our tentacles spread very wide. "We tried to hire as many people locally as we could but probably about two-thirds [out of about 140 cast and crew] were from out of town, so we're housing people here for six months." De Lacey says locals "just opened their doors to us and helped with props, helped with everything — we felt a lot of love in making the series". That first series also benefited from the producers leasing the former H&J Smith's department store at Frankton's Remarkables Park, which had just become vacant, for wet-weather cover, housing the crew and accommodating four sets, including a police station and a morgue. Since then, Screentime NZ's leased it full-time as Remarkable Studios NZ, for use by any production company. Ahead of A Remarkable Place's second series, Screentime's also shooting there its own cooking competition series, Taste of Art.
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Carlos rows into the record books
Queenstown's Carlos Bagrie can now add Guinness World Record-holder to his list of achievements. Bagrie, 39, who co-owns Royalburn Station with his wife, Nadia Lim, was one of 12 people who pulled up 1million metres on an indoor rowing machine at London's Paddington Station last Friday night (New Zealand time), in 59 hours, 16 minutes and 51 seconds, beating the previous world record by about 2hrs 40mins. Simultaneously, they've raised about £80,000 — $NZ178,500 — to help run an exercise programme for children undergoing cancer treatment at Southampton Children's Hospital (SCH). Working in shifts, each person spent a minute rowing, with five minutes of "recovery" for six hours at a time — ultimately, Bagrie's team completed five such shifts. He tells Mountain Scene the 'Thanks a Million Challenge' was "without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done, physically", having had about five hours' sleep over the duration, and burning through 30,000 calories. "I think it was the fourth set I was starting to pass out, so I was on these sugar shot things — they tasted bloody awful if I'm being honest with you. "I would definitely say I'm a kilo or two lighter today; how long that stays off for is anybody's guess," he laughs. Their technique around the transitions, in particular, was assisted by some expert advice from retired rower Sir Steven Redgrave — a five-time Olympic gold medallist, three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and nine-time World Rowing Championship gold medallist. The fundraising challenge was dreamed up by Bagrie's long-time mate, Gihan Ganesh, an anaesthetist at SCH, as a way to positively contribute to SCH's Piam Brown ward, where his daughter, Lola, now 4, was diagnosed and treated for a rare, advanced and complex pelvic tumour, which had metastasized, when she was a 1-year-old. The new collaboration between the ward and Momentum in Fitness Charity will deliver targeted exercise therapy for all paediatric oncology patients — Bagrie says it's a "wonderful thing" to support. "It was a lovely way to close that chapter of that book. That story was a pretty arduous one. "I think Gihan, by creating this event, raising some funds [and] some awareness, he turned what was an incredibly negative experience into a very positive one." Noting he's "just a farmer living up on the terrace", Bagrie hasn't ruled out fronting for another physical challenge. "I wouldn't close the door on doing something else — the right event for the right reason. "It was a bloody good excuse to get into shape and get fit."
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Bring on the drones
An Australian-based company is pitching drone light shows for Queenstown over three months that'd not only be an amazing spectacle, but could potentially also drive big visitor numbers, especially during shoulder seasons. Drone Sky Shows, the southern hemisphere's largest drone light show provider, put on Dunedin's first Matariki drone show last winter, with a New Zealand-record 201 drones, and is doing it again this month. Its first show in Perth, in 2022, drew an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 people. Shows feature illuminated, synchronised and choreographed groups of drones arranged into various aerial formations — just about any shape can be brought to light. Local Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sharon Fifield believes the shows, each about 10 minutes long, would be perfect for Queenstown. ''What I like about the concept is it's something a bit different, it's low-impact to the environment, unlike fireworks, and then people can come into Queenstown and have a bit of a show before they head out to dinner and to the bars. ''Even our animals might like it. ''Events are perfect for these quieter times and for getting locals to come into town. ''We've lost Luma from the Gardens but it's almost taking Luma into the sky with a kind of light show.'' Luma — now transitioned into a winter-long 'Luma Enchanted' show at Kiwi Park — ran in the Gardens for almost 10 years and last year attracted about 32,000 visitors over King's Birthday Weekend. However, organisers pulled the plug due to rising costs. Drone Sky Shows owner Josh Van Ross believes Queenstown's an ''exceptional'' light show venue. He's proposing a 300-to-500-drone show over the Gardens ''which would point back at the town and just blow the socks off anyone who would come there''. ''We'd do a weekly show, Friday or Saturday night, we'd change it up multiple times and we'd love to really drive traffic back to Queens-town when it's shoulder season.'' Van Ross says there could be a ''family-friendly'' 6pm show and another at 9pm. ''This would be a first of its type for New Zealand as a residency — it's the same as kind of what the Maldives and other really high-end tourism destinations have.'' According to a proposal sighted by Mountain Scene, a 'standard' 100-drone show could cost $45,000, rising to $100,000 for 300 drones. Van Ross says the set-up costs are massive, ''but if we can set up there for two or three months the price per show comes down drastically''. A sponsor who came onboard could also have their logo beamed at the end of the show, he suggests. He'd be keen to collaborate with a local artist ''who can really make it speak to the people of Queenstown''. As far as setting up the show, Van Ross' NZ CEO and 'mission commander' is Queenstown-raised Shane Wild, who lives in Cromwell and stores almost 250 drones himself. Wild, who commutes to Queenstown most days, says a show would take just three months to organise. ''Mate, I can't believe we haven't done one here yet.'' scoop@
Otago Daily Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Farewell to a friend and colleague
She'll take the high road for a bit, and we'll take the low road. But we'll be together again, and our love will get us through to that day. That's a paraphrasing of words written by former Allied Press journalist, Louise Scott-Gallagher, 44, who died at home surrounded by family in Queenstown on May 20. Speaking at Louise's funeral service at the Queenstown Polo Ground on Sunday, friend Sarah Taylor recounted how Louise had comforted her with those words after the death of Sarah's mother. Now they offer comfort to her former colleagues at the Mountain Scene and Otago Daily Times. They will also comfort the many Queenstowners who were touched by Louise's warmth, empathy and sense of fun — and her lilting Northern Irish accent — as she went about her work as a reporter here between 2014 and 2018. Although she took up the regions editor role with the ODT in Dunedin, she continued to spend much of her time in the resort. That was because by then she was sharing a home with her future husband, Craig Gallagher — they'd met in 2017 when she interviewed him in his capacity as co-organiser of charity boxing event Thriller in the Chiller. The girl from Gillygooley, County Tyrone, had found her forever home in Queenstown with her dream man. However, in 2023, their lives were turned upside down. After finding a lump on her breast while 11 weeks' pregnant with their daughter, Lily, Louise was diagnosed with cancer. Despite an immediate mastectomy and subsequent chemotherapy, she was told last April the tumours in her body had grown and multiplied. Her overriding wish became to live long enough for Lily to remember her. She did not want her tragic family history to repeat. Her mother, Anne, had died from breast cancer at 34 — leaving four young children behind — when Louise was 3 years old. Louise and Craig began planning a wedding for later this year, but after learning three weeks ago that her treatment wasn't working, they brought those plans forward. They were married at home, in front of family and close friends, last Monday. Louise passed away peacefully the next day. At Sunday's celebration of Louise's life, friend Josie Spillane described her as the "best mum on the planet" and a woman who lived for her family and friends. A lover of parties and banter, she was a "singer, always the first on the dance floor, and often the last one home". A collector of friends around the world, her exceptional empathy meant she was the first to provide comfort and care at times of need. A prolific cook, she was a "feeder — that's how she showed love". The doting aunt of eight also showered affection on the children of friends and colleagues. Spillane recounted what Louise had written about her predicament a year ago. "I promise I'm going to confront this head-on, but while I'm doing that, I'm going to make every second count with Craig and Lily. "I live in hope, and genuinely believe a positive attitude and outlook can help, but most of all, I live every day surrounded by love and surrounded by my friends and extended families at home and our Kiwi families here in New Zealand. "They give us so much support, and I thank you for everyone."
Otago Daily Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Plans for 100 units above retail precinct
Queenstown developer Kurt Gibbons is planning to build another 100 one-bedroom residential units — 86 of them A-frames — on land above the Country Lane retail precinct. Last November, Mountain Scene revealed Gibbons had purchased the elevated block, accessed via Hansen Rd, on which he was looking at affordable housing options. Now HansenQT Ltd, of which he's the sole director, has applied for land use consent for the 'The Crest Chalets', which will also include 14 'hillside cabins' and six business units on 3.1446ha at 52 Hansen Rd. If approved, it'll be the first consented within the Frankton North structure plan — according to the development's website, completion's expected in summer 2027. The application notes the development's non-complying, with breaches to density, height controls, earthworks — 26,100cum of cut and 29,700cum of fill's planned, along with retaining walls up to 3.5m high — and transport standards. Gibbons, who declined to comment, also wants 75 of the units to have residential visitor accommodation enabled for up to 180 days a year to provide "diversification for sale". "The flexibility to use the units for visitor accommodation enhances their appeal to prospective buyers, while also allowing for a mix of uses, such as housing for owners, seasonal workers, students or local residents." The A-frame detached units will have a self-contained kitchen, dining and living on the ground floor and a mezzanine bedroom, with an outdoor living area and ground floor area of 50 square metres. They'll extend above the 8m height limit by a maximum of 1.05m from original ground level. The one-bed hillside cabins will have a ground floor area of 45sqm and include a patio. Gibbons' application says the units provide for smaller households, first-home buyers, and enable more affordable rental accommodation. The commercial units will have ground floor areas ranging from 806sqm to 1000sqm, with mezzanine levels. While they'll be 8.5m above "finished" ground level, when measured from existing ground level, four will exceed the 12m permitted height plane — the largest infringement's projected to be 2.4m above that. A total of 101 carparks are planned — two access points, connected by private road, will service the residential development, with another private access road for the commercial development. If approved, Hansen Rd will also need to be upgraded. In terms of infrastructure, because there's currently no reticulated infrastructure for stormwater, wastewater or water supply immediately available within, or adjacent to, the site, it's proposed to extend the nearest existing services, within the lower portion of Hansen Rd, to supply The Crest. Seeking for the application to be processed non-notified, Gibbons submits the development fits within the character of the area, and any adverse effects are "less than minor". "There is not considered to be anything about the proposed intensity of the development, nor its scale, form or appearance, that is considered to give rise to special circumstances. "It is considered that there is nothing noteworthy about the proposal." Gibbons, a former Aucklander who recently sold a Herne Bay supermarket he built with rich-lister business partner Ben Cook, and his waterfront Herne Bay mansion, has two other developments on the go in Queenstown. He's completed stage one of Five Mile Villas — in all, that'll comprise 225 two-level, two-bedroom units on the Frankton Flats, which start from $869,000 — and is marketing Lakehouse Villas. That's an exclusive 63-unit development, at 633 Frankton Rd, ranging in price from $699,000 for a two-bedroom dual key studio to a four-bed lakehouse priced from $2.35million — all of which have consent for year-round visitor accommodation. — Tracey Roxburgh Work to start on complex The hammer's about to go down at last on the first stages of a huge worker accommodation complex in Queenstown's Frankton area. It's being built by Aussie developer No.1 Hansen Road on the corner of Hansen Rd and the state highway, where it's already opened a car storage building called The Motor Club. The first stage comprises 32 four-bedroom apartments on two levels above this building. Company director Eli Shellim says they received resource consent two weeks ago, three months longer than anticipated. "We are very grateful this milestone is now behind us." Subject to building consent — being lodged mid-month — he's hoping construction will start mid next month. "The building timeframe is estimated to be 10 months." Shellim says their consultants are also working at speed to lodge a building consent application for the first two of eight surrounding blocks that'll eventually house 710 local employees in 476 rooms. These two five-level buildings, immediately east of The Motor Club, will yield 193 staff accommodation apartments. "This was approved by the government last year, hence does not need a resource consent. "We are looking to commence construction on both buildings by mid-July — the building timeframe for these is 13 months." — Philip Chandler
