Snow seekers' dreams of perfect powder day dashed by Covid-19 lockdown
The dreams of snow-seekers throughout the South Island have been snatched away by a lockdown that coincides with the season’s best powder day.
A storm early this week dumped up to half a metre of snow on southern ski areas and Wednesday was keenly anticipated to be the best day of the season with thick powder and brilliant sunshine.
Cardrona and Treble Cone manager Bridget Legnavskysaid everyone’s plans came to a halt overnight when it was announced New Zealand was entering an alert level 4 lockdown.
“We haven’t had great snow this season and all of a sudden it’s absolutely dumped enormous amounts of snow,” she said.
While ski area staff were disappointed, they were not caught off guard and were ready to close down if necessary.
Read more, including how the region's other major fields have responded to the snap lockdown, here.
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.4% Yes
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46.6% No
🚒 Our Fire and Emergency crews have been kept busy lately
And they’re once again reminding everyone: please don’t light fires when it’s windy.
Central Otago will move into a restricted fire season from 1 December 2025, which means anyone planning an outdoor fire will need to apply for a permit and plan ahead.
So we’d love to ask you — how do you make sure you’re being fire-safe at this time of year?
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