Happy Easter to you all.  As normal the weather has had a dramatic change just for the long holiday period.

Our speaker a week ago Rikki Swete showed and explained the benefits that he had gained from attending a Rotary Youth Leadership Award in Auckland a few years ago.  He is now in charge of the Ngai Tahu Jet Boat Maintenance programme based at Shotover Jet.  Rikki presented a really inspiring address showing his skills and aspirations as a 31 year old, ready to enter fatherhood and how he intends to proceed up the ladder with Ngai Tahu and his work and life in general.  It was really great for us to be able to have him share his story with us.

Now onto this current week when we have been hosting the Tasmanian Professional Development Team of 5 young professionals accompanied by their Rotary leader, George Austin.  As we met them at the airport on Monday, our  District 9980 team were returning from their experience in Tasmania.  After meeting our incoming team we transferred them to their hosts residences and later enjoyed a Pizza Night at Derek and Margaret Bulman’s - a great way start their exchange programme.  There they were entertained with a grandstand view of the Earnslaw plying the Frankton Arm on a special cruise to launch the 2019 Winter Festival programme.  At the same time several jet aircraft flew close to the Bulman residence on their approach to Queenstown Airport.

On Tuesday we took them to Glenorchy for a guided tour of Camp Glenorchy. They were in awe of how Camp Glenorchy blends hospitality, beauty, sustainability, and educational opportunities into a new type of guest experience in New Zealand’s visitor accommodation sector being designed, built, engineered and operated in line with the philosophy and principles of the ‘Living Building Challenge TM’, the world’s most stringent sustainability standard for buildings that asks “what if every single act of design and construction made the world a better place?”  Tasmania is certainly going to hear a lot about this Glenorchy project.

On returning to Queenstown our guests were taken on a ‘tiki tour’ highlighting the expansion of the business sector - in particular Remarkables Park, Five Mile, Queenstown Central and beyond plus our recent housing developments at Lake Hayes Estate, Shotover Country, Jack’s Point and Hanley Farm.  Last Tuesday evening they were part of our club meeting and made a great combined presentation on Tasmania.

Wednesday morning our guests were on the Shotover Jet and then lunch at Skyline.  They were made well aware of how both of these companies commenced and developed to where they are at now.  They embarked from the jet boat still full of adrenalin from the trip down the Shotover Canyon and were taken aback with the Skyline views over Queenstown and how there were so many interacting activities there:  parapenting, mountain bike riding, the luge, bungy jumping and all the other activities such as photography of all events.  One of the Tasmanian team is a Rural Reporter for ABC Radio and another a Wildlife Management Officer.  Both Margot and Ellen met up with Colin Macnicol who led them into an afternoon of deer farming.  I’m sure that Colin, and his deer farming friend, will shortly be part of Margot’s Rural Radio Report.  The remainder of the team took a wander through Arrowtown and then a quick trip through the Gibbston Valley for them to see how the vineyards have taken over what was a general farming area.  An enjoyable Thai takeaway night was held at our home.

Thursday was an easy morning for the team.  We met at 11.30 to take the 12.00 noon Earnslaw cruise to Walter Peak for their Farm Tour.  Once again the history of the Earnslaw and how the then ‘Fiordland Travel’ saved it from being scuttled like the previous vessels which serviced the lake stations as well as Glenorchy and Kinloch and how it is an icon of the lake and of Queenstown.  A very enjoyable and informative afternoon for them.  They are making arrangements to meet with the hierarchy of Real Journeys whilst they will be in Te Anau to discuss the company’s development and success story and the general diversification since the beginnings of the Hutchins’ Fiordland Travel in the 1960’s.  Later they walked the Tucker Beach Trail and were hosted by Kerry and Kit Dunlop in the evening for a BBQ meal.

The team had expressed a wish to visit the Kiwi and Birdlife Park so, on Friday, a very enjoyable and educational couple of hours was spent there followed by a free afternoon.

On Saturday morning we transferred them to the Cromwell/Alexandra Rotary Clubs.

A very enjoyable week was had showcasing Queenstown and, I must say, a team very appreciative of what was provided for them.  Thanks to the Queenstown Rotarians who assisted in various ways.

Russell