Enjoyment aplenty in Te Anau
With three big events, Te Anau is the place to be in the next week.
Some of New Zealand’s best tennis players will compete in a men’s invitational tournament in the town Thursday and Friday. It is the third largest tennis event in the country and carries prizemoney of $20,000.
Aucklander Rubin Statham, who won the final last year and in 2014, is returning, while Wesley Whitehouse, also from the City of Sails, will be playing in his fourth Te Anau Tennis Invitational.
Also in the line up is Wellington’s Finn Tearney who has played in all five invitationals and been runner up three times.
Event organiser Greg Sheppard said up to 500 spectators could be courtside for the final.
In other action, four Australian bull riders are competing at the 50th Te Anau rodeo on Saturday.
The Australians will be in action at other rodeos in the South Island, the Te Anau Rodeo Club secretary Peter Dolamore said.
‘‘It’s hard to know how many people we’ll get but it could be around 1500.’’
Another large crowd was expected at Lions Park in Te Anau to welcome in the New Year, Rotary Club of Fiordland treasurer Ian Rutherford said.
The rotary club and Distinction Te Anau Hotel & Villa have joined forces to organise a fireworks display costing $10,000.
‘‘It’s weather dependent but there might be 1000 to 1200 people there,’’ Rutherford said of the New Year’s Eve event. ‘‘It’s a great night for the family.’’
Invercargill City Council city centre co-ordinator Kari Graber said as far as she knew there were no big events happening in the city in the next week.
Meanwhile, some southern MPs and local government leaders are heading in many directions during the holidays.
Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie is spending a couple of weeks in Clyde with her family and intends to do bike rides, swimming and walking.
Clutha Southland MP Hamish Walker is planning on packing his bags to visit family and friends throughout the country and in Melbourne and Perth.
Labour list MP Dr Liz Craig is in Hong Kong for a week’s holiday with her son Jack, 18.
Fishing and walks will be part of a holiday Southland District Mayor Gary Tong will be having on Stewart Island.