May 8, 2026 • 9 mins
"No matter the season, the mesmerising lakeside setting of Wānaka is a supreme body of beauty. Clad in floor to ceiling windows, I was staying at Marina Terrace Apartments on Lakeside Road, waking up to the yolky dawn of a new day as the first rays of sunlight torched the sprawling sweep of Lombardy poplars strutting the western shoreline, beneath Roy’s Peak. Gazing across to the gilded glory of the morning light show, it vividly underscored to me Wānaka’s elemental brag-power as one of our greatest natural playgrounds. And it beats to a less frenetic tempo than the throb of Queenstown. Unsurprisingly, most of the locals look strikingly fit, lithe and active. I guess it becomes second nature – as does using the Mt. Iron loop track as your open-air gym."
Read Mike's full article.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The'd be now Favel correspondent is Mike Yrdly.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good morning, Mike, Good morning Jack. The return of the
horses all is good in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
So I still what I still don't really understand is
I just feel like Crusader's management would have, like when
they said the horses were not going to be possible
in the new stadium, I just feel like they would
have exhausted every possibility. That was going to be such
a contentious call. You know, it was going to people
to be so upset about it that I just had
anticipated they would have said, you know, can like they
(00:41):
every single possibility they would have considered, and then it
was like, ah, we announced it, and you know, when
Colin mainsbridges that announcement, he was like, he seemed quite
emotional about it, and then it was like, oh, without
a solution.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah. Well, I got on Colin's case a couple of
days after he did that very emotional announcement, and I
reckon looking back, if he could turn back the clock
where he went wrong, as he should never have used
the word retire, like it was so definitive the way
he did it. Obviously they had a lot of things
on there to do list, you know with super Round,
(01:14):
But to say we are retiring the horses was just
a mistake. In hindsight, he should have said, look, you know,
it's in the two hard basket at the moment. We'll
review it after we get super Round out of the way.
But so good to have it back. It just feels complete. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Well that performance last night, Yes, if it was inspired
by the horses, I'm not sure, but it was. That
was complete.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, exactly. We're looking at Wannaca this morning, some of
your favorite around Warnica. So for a leisurely waterfront, Well,
where do the locals go these days?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Well, they don't go and look at the one acha tree.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Joe, no plea that.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
If you're done with the tree, follow the locals past
the marina to Early Point and beautiful Bremna Bay. The
really cool thing, Jack is from Bremna Bay. There is
this track called the Beacon Point Walking Track, So it
skims along the shoreline all the way to the outlet,
which is where the Upper Cluther River begins its long
(02:17):
march to the sea. And you see those beautiful glacial
fed emerald waters of the Kluther Bubbling are out of
that outlet. The other really curious thing about this walking
trail at Beacon Point is it's home to what the
locals previously named Millionaires Row, So you've got all of
those lake front holiday trophy homes, all those swinky billers.
(02:39):
Nowadays it probably should be called Billionaires Row given the
prize of real estate, but it's serious real estate porn
around Beacon Point. And it's where a lot of ultra
wealthy Americans and the A listers like Oprah will stay
under the radar in New Zealand at Beacon Point. So
it's a fascinating walk to take.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I'm very good, okay, I mean Wica is not short
of cycle trails these days either. So what ride would
you read? Commend?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah? I checked out something I hadn't done before, and
a really good option club the twin lakes of Harwire
and Wanaca together. So start from Lake Harwere and admire
all of that gin clear clarity of Lake are Were.
Then head down on the Harwire River track, so that
(03:27):
takes you from the lake all the way down to Alberttown.
And I've got this fantastic suspension bridge across the river
for cyclists, and then at Albertown switch onto the outlet
track all the way back to Wanaica, so you'll end
up back on you know, Bigon Point and Bremna Bay.
(03:48):
It's all off road between Lake Area and Wonica on
this track, so you've got thirty k off road and
it just distills so many beautiful landscapes into one cranking ride.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Oh amazing. So what are the highlights.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, if you know where to look, you will see
bell Langbnes rather bountiful property. Also Richie mccau's dream home
on the route, but on the athlete track. Jack, at
this time of year. I heard you talking to Nadia
last hour. Yeah, with all that leaf fall at the
moment around the water's edge by the upper Kluther River,
(04:25):
Oh my goodness, deep autumn. It's the stuff of legends.
So you just are riding over a blizzard of crinkled
brown and gold leaves. It is crunch, crunch, crunch under
your bike wheels all the way. But I reckon a
lot of people go to Albertown, Jack, simply to offset
they're rather virtuous exercise with the dose of decadence. Because
(04:47):
Alberttown is home to Pembroke Partisserie, world famous in Wanaka.
This is the place for artisan pastries and baked treats
pressure out of the oven. I don't think I have
come across such enormously sized vanilla slices ever before in
my life.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
This is the first place I went last. I was
on the first and that was my first stop the
next morning. I got in super late at night. I
was up in the next morning and straight into it.
So what are the standouts from the cafe scene.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Well, I'm a huge fan of Scrogen back in the
heart of town and it always pulled such a perky crowd,
doesn't it. For breakfast, you just elbow to elbow with
the locals and I've got really good pastries and savory
delights there. But if you do want something more substantial,
go there for brunch and sink into one of the
(05:38):
epic roasted lamb toasties. The lamb was sourced up the
road from Royal Burn on Crown Terrace a La Nadi Limb,
and as you'd expect from a place called Scrogan, they
do sell fantastic bags of trail mix to go.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh so good, so good. So we're as good for
evening dining. If you're looking for something a little more,
you know, sit down.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, I checked out Sophie. It's just a year old
and they do a lot of Mediterranean chaer plates, things
like prawn saganaki. But I thought of you, Jack, because
I dove into a cheese goesl mare a pull apart
melt in your mouth, delight of flaky, golden flat bread
and they drizzled it in lemon honey and sesame. Oh
(06:26):
my goodness, I would just go there for that. If
you're a carnivore. Titty Tier steakhouse really good. Try be
a wild Venics in which they slather in a pomegranate glaze.
And Titty Tea, by the way, is home to my
new favorite cocktail. This could be cocktail of the season,
a drunken Snowmen. So this is so easy to do
(06:50):
it home. It is hot chocolate and Bailey's and you
just top it with a little dollar of ice cream.
So do that at home this winter. Later.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Have I told you about my thing for Baileies. I'm
gonna well, deep down, I'm just an eighty year old man,
you know, I just like it is something I've just
my brother and I who's similarly similarly minded. We both
have a real thing for Bailey's when we just love
to sit down, just have a little Baileyes of an
evening when we get together. So yeah, no, that that
(07:23):
is honestly if you can make Baileies even sweeter. YEA,
what I mean is Kadrona distillery still worth a jorne?
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, definitely, and it's only about thirty minutes drive from Wanica.
Of course, the single malt whiskey Jack continues to earn
global accolades. But I would go there for lunch because
you are dining under New Zealand's biggest chandelier. It is
quite a sight to behold that gentlier. But they do
really good things like Canterbury bacon butties with chili jam
(07:52):
and mayo. And I really love their crayfish rolls which
they serve with hazel nut and forage. Terms really good
eat to that distillery.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
If you're traveling with kids, where would you really in
taking them?
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Well, I've just had a nosey around the National Transport
and Toy Museum for the first time. So they've got
four hangars of collections at this museum. It's right next
to the airport. One hundred thousand items, so it's quite
e collectic. Yeah, they've got everything from classic cars that
were in the movie World, fastest Indian to retire to
(08:28):
in New Zealand, Foker friendships, then the most colossal stash
of nostalgic toys. And if you're wondering what happened to
the old Winking Center that used to grace Queen Street,
it's there. So this museum, which is actually considered the
largest private collection of stuff on display in the Southern Hemisphere,
(08:50):
is quite their heads. Well. In fact, I felt like
a drunken snowman after touring the museum.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
That's amazing. Yeah, I had no idea it was that big.
One hundred thousand items.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Yes, bananas and counting.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Yeah, well, I don't blame you for the drunken snow man.
Just make sure getting the kids vision you ensure that
you don't get next up, get the baileyes in the
wrong bag. Yeah, yes, thank you so much, Mike. That
sounds amazing. There's so many things to do in Wonaca,
and like you say, so good to go outside, enjoy
that crisp ear right around the lake, enjoy the vistas
and then you know, have something to celebrate afterwards. So
(09:25):
we'll put all of Mike's tips for his top trails
and treats around ONEICA up on the News Talks, he'd
be website.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The'd be now Favel correspondent is Mike Yrdly.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good morning, Mike, Good morning Jack. The return of the
horses all is good in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
So I still what I still don't really understand is
I just feel like Crusader's management would have, like when
they said the horses were not going to be possible
in the new stadium, I just feel like they would
have exhausted every possibility. That was going to be such
a contentious call. You know, it was going to people
to be so upset about it that I just had
anticipated they would have said, you know, can like they
(00:41):
every single possibility they would have considered, and then it
was like, ah, we announced it, and you know, when
Colin mainsbridges that announcement, he was like, he seemed quite
emotional about it, and then it was like, oh, without
a solution.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah. Well, I got on Colin's case a couple of
days after he did that very emotional announcement, and I
reckon looking back, if he could turn back the clock
where he went wrong, as he should never have used
the word retire, like it was so definitive the way
he did it. Obviously they had a lot of things
on there to do list, you know with super Round,
(01:14):
But to say we are retiring the horses was just
a mistake. In hindsight, he should have said, look, you know,
it's in the two hard basket at the moment. We'll
review it after we get super Round out of the way.
But so good to have it back. It just feels complete. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Well that performance last night, Yes, if it was inspired
by the horses, I'm not sure, but it was. That
was complete.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, exactly. We're looking at Wannaca this morning, some of
your favorite around Warnica. So for a leisurely waterfront, Well,
where do the locals go these days?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Well, they don't go and look at the one acha tree.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Joe, no plea that.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
If you're done with the tree, follow the locals past
the marina to Early Point and beautiful Bremna Bay. The
really cool thing, Jack is from Bremna Bay. There is
this track called the Beacon Point Walking Track, So it
skims along the shoreline all the way to the outlet,
which is where the Upper Cluther River begins its long
(02:17):
march to the sea. And you see those beautiful glacial
fed emerald waters of the Kluther Bubbling are out of
that outlet. The other really curious thing about this walking
trail at Beacon Point is it's home to what the
locals previously named Millionaires Row, So you've got all of
those lake front holiday trophy homes, all those swinky billers.
(02:39):
Nowadays it probably should be called Billionaires Row given the
prize of real estate, but it's serious real estate porn
around Beacon Point. And it's where a lot of ultra
wealthy Americans and the A listers like Oprah will stay
under the radar in New Zealand at Beacon Point. So
it's a fascinating walk to take.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I'm very good, okay, I mean Wica is not short
of cycle trails these days either. So what ride would
you read? Commend?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah? I checked out something I hadn't done before, and
a really good option club the twin lakes of Harwire
and Wanaca together. So start from Lake Harwere and admire
all of that gin clear clarity of Lake are Were.
Then head down on the Harwire River track, so that
(03:27):
takes you from the lake all the way down to Alberttown.
And I've got this fantastic suspension bridge across the river
for cyclists, and then at Albertown switch onto the outlet
track all the way back to Wanaica, so you'll end
up back on you know, Bigon Point and Bremna Bay.
(03:48):
It's all off road between Lake Area and Wonica on
this track, so you've got thirty k off road and
it just distills so many beautiful landscapes into one cranking ride.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Oh amazing. So what are the highlights.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, if you know where to look, you will see
bell Langbnes rather bountiful property. Also Richie mccau's dream home
on the route, but on the athlete track. Jack, at
this time of year. I heard you talking to Nadia
last hour. Yeah, with all that leaf fall at the
moment around the water's edge by the upper Kluther River,
(04:25):
Oh my goodness, deep autumn. It's the stuff of legends.
So you just are riding over a blizzard of crinkled
brown and gold leaves. It is crunch, crunch, crunch under
your bike wheels all the way. But I reckon a
lot of people go to Albertown, Jack, simply to offset
they're rather virtuous exercise with the dose of decadence. Because
(04:47):
Alberttown is home to Pembroke Partisserie, world famous in Wanaka.
This is the place for artisan pastries and baked treats
pressure out of the oven. I don't think I have
come across such enormously sized vanilla slices ever before in
my life.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
This is the first place I went last. I was
on the first and that was my first stop the
next morning. I got in super late at night. I
was up in the next morning and straight into it.
So what are the standouts from the cafe scene.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Well, I'm a huge fan of Scrogen back in the
heart of town and it always pulled such a perky crowd,
doesn't it. For breakfast, you just elbow to elbow with
the locals and I've got really good pastries and savory
delights there. But if you do want something more substantial,
go there for brunch and sink into one of the
(05:38):
epic roasted lamb toasties. The lamb was sourced up the
road from Royal Burn on Crown Terrace a La Nadi Limb,
and as you'd expect from a place called Scrogan, they
do sell fantastic bags of trail mix to go.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh so good, so good. So we're as good for
evening dining. If you're looking for something a little more,
you know, sit down.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, I checked out Sophie. It's just a year old
and they do a lot of Mediterranean chaer plates, things
like prawn saganaki. But I thought of you, Jack, because
I dove into a cheese goesl mare a pull apart
melt in your mouth, delight of flaky, golden flat bread
and they drizzled it in lemon honey and sesame. Oh
(06:26):
my goodness, I would just go there for that. If
you're a carnivore. Titty Tier steakhouse really good. Try be
a wild Venics in which they slather in a pomegranate glaze.
And Titty Tea, by the way, is home to my
new favorite cocktail. This could be cocktail of the season,
a drunken Snowmen. So this is so easy to do
(06:50):
it home. It is hot chocolate and Bailey's and you
just top it with a little dollar of ice cream.
So do that at home this winter. Later.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Have I told you about my thing for Baileies. I'm
gonna well, deep down, I'm just an eighty year old man,
you know, I just like it is something I've just
my brother and I who's similarly similarly minded. We both
have a real thing for Bailey's when we just love
to sit down, just have a little Baileyes of an
evening when we get together. So yeah, no, that that
(07:23):
is honestly if you can make Baileies even sweeter. YEA,
what I mean is Kadrona distillery still worth a jorne?
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, definitely, and it's only about thirty minutes drive from Wanica.
Of course, the single malt whiskey Jack continues to earn
global accolades. But I would go there for lunch because
you are dining under New Zealand's biggest chandelier. It is
quite a sight to behold that gentlier. But they do
really good things like Canterbury bacon butties with chili jam
(07:52):
and mayo. And I really love their crayfish rolls which
they serve with hazel nut and forage. Terms really good
eat to that distillery.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
If you're traveling with kids, where would you really in
taking them?
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Well, I've just had a nosey around the National Transport
and Toy Museum for the first time. So they've got
four hangars of collections at this museum. It's right next
to the airport. One hundred thousand items, so it's quite
e collectic. Yeah, they've got everything from classic cars that
were in the movie World, fastest Indian to retire to
(08:28):
in New Zealand, Foker friendships, then the most colossal stash
of nostalgic toys. And if you're wondering what happened to
the old Winking Center that used to grace Queen Street,
it's there. So this museum, which is actually considered the
largest private collection of stuff on display in the Southern Hemisphere,
(08:50):
is quite their heads. Well. In fact, I felt like
a drunken snowman after touring the museum.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
That's amazing. Yeah, I had no idea it was that big.
One hundred thousand items.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Yes, bananas and counting.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Yeah, well, I don't blame you for the drunken snow man.
Just make sure getting the kids vision you ensure that
you don't get next up, get the baileyes in the
wrong bag. Yeah, yes, thank you so much, Mike. That
sounds amazing. There's so many things to do in Wonaca,
and like you say, so good to go outside, enjoy
that crisp ear right around the lake, enjoy the vistas
and then you know, have something to celebrate afterwards. So
(09:25):
we'll put all of Mike's tips for his top trails
and treats around ONEICA up on the News Talks, he'd
be website.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.