Helen Clark Formally Opens Snow Farm’s New Base Building

Former prime minister Helen Clark officially opened Snow Farm’s new base building today (Sunday, August 25), with dozens gathering to celebrate the ski area’s latest milestone.

Public dignitaries Helen Clark and Southland MP Joseph Mooney assembled alongside community representatives to acknowledge the public opening of the ski area’s base building. Snow Farm is the only public, not-for-profit, charitable ski facility in the region and the new $750,000 building – which was funded solely through donations – marks a significant community achievement.

Representatives from Otago Community Trust, Central Lakes, Breen Construction and Queenstown Lakes District Council attended a formal ceremony hosted at the new base building, which began with a mihi whakatau and karakia from Kai Tahu kaumatua Darren Rewi, followed by speeches from Helen Clark and Snow Farm representatives Sam Lee and Samuel Belk.

Snow Farm general manager Sam Lee says the support for the new hub has been overwhelming.

“We have been amazed at the incredible generosity from our community – locally and beyond,” he says. “For the past two years, we have worked diligently to turn this base building concept into a reality and the new base area truly reflects the overall dedication, investment and mammoth efforts that has gone into making this project possible.”

The new hub contains basic amenities – rentals, ticketing guest services, cafe and staffroom – and is located between the Snow Fun Zone (a designated snowplay and tubing area) and the starting point for the main cross-country trails. Construction of the building began in December 2023, with the work completed within five months, by Breen Construction.

“By having this new hub completed, it serves as a great foundational base to build upon and allows us to continue developing our affordable and world-class experiences,” Lee explains. “For the next stage of development, we’re looking forward to collaborating with council and provide additional amenities such as year-round publicly accessible toilets, that can be used by hikers and mountain bikers during the summer months when Snow Farm is closed.

“We also aim to build upon the existing base infrastructure and add another communal area which can serve as an educational space for school groups. With this section of the base area complete, we will now set our sights on fundraising the $800,000 required to start this expansion work,” he says.

New Zealand’s only cross-country ski area hosts more than 15,000 users annually, including community groups, more than 36 school groups from 19 schools from Australasia and the growing Olympic sport of Biathlon. The cross-country ski area offers an affordable alternative to traditional alpine downhill skiing.

About the Snow Farm 

Located in the Cardrona Valley near Wānaka, the Snow Farm is New Zealand’s only cross-country skiing facility and the only public, not-for-profit, charitable ski facility in the region. Opened in 1989, it was the inspiration of the Lee family who had farmed the property under a pastoral lease since 1924. In 2012 the Snow Farm was acquired by the Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust (PACT), which then donated the land to Queenstown Lakes District Council in perpetuity. QLDC subsequently leased the land back to PACT for 99 years. Alongside the Snow Farm’s commercial cross-country ski field, it provides backcountry education experiences that cover alpine ecology, snow caving, outdoor skills and Nordic skiing over 52km of groomed trails. Snow Farm is also NZ’s only on-snow biathlon location, and it is where Biathlon Olympian Campbell Wright, of Wānaka, began his sport.

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