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Otago Daily Times
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
‘Son of Queenstown' remembered
The late Bruce Grant. PHOTO: SUPPLIED If Queenstown's the world's adventure capital, no-one epitomised that better than Bruce Grant. That even applied to the tragic end of his life — succumbing to "the mother of storms" after becoming the first Kiwi to summit the world's second highest mountain, K2, without oxygen. Only 31, this 'son of Queenstown' — as he's described on a plaque in the Gardens — had already packed in a lifetime of adventures. Born in the Sydney St maternity home his family once lived opposite, Bruce's mum Ros, who's 93, was a teacher and his dad, the late John, a builder. The youngest of four siblings, he started skiing earlier than the others — "he sort of got dragged along", sister Christine, one year his elder, says. He attended primary and secondary school on Ballarat St, finishing at the latter's new Fryer St campus. Christine says then-skifield owner Mount Cook provided schools with ex-rental gear which Bruce started with. The pair would later miss a lot of school as they ascended the ranks to national ski team selection. New Zealand downhill champ for five years, he and Christine skied that discipline, under the influence of a Canadian coach, at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics. Bruce finished 31st and was also chosen for the '88 Calgary Olympics, but an injured leg didn't recover in time for him to compete. He got into parapenting soon after it was introduced to Queenstown, first flying solo before becoming a commercial tandem pilot for eight years. After summiting many mountains, including Mt Cook seven times, he'd often ski or parapente off them, sometimes for films he starred in. One was The Leading Edge, for which Queenstowner Mathurin Molgat hired him after watching him ski The Remarkables. "He was an exceptional athlete, and he never said 'no'. "If you said, 'you want to do this, Bruce?' it didn't matter what the adventure was, he was in it." They even tried, before crashing, to mountain bike down The Remarkables' 'Elevator' chute. Mathurin found him the strong, silent type. "We drove up to Mt Cook and I think there were about four words exchanged. "He was a very content, self-contained character." Christine says he also meditated — "he was contemplative". A sculpture in his memory in the Queenstown Gardens. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER In terms of extreme adventure, skiing down Austria's long and difficult Hahnenkamm run put him in elite company. His main mountaineering buddy was then-Queenstowner Kim Logan, who marvelled at some of his amazing Fiordland climbs. Although about 10 years his senior and more experienced, he says Bruce was mentally and physically the better mountaineer. "His safety margin was higher than mine." The pair were among rescuers who saved the life of a German backpacker on the Routeburn Track in extreme conditions, winning them all Royal Humane Society bravery medals. Kim recalls the police afterwards shouted them breakfast at Queenstown's then Gourmet Express and they got "absolutely smashed" on Irish coffees — "forget about the coffee, just bring us the Irish [whiskey]". The pair's '95 assault on K2, considered the world's most dangerous mountain, was preceded by a major community fundraising effort. Kim says he turned around just after Camp 4 —"it was my own condition and the weather" — and a few hours later expedition leader Peter Hillary did, too. Bruce and five others subsequently reached the summit, but all perished soon after when "the mother of storms" blew through, Kim says. Christine's sure if they'd had an inkling they wouldn't have summitted. "There was a very strong wind which was unforeseen really, in my understanding it came from the bottom up." Ironically, at the same time his brother Andrew, nicknamed 'Buzz', was experiencing a huge storm after summiting Mt Cook. When Kim returned to Queenstown, a memorial service was held in the Anglican church, after which hardy souls ventured in very wild weather to the Gardens where Christine's husband Dan Kelly's sculpture of a hand grasping an ice axe, in Bruce's memory, had been installed that day. At the time, Christine told Mountain Scene: "Bruce achieved a majority of his goals, there's not many people who could ski off Mt Cook, let alone fly. "He was aware of the fragility of human life in nature, he understood the reputation of K2 fully. "He achieved this goal, who knows what he would have achieved next?" Bruce Grant won every Dash for Cash he entered. Thirty years after his death, Sunday's Dash for Cash on Queenstown's Coronet Peak — a fundraiser for the Bruce Grant Youth Trust — is being held in his honour, from 2pm.
Bloomberg
02-08-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
New Zealand to Charge Foreign Visitors at Popular Tourist Sites
New Zealand will begin charging foreign tourists up to NZ$40 ($24) to visit its most popular tourist destinations such as Milford Track and Mount Cook as the government seeks ways to help spur economic growth. The country's pristine national parks and great walks are 'truly special to New Zealanders' and foreigners should pay a fee at high traffic sites, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a speech Saturday. The NZ$62 million in annual revenue generated will be re-invested into those locations, he said.
Forbes
06-07-2025
- Forbes
What It Means To Be Wealthy In New Zealand
Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, New Zealand getty With its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant Māori culture, and reputation as a global adventure capital, New Zealand is a dream destination for travelers and expats alike. But what does being wealthy in New Zealand mean? Whether you're considering a move or just curious about Kiwi life, understanding the cost of living, average salaries, and visa opportunities can help you decide if this island nation is for you. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings exposed New Zealand to an entirely new audience, enraptured by the stunning scenery. The cliché is that the country has more sheep than people—there are 23.6 million sheep and 5.3 million people, as per AP, meaning there are about 4.5 sheep for each New Zealander. And it's this beauty, adventure, and culture that make the country 8th in CNTraveler's recent list of the Best Countries in the World. New Zealand ranked ninth on U.S. News' list of the best countries in the World in 2024, up from eighth in 2023, and performed highly in categories such as adventure, quality of life, and social purpose. It came in at number two for a comfortable retirement. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita in New Zealand is approximately $39,024 annually, which is lower than the U.S. average of $51,147, but higher than the OECD average of $30,490. Incidentally, when asked to rate their general life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10, New Zealanders, on average, graded it a 7.3, which is higher than the OECD average of 6.7. Being Wealthy In New Zealand—New Zealand's Cost Of Living The cost of living in New Zealand is slightly less than in the U.S., where, according to Numbeo, the cost for a single person per month, not including rent, is as follows: Switzerland: $1,659 France: $1,200 U.S.: $1,166 Germany: $1,139 Ireland: $1,112 U.K.: $1,095 Australia: $1,050 Canada: $1023 New Zealand : $1,012 : $1,012 Japan: $927 Italy: $905 Latvia: $874 Greece: $832 Malta: $801 Spain: $731 Thailand: $650 Mexico: $637 Portugal: $592 Philippines: $573 Brazil: $466 Certain expenses, such as housing, can be significantly higher than in Europe—rent in New Zealand can be about 19% higher than in France. In comparison to the U.S., though, rent in New Zealand is 38% lower. Restaurant prices in New Zealand are typically about 15% lower than in the U.S., and groceries are approximately 9% less expensive. Being Wealthy In New Zealand–Average Net Worth The 2024 Global Wealth Index by UBS found that New Zealand ranks among the top 10 wealthiest countries in terms of average and median wealth—the average net worth by adults was $408,231. The median household wealth in New Zealand, as reported in a 2021 study, was approximately $397,000. Being Wealthy In New Zealand—Getting A Golden Visa Or A Digital Nomad Visa New Zealand offers several visa options for those looking to live and work in the country. The Prime Minister recently relaxed New Zealand's golden visa program, eliminating the English language requirement. It also introduced two new portfolio types with varying minimum stay requirements in the country, ranging from 21 days to 105 days. The investment amounts range from $2.9 million over three years to $5.8 million over five years. In February, the New Zealand government also launched a digital nomad visa that doesn't have a minimum monthly income requirement, unlike other countries. It is also now possible for travelers to work for a foreign employer while visiting the country, a practice that the government previously prohibited. New Zealand is attempting to attract more tourists to the country to restore visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels. From the peaks of the Southern Alps to the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, the country offers a unique blend of natural beauty and modern living. With its affordable and laid back lifestyle, coupled with adventure landscapes and a new digital nomad visa, despite its distance from many other places, New Zealand has never seemed so close. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes New Zealand To Relax Golden Visa Program In April 2025 By Alex Ledsom Forbes Digital Nomad Visas—New Zealand Launches New Long-Term Working Visa By Alex Ledsom Forbes Portugal Golden Visa: Government Plans To Enhance Incentives By Alex Ledsom
