KEY POINTS:
As the fireworks went off on Friday night to mark the opening of Queenstown's American Express Winter Festival, John Campbell shook his head, dumbfounded, and muttered into his headset, "That wasn't meant to happen. They're early. They're bloody early, aren't they Carol [Hirschfeld]?"
The fireworks were indeed, five
minutes early. Uber-punctual Helen Clark declared the festival open, and well, the sparks flew. So did Campbell's fury, at first, until he realised there wasn't much he could do about it. His live show pressed on and cut to the sparkling sky.
Later he had a laugh about it with us before posing for some photos in the chilly breeze. Carol was hesitant at first. She was in work clothes and no make-up. But if there was ever a local star that can pull off the au natural look and still look glam, it's Carol.
MP Damien O'Connor was also a tad hesitant for a photo - with a glass in his hand. He plopped the glass of chardonnay down quick smart before posing up. As tourism minister, drinking at swanky parties must be part of the job, but in an election year no one is taking any chances when snappers are around.
The fab people at Air New Zealand flew me down for the festival opening last weekend - and probably flew all the other hacks and A-list stars too. And there were a few of them.
I spotted Dai Henwood, Radar, Simon Bennett, Carly Flynn and Jeremy Wells wandering around town. The Mayor of Invercargill, Tim Shadbolt, was Spy-ed tripping on the steps of a bar late Saturday night. Simon Gault was holed up with his new love at swanky Azur luxury lodge. Miriama Smith stayed there too. She was invited down to the Vegas of the South to take part in a celebrity ice-cream competition and jet-boating race.
She told me she psyched out her rival Hayley Holt by telling her they had to scoff four ice-creams. Holt hates ice-cream, apparently. But not ice. We snapped the blonde bombshell looking less than glam snowboarding down Coronet Peak on Wednesday with a double chin protruding.
Hollie Smith performed at Skyline Gondolas on Saturday night, and her beloved Clarke Gayford was there for moral support. Katchafire played too; while Jennifer Ward-Leland performed a brilliant cabaret at another venue in town, and the Goodnight Nurse boys rocked Coronet Peak for the opening bash.
Eligible bachelor Peter Huljich was Spy-ed playing golf on the frosty Saturday afternoon, while It-boy Sarge was busted skinny-dipping in the lake! What was he thinking? Well, it's Queenstown - home of the madcap adventurers. And we loved it. We hope we get invited back again next year.
For more pictures from the Queenstown Winter Festival, click here.
AB captain swaps team time for Hayley time
We know he's injured, but Richie McCaw still played the dutiful boyfriend on Thursday night and put macho rugby to the back of his mind as he escorted his beloved to the Langham Hotel for Peter Urlich's romantic dine and dance gig. Aw, sweet.
It was Hayley Holt's birthday, but while there was no birthday waltz from Richie, who's nursing a sporting injury, he did put in significant boyfriend time. Our favourite WAG couple stole the show and looked gorgeous. So did Annabel Fay in a white sequin shift, and Stefano Olivieri wearing an open-necked shirt, a pounamo necklace, and a waxed chest. Ooh-er. He was there with his new boyfriend Sebastian Herrmann.
Charlotte rivals teens in vestal virgin white
She may be gracing her 40s, but that didn't stop busty bombshell Charlotte Dawson from stealing the limelight from teenage girls at the finale of Australia's Next Top Model on Tuesday night in Sydney.
A youthful looking Dawson, with not a wrinkle in sight, posed happily with the show's 16-year-old winner Demelza Reveley and runner-up Alex Girdwood.
Wearing a plunging Alex Perry dress in vestal virgin white, Dawson heaved and beamed happily for the snappers, probably because the show's host - Jodhi Meares - pulled out of live finale duties at the last minute and Dawson stepped in to fill her shoes and did an incredible job, we hear.
Charlotte's tipped to have top billing for next year's series. Mind you, producers said that last year, and still they brought Meares back after a dismal performance first time around.
Bazza engaged again
After Spy broke the news of the unlikely love match engagement between 50-something NewstalkZB's Barry Soper and 20-something Heather Du Plessis-Allen from One News some months ago, we can now reveal the media pair have gone and gotten re-engaged, with a proper ring this time. The first time round, Heather popped the question with a tinfoil ring. Bless. This time round, Bazza's done the decent thing and forked out on diamonds - five of them on a band. And we hear youthful Heather is over the moon. No word yet on when the big day will be. We'll keep you posted.
McCracken forced to plant trees
Naughty, naughty Jarrod McCracken has agreed to replant hundreds of trees illegally cleared from the multi-million dollar Whitsundays land he shares with his wife, Michelle. The former Kiwi league star-turned-property mogul has reached an out-of-court settlement with the Whitsunday Shire Council and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The couple will replant 10ha of cleared coastal rainforest with native plants within 19 months. The Daily Telegraph reported the replanting is subject to monitoring by the council and must comply with the Aboriginal and Cultural Heritage Act 2003.
The McCrackens can continue building their dream place - a 2000sq m house; and a 3000 sq m horse stud - after they receive permission from the council for their building plans.
Rachel Glucina
For pictures from the Queenstown Winter Festival, click here.