Queenstown offers tourists thrills and hangovers, but there’s a gap for an attraction telling our stories to discerning visitors ‘‘curious about what makes this place so special’’, amidst a lack of family entertainment options. So says former planetarium producer Jim Robinson, who explains his concept for a Whakatipu Discovery Centre to PHILIP CHANDLER
A former astronomy educator is pitching the idea of a ‘blow-your-mind’ dome-screen digital theatre in Queenstown.
It would tell the stories of our night sky and other local narratives, but could also act as a conference, concert and exhibition venue.
When Jim Robinson moved to Queenstown with his family in 2008 to run a pool and spa business, he’d spent the previous 10 years producing content for Auckland’s Stardome Observatory.
He’s since become fascinated by the Whakatipu’s amazing dark skies, and long felt a local astronomy-based theatre, with virtual-reality capacity, would have merit.
A presenter could even begin a show with a real-time simulation of the night sky outside, Robinson says.
Complementing the theatre, he suggests telescopes could be set up in a courtyard outside.
You could also create shows based on the significance of the Matariki constellation and how early Māori used the stars as seasonal markers, he adds.
Since selling the pool and spa business two-and-a-half years ago, Robinson’s expanded his concept.
Story-telling tool: A proposed 150-seat dome theatre could also be used for concerts
He’s been a part-time luxury tour guide, and has found many overseas clients comment on the lack of ‘quality’ evening and wet-weather activities.
‘‘Apart from the stories I told them on our journeys about Whakatipu’s history and geology, or flora and fauna, if we happened to be on the Routeburn for half a day, they would have left with scant knowledge of the area beyond thrills and hangovers.
‘‘I enjoy sharing stories about our pre-European history, particularly about the Polynesian navigators who used the stars to guide the early voyagers and then later those who navigated the mountain passes of the greenstone trails.
‘‘My clients would otherwise have no exposure to our Māori culture whatsoever, unless they happened to have visited Rotorua first.’’
As a result, Robinson’s grown his astronomy-focused concept into a ‘Whakatipu Discovery Centre’ to tell all of this area’s unique stories.
That’d range from early Māori history to this area’s geology, including the formation of the landscape, and flora and fauna, such as stories about efforts to preserve the area’s critically-endangered wildlife.
As a ‘greenie’ from West Auckland, Robinson sees ample scope for telling conservation stories of value to locals, including school kids, as well as visitors.
However, he’s also pitching his 150-seat dome theatre for concerts with ‘‘mind-blowing acoustics and visualisation opportunities’’, conferences, product launches and exhibitions and events like the mountain film festival.
Big plans: The exterior of the proposed Whakatipu Discovery Centre
Imagine, he suggests, ‘‘getting the audience totally immersed in the vertigo-inducing environment of, say, a helicopter ride through a mountain crevasse or a climber hanging over the terminal face of a glacier’’.
It could also function, Robinson says, as ‘‘a digital arts hub where we host the best productions by dome theatre artists around the globe’’.
He believes while Gibbston’s a good venue, due to its potential international ‘dark sky’ status, the best locations for his centre would probably be Queenstown’s CBD or Frankton.
Including land cost, it could be a $22 million build, ‘‘but if we can get 400,000 people a year, it will generate $17m or $18m in income a year’’.
He’s floated the proposal to local tourism heavyweights and high-net-worth locals, and has had some interest, but thinks it might suit a philanthropist ‘‘who wants to give back to the community’’.
Robinson also believes it’s ready-made for Queenstown’s new-era ‘regenerative tourism’.
It’d contribute ‘‘holistic values that enrich our local communities and through instilling knowledge will inspire visitors to actively help protect
and restore our environment’’.
