What’s better than a weekend in Queenstown? A FREE weekend in Queenstown!
That’s precisely what Waikato University student Pounamu MacKay scored after making a casual $29 purchase at Real Escape Game in Broadway, Palmerston North. The Riddet Institute intern entered the Winter Weekend Giveaway draw—and against nearly 1,000 other hopefuls, she won!
Now, Pounamu and her mum Kara are set for an unforgettable Queenstown adventure, including:
Palmerston North to Queenstown and back!
A lake-view room thanks to the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront (breakfast included!)
A sleek SUV (or similar) rental
A scenic trip aboard the iconic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Farm thanks to the awesome team at REALNZ
A high-speed Shotover Jet boat ride
A frosty experience at Minus 5 Ice Bar
“Oh, my goodness! What the heck, oh my god! I’ve never won anything in my life before!”
Sadly, Pounamu’s father recently passed away, so will be taking her mum with her on the trip. “It’s going to be awesome,” she said.
Ford Ranger NZ Rural Games Marketing Manager Daniel O’Regan praised Kim Dunwell and her team at helloworld Travel on Broadway for putting together such a stellar prize.
“Pounamu and her mum are in for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for them!”
The Winter Weekend Giveaway was designed to support central Palmerston North businesses before the 10th edition of the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games, which drew an impressive 37,500-strong crowd.
Palmy BID’s Matthew Jeanes was over the moon with how the competition turned out.
“This is the second year we’ve backed this giveaway, and it’s all about getting people into the city centre to support local businesses,” said Matthew. “We’ll be back again in February 2026 with another fantastic opportunity to win an epic adventure!”
