David’s Insight on “Wanaka Mist”
The infamous Wanaka Tree sits in the shallow waters of Lake Wanaka on the South Island of New Zealand. This tree has been the source of much debate in the local community as photographers come from the world over to capture its simple beauty. Imagine this peaceful scene with hundreds of tri pods set up on the beach, bringing tourism dollars and all the problems of large crowds. Viewed by the locals as a symbol of hope, they were heartbroken when the tree was vandalized in 2020. The lower branches were chopped off and left abandoned onshore. Check out #ThatWanakaTree on Instagram to see the famous tree today. I was so fortunate to experience this beautiful place in the winter of 2019, without the crowds and before the appalling destruction.
