Cardrona Founder, John Lee, Passes Away Aged 89
Mountainwatch| Press Release
On behalf of the Lee family, Snow Farm, the Cardrona Distillery, and Cardrona Alpine Resort
Wānaka, NZ
December 24, 2025
The Upper Clutha community is paying tribute to John Allandale Lee CNZM, remembering a man whose contribution helped shape the district over many decades. John passed away peacefully at age 89 on Sunday evening, with his family by his side.
John was the second-generation farmer of Waiorau, in the tough alpine climate of the Cardrona Valley’s Pisa Range. In the late 1960s, the population of Cardrona was in decline, and as things were looking bleak, John got creative – all with the goal of bringing life back to the Valley.
In 1971 he and his wife, Mary, bought Mt Cardrona Station, and spent the rest of the decade developing a ski area there. Cardrona Alpine Resort opened to the public in 1980, which 45 years later is now New Zealand’s biggest ski area.
John and Mary’s next major project, the world-class cross-country skiing facility at Waiorau, Snow Farm, opened in 1990 after 19 years of hard graft in the face of many road blocks. The Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds came to life during the development of Snow Farm in 1984. The Lees then supported their youngest son Sam in the development of freestyle skiing and snowboarding mecca, Snow Park, in the early 2000s.
John was instrumental in saving the Cardrona Hotel from ruin, and his decision to sell it to the lowest bidder to ensure proper restoration set the historic building on its path to the success it has today. Along with Mary, he was also a proud supporter of the foundation of the Cardrona Distillery.
From helping to re-establish the Cardrona Valley as a destination in its own right,, to the bustling Wānaka ski industry, to the cheeky Cardrona Bra Fence – John’s legacy is extensive. Many in the Cardrona and Wānaka communities can trace their careers, homes and livelihoods back to John’s passion to bring a vibrant life to this area.
John is survived by wife Mary, children Rachael, Joanna and Sam, and grandchildren Louis, Regan, Olivia, Anton, Hana, Matthew, Archie and Heidi.
A private ceremony for the Lee family will be held today. A public celebration of John’s life and contribution to the community will take place at 2pm on February 7th, at the Cardrona Distillery.
