Children from a small school north of Auckland were the first to break the ice at Aotea Square's annual winter wonderland celebrations.
A group of 23 students from Otamatea High School in Maungaturoto won the opportunity to chill out for an hour ahead of the temporary ice rink's official opening party.
Arina Bosch, a 32-year-old teacher from the school, won the "First on the Ice" competition out of 600 applicants with a letter explaining why her students should win. For some of the students it was their first time in the Big Smoke.
The ice skating rink will be open until August 11 and will receive donated gifts for the City Mission. Aleisha Moore
