Hamish MacLean

The Southern District Health Board and Waitaki District Health Services are remaining tight-lipped about meetings in Oamaru today.

The Waitaki District Council's property department lacks strategic direction and has unclear priorities and limited resources, a council memorandum says.

North Otago Vintage Car Club members Wanda Kent and John Adamson are ready to roll at the Windsor Rally on Saturday.

Despite another successful rodeo for the Waimate Rodeo Club, the club's president says he hopes more young people in the area become involved in the sport.

It only takes one rose to win a rose show, says North Otago Rose Society life member Val Clarke.

Santa Claus has checked his list and it could be a banner year for Waitaki children.

In September 2016, when the water is turned on in the North Otago Irrigation Company's expansion, the irrigation scheme will cover 25,000ha and it will be one of the largest irrigators in North Otago. North Otago reporter Hamish MacLean finds out how the irrigation company's water scheme is helping to transform the Waitaki district.

The North Otago Irrigation Company ''absolutely'' takes the environment seriously, chief executive Robyn Wells says.

Wayne Richardson's 2ha property beside State Highway 1 at Herbert clearly shows a lifestyle out of the ordinary. Otago Daily Times photographer ChristineO'Connor could not resist stopping for a visit. And as North Otago reporter Hamish MacLean finds out, she is not the only passerby who has stopped for a photograph.

A little bit of rain was not going to dampen Sienna Hawke's day at the South Canterbury A&P Show at Waimate on Saturday.

Humpback whales could soon appear in the Waitaki district.

The driver of this Subaru wagon, which hit the police station gate in Hampden yesterday about 2.25pm, did the right thing, police say.

Oamaru's Victorian Heritage Celebrations show the Waitaki town's inventive nature and passion for fun, its mayor says.

 A freight train coming off the rails in North Otago created a "horrible ... screeching, scraping noise" at 2am on Saturday, but the only person on board was not injured.

Oamaru man looking after his mother with Alzheimer's is reaching out to those who have looked to unconventional therapies when caring for a loved one with the disease some call ''the long goodbye''.

People come to Oamaru for the heritage and the wildlife, Oamaru Adventures director Nigel Ryburn says.