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A local gambling addiction counsellor is concerned that more young Dunedin people than ever are being enticed into playing slot machines by intrusive online gambling games.

The jury is still out on whether a new ''exclusion'' device inside fishing nets is helping to save sea lions, a Dunedin marine scientist says.

Cash-strapped families that cannot afford to go on holiday this summer are being given access to a store of camping equipment that is free to hire.

The horticulturally impaired have been thrown a lifeline by a group calling itself Vegetables in My Back Yard (Vimby).

Waikouaiti residents have taken a different approach to pest geese in their neighbourhood - making them feel really unwelcome.

A plan to brighten up the Esplanade has unravelled after thieves made off with giant balls of knitted ''graffiti'' art.

Plant one idea, pile on a mountain of manure, add a ''snowball of enthusiasm'' and Dunedin's latest community garden is born.

George St and the Octagon will soon come alive with colour, thanks to hundreds of hanging flower baskets and there will be two people keeping an extra close eye on them.

For many of Dunedin's youngest citizens a trip to the ChatBus is just a chance to talk to someone friendly about what's bothering them. For a ''scary number'' of others, it is a lot more than that. Dan Hutchinson talks to primary school counsellor Averil Pierce about what is bothering our children.

The Government has announced another 1000 Otago homes will be insulated under a revised version of its Healthy Homes programme.

Pillow talk and some clever under-cover work by Dunedin nurses has resulted in a bed-making change that could save millions of taxpayer dollars.

A group of University of Otago students is putting together a collection of ''stories'' to illustrate the difficulties faced by children living in poverty.

A major reforestation project at Craigieburn in Leith Valley is nearing an end.

Mabel and Myrrtle are two ostriches living the high life in Dunedin City.

Discussions have been held over potential sites for a ''Department of Conservation- style'' camping ground on the Otago Peninsula but those locations are still under wraps.

Dunedin is in for a complete rethink of its alcohol policy, with a new plan due for release soon.