Sarah Marquet

A "cracker" Central Otago A&P Show, held at Omakau on Saturday, was declared a success by organisers with a larger turnout than in previous years.

As the fog started rolling in over the Pomahaka headwaters about 5pm on Wednesday, 19-year old Alexandra hunter Tim Harrex made a decision - to find shelter instead of returning home as planned.

''Pretty good'' was the verdict from budding young cricketers after a morning of coaching by former Black Caps yesterday. Batting, bowling, catching and wicketkeeping practice were all on the agenda for about 100 children at the Alexandra Festival of Cricket at Molyneux Park.

They may not hear too well these days but Joan (90) and Gordon (91) Homer, of Alexandra are still finishing off each other's sentences.

For the first time, New Zealand is being represented at the natural track luge world championships, being raced this week in Deutschnofen, northern Italy.

The Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery's newest exhibit, an Otago skink, has been officially named Treasure.

For Rosie Greig (left, 10), of Rolleston, and Lauren Gray (10), of Alexandra, learning about the Samurai warriors of Ancient Japan as part of the Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery school holiday programme was ''really fun''.

A Gimmerburn family has lost a part of their heritage, as well as an important aspect of their business, after fire gutted a historic house on their property.

About 150 years after the gold rush that sparked development in Central Otago, the small town of Clyde is again under development. It was recently described, alongside Cromwell, by Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper as a ''beacon for development''.

Horse-drawn carts and coaches, vintage cars and machinery, penny-farthing cycles and more than 200 people dressed in Victorian-era costumes paraded around Naseby on Saturday, led by the Maniototo Highland Pipe Band, marking the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in the area.

For Shingle Creek pram collector Lesley McGregor (60), the first piece in her collection was a necessity - she was pregnant with son Duncan. That was in 1980, she was living in Invercargill and the second-hand Pedigree Airstream was only $5.

About 3pm yesterday, Cromwell man Jay Munro heard what he thought sounded like a tsunami approaching.

Obedience, a loud bark and the way a dog holds itself were the things Ida Valley Bark Up judges Andrew Hore and Tony Woodcock were looking for at the Poolburn Hotel yesterday.

A final report on Central Otago heritage management has been released.

As 19 young women clad in swimsuits and high heels strutted their stuff around an Alexandra pool on Saturday to cheers and applause, there were many ''I'm glad it's not me up there'' comments from the audience.

A Galloway, Central Otago farmer had to run through flaming grass while helping to fight a large fire on his property early yesterday.