Steve Hepburn

Drivers need to heed the advice of road closures and realise they are putting their lives and others at risk when they ignore them, a road watchdog says.

The wet September did have a good side — the nation’s hydro lakes are back to average, if not more.

Contact Energy continues to press its claims for its proposed Southland wind farm, saying it wants the remaining time available to the panel to be utilised as productively and efficiently as possible.

Central Otago has some amazing sights and sounds - autumn trees, blue lakes, the quiet of blue-sky country.

Contact Energy has gone on the front foot supporting its Southland wind farm, saying it is needed by the country and in the right place, and has offered to set up a $2.8million community fund.

A lack of playing fields in the Queenstown Lakes area is putting a brake on the growth of sporting codes with some teams in Wānaka already unable to either play or train.

A power generator says fast-track legislation is far from a free pass to getting projects done and there is always a risk in proceeding down that route.

Beam Scooters will live on in Queenstown as the council does not get a cent from the two-wheeled outfit.

A couple of issues around Southland community boards have been rubber-stamped by the parent body.

There is gold in them hills - and maybe in the park in the centre of town.

A Queenstown hotel has dropped its maximum occupancy rate to 80%, saying immigration rules are ever changing and New Zealand workers cannot be found.

Olympics fever came to the sleepy village of Ophir in Central Otago yesterday.