Queenstown Lakes pursues freedom camping crackdown
A Queenstown local told councillors the streets were becoming "toilets and rubbish pits" as part of a call for the council to crackdown on freedom campers.
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New helipad brings healthcare to town
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New helipad brings healthcare to town
An old, disused concrete tennis court has been transformed into the South’s newest helipad after a nearly two-year community effort.
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Contact to fight wind farm decision
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Contact to fight wind farm decision
Contact Energy is vowing to fight on — even if it means spending another $10 million — to get its rejected wind farm over the line.
Community rallies for firefighters
Community rallies for firefighters
A petition started by a Queenstown woman to help volunteer firefighters to get the same ACC support as their paid counterparts is gathering national momentum.
Decision on oyster festival licence reserved
Decision on oyster festival licence reserved
Offering beverages in glass containers at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival poses a risk to public safety as they can break or be used as weapons, police say.
Crash victim named
Crash victim named
Police have released the name of the woman who died following a crash in Cromwell at the weekend.
American man admits causing fatal Cromwell crash
American man admits causing fatal Cromwell crash
A 60-year-old American tourist has admitted causing a fatal crash which left one person dead and another injured near Cromwell at the weekend.
Doubtful Sound recreated in Minecraft
Doubtful Sound recreated in Minecraft
The remote fiords of Doubtful Sound have been transformed into the cube-shaped world of Minecraft.
Power cuts the norm, locals say
Power cuts the norm, locals say
Central Otago businesses and residents say sporadic power outages have become the norm after more than 11,000 people were left in the dark on Tuesday night.
Second ace for one-armed golfer
Second ace for one-armed golfer
Many able-bodied golfers never hit a hole-in-one, but a one-armed Queenstown man has just picked up his second.
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Faeces, rubbish, unwanted gear paint damning picture
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Faeces, rubbish, unwanted gear paint damning picture
Photos showing human faeces and piles of rubbish on Queenstown's lake shore paint a damning picture as the council prepares to crack down on freedom camping.
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Last chance to lap up taste of summer
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Last chance to lap up taste of summer
With temperatures reaching the mid-20s and the risk of only a few sprinkles of short-lived rain, the long Otago Anniversary weekend may be our "last taste" of summery weather for a while.
Event handed back due to council rules
Event handed back due to council rules
Council red tape — and costs it incurs — has forced organisers of Arrowtown’s Matariki celebrations to hand the event back to the Arrowtown Preschool.
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Westport to Charleston trail ready for cyclists
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Westport to Charleston trail ready for cyclists
The Westport to Charleston cycle trail will be officially opened at the weekend, with the West Coast now boasting more than 400km of trails.
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Horror run of road deaths taking toll on firefighters
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Horror run of road deaths taking toll on firefighters
A "horrific" run of road deaths is taking an emotional toll on Central Otago volunteer firefighters who fear the worst every time the siren goes off.
Central Otago man killed in Omakau crash
Central Otago man named as Omakau crash victim
Police have released the name of a man killed in a single-vehicle crash near Omakau last month.
Botched rates, uncertain valuations flagged by council auditors
Botched rates, uncertain valuations flagged by council auditors
Mistakes in setting rates and a best-guess system for valuing assets have earned the West Coast Regional Council a do-better warning from its auditor.
His world is oysters: bagging bluffies hard mahi
His world is oysters: bagging bluffies hard mahi
Whether eagerly plucked from the pottle or freshly shucked and served with Champagne, bluffies are in high demand across the country from March to August.
Big interest in mining project from job-seekers
Big interest in mining project from job-seekers
After about six months of community engagement, Santana Minerals is getting more job inquiries from the community than any other inquiries, with over 800 expressions of interest.
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New owner reveals plan for Hāwea church
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New owner reveals plan for Hāwea church
After a listing that attracted 11,000 views, a Queenstown buyer is the new owner of the picturesque St Ninian’s Presbyterian Church in Hāwea Flat.