The Southland Times

The ‘very cool’ moment for man tracking a spacecraft’s moon flyby

Invercargill’s Dr Kerry Clapham is riding a high, and no wonder, he’s just tracked a Nasa spacecraft as it disappeared behind the Moon. Clapham is part of a team at Invercargill-based company SpaceOps NZ, which is tracking the crewed Orion spacecraft...

Sharks coach hoping for a sellout crowd BASKETBALL

Jonathan Yim wants to see a sea of orange for the Southland Sharks’ season opener tonight. They host neighbours the Otago Nuggets in the opening round of the New Zealand National Basketball League at Stadium Southland, with tip off at 7pm. With...

Fumes killed man: Coroner

Carbon monoxide poisoning from a petrol generator killed Invercargill businessman Rick Murrell as he slept in his boat on Lake Manapouri, a coroner has found. Murrell, 60, and his friend Scott Allison were on an overnight trip on Murrell’s boat,...

1000 ducks to bob along for Rotary fundraiser

Cash prizes are on the line as 1000 rubber ducks prepare to race at Rotary’s Give Kids a Chance Duck Race fundraiser on Saturday. Jointly held by the Invercargill North and Sunrise Rotary Clubs, only 100 tickets remained available for the event, which...

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Honourable efforts at southern cemeteries

Volunteers have been on their hands and knees in acts of respect for thousands of southern service veterans as Anzac Day approaches. A team of about 20 RSA members, Verdon College students, Fulton Hogan staff and the New Zealand Remembrance Army...

The truth hurts

The Drama (R16, 105 mins) Directed by Kristoffer Borgli Reviewed by Graeme Tuckett The set-up for The Drama is laid out in the trailer, and it goes something like this. Emma and Charlie are a likeable and affluent couple of early 30-somethings. They...

Move over, Yellowstone

The numbers are staggering. There’s 68,000ha of land, ranging in altitude from 300m to 2000m on the tops. There are 36,500 ewes, 10,000 hoggets, 2200 cows, 4400 heifers, and 4500 deer, 110km of graded gravel roads, 22 staff, and 110 working...

Dermody cleared of breach

Invercargill deputy mayor Grant Dermody’s colleagues have cleared him of any material breach of the council’s code of conduct. Following a formal complaint by councillor Ian Pottinger, a $33,000 investigation by lawyer Michael Garbett of Anderson...

Mall owner seeks support

South City Mall owner Sam Lee has had a gutsful: every other weekend there’s more damage to his property, he says, whether it’s a stone thrown through a window or a recycling bin set alight. He’s calling for council and police support to help curb...

Council staffer a ‘dickhead’

An Invercargill city councillor has been found to have breached the council’s code of conduct after allegedly directing an offensive comment at a staff member during a Rugby Park meeting. The complaint, lodged by Cr Ian Pottinger, related to a...

Tech giant defends ‘AI factory’

It started with not one, but two ambitious projects: a 6000km submarine cable connecting New Zealand and Australia, and the country’s biggest data centre. However, Datagrid’s planned data facility at Makarewa, north of Invercargill, has been criticised...

Opposing Sams confident

Can Sam Downing and his Appleby team-mates make it a fifth straight triumph for their club, or will Invercargill Old Boys captain Sam Nicholson and his team ruin the party? The question will be answered when the two Sams lead their sides in the...

Festival promotes food resilience, skills RIVERTON

As the cost of living rises, this year’s Riverton Heritage Harvest Festival offers a chance to learn resilience and self-reliance. On this weekend, the festival includes more than 40 workshops over two days covering everything from making sourdough...

Beckenridge didn’t fake murder-suicide: Coroner

John Beckenridge was vindictive, desperate and self-obsessed enough to commit murder-suicide, but not intelligent, resourceful or well prepared enough to fake it, coroner Marcus Elliott has decided. More likely than not, on March 20, 2015, a...

Crash leaves one dead, four injured, and trail of damage

Tyre marks, shards of glass, a small amount of car debris and shorn-off street signs were evident along the Kelvin St footpath yesterday after a fatal crash at the weekend. A person was killed in the single-vehicle crash, shortly before 3am on...

Booze pay later services could be cut

Invercargill liquor outlets would be banned from accepting buy now, pay later apps under a change recommended by a city council hearings panel. Government legislation allows for local licensing committees to add rules alongside the nationwide...

Farm smarts get southern AgriKids teams ready to face big-city rivals

A team of Northern Southland College students cannot wait to stick it to their Auckland counterparts at the Young Farmers AgriKids national championships. Lucian Webster, 11, Fletcher Duff, 12, and Slade Thwaites, 12, worked superbly as a team to...

Power agreement secured

Confirmation of a power agreement for the planned AI factory near Invercargill means Southland will have two of the hungriest electricity using plants in the country. Datagrid New Zealand has announced the signing of a 140-megawatt long-term power...

Rāhui in place for lake

A rāhui restriction on fishing and recreational activities has been placed on part of Lake Manapouri in Southland following a tragedy on the lake at the weekend. A 42-year-old Gore man fell off a boat about 6pm on Saturday and has not been seen since....

Pressure on for rates increase below 5.6%

Environment Southland staff have told councillors that with more accurate budgeting than in the past a 5.6% rates rise is achievable for the coming financial year without reducing services. In response, the councillors have told them to report back on...

RACING High hopes Hello Hayley hoofs it for crown

Hello Hayley has been hoofing it lately, so much so that she has a chance to become the second horse in two decades to win the Southern 3YO Guineas Series Triple Crown. Winton-based horse trainer Sophie Price and Hello Hayley have their eyes set on...

Retired couple out of pocket

A retired Invercargill couple say they are thousands of dollars out of pocket after a painter accused of a pattern of poor workmanship left New Zealand. Graham and Raewyn Stiles said they hired Level Up Decorators to paint the outside of their house...

Fresh crop

WEEKEND KITCHEN It felt almost to the day that autumn arrived this year, ushered in by a cold snap from the south. It was quite a shock to the system and almost instantly I noticed the change in light and the leaves turning. I am a fan of autumn,...

Family support after crash

The two people who died in a car crash in rural Southland were a mother and daughter from a Nepalese family making a better life for themselves in New Zealand. Anita Pathak and her daughter Dikshika Pathak, 19, were being driven towards their...

Bluff oyster boost

Bluff oysters might look like “rocks on rocks”, but they’re New Zealand’s only native reef-building shellfish, and they’ve been pushed to the brink, with less than 5% of their population remaining. Now, scientists at the Cawthron Institute in Nelson...

O’Donnell quits early GOVERNANCE

KiwiRail director Scott O’Donnell will step down from the KiwiRail board of directors on March 24, cutting short an appointment more than two years ahead of schedule. Board chairperson Suzanne Tindal said a new venture will require him to spend more...

Vladimir

Having pulled double duty in her last small-screen outing, Rachel Weisz’s latest bid for Emmys glory involves her directly addressing the audience. House of Cards-style soliloquies are a regular feature of Netflix’s eight-episode Vladimir, Weisz’s...

Bullish turnout at A&P show

The 2026 Southland A&P Show was a success, with highlights in the showjumping and sheep sections on Saturday. But as rain poured down on Invercargill’s Donovan Park yesterday, a few events had to be cancelled. Southland A&P Association president...

Hospital theatre idle for 119 days

One of Southland’s four operating theatres has effectively been out of action for 119 days – almost four months – over a sixmonth period. This comes as the hospital is only hiring enough theatre nurses to replace those it is losing with the...

Ruapuke whānau wins case

Ruapuke island group whānau have for a second time persuaded the High Court they remain entitled to customary marine title over the waters surrounding Ruapuke in Foveaux Strait. An initial court decision last August needed to be relitigated after the...

Deer hunter sentenced

Paul William John Stevens nodded silently in the dock of the Invercargill District Court as the bereft family of Jock Davies, the cancer-surviving companion he accidentally shot on Stewart Island, described their anguish. Court officers quietly handed...

Waikaka goldmine gets consent

Waikaka Gold Mines Limited has been granted consent to operate a goldmine near Waikaka in Eastern Southland. The consent comes with more than 100 stringent conditions designed to address concerns raised by the Department of Conservation and Hokonui...

Spotlight back on nitrate

An Environment Southland summary of the region’s continuing vulnerability to nitrate contamination and related health risks has ignited fresh calls for an emergency response. Greenpeace and Otago University public health and water academic Marnie...

No harvest for big player

The biggest player in the Bluff oyster industry will again fish for the delicacy this season, but Ngāi Tahu Seafood will not do so for the second year running. The harvesting season for wild Bluff oysters in Foveaux Strait began yesterday, with an...

Tuatapere sizzles as residents bitten by snarler bug

There was a serious sausage party held at the Tuatapere Domain on Thursday. Tuatapere residents and neighbours from nearby towns took part in the New World Top Sausage competition that was being held in the sausage capital of New Zealand. It saw the...

Injuries put brothers on track to tackle first-ever triathlon

Having both recovered from serious injuries last year, two Gore brothers are taking an uncomplicated approach to the Weetbix Kids TRYathlon in Dunedin on Sunday. Ciaran Mowat, 9, and Fintan Mowat, 6, have one goal, and that is to cross the finish...

Tuatapere snags nationwide final

A small Western Southland town known for producing the best sausages in New Zealand seems like the perfect place to hold the finals of New World’s top sausage quest. Few foods are as woven into Kiwi life as much as the humble snag, from backyard...

Guilty plea over fatal crash COURT

Aaron Templeton, 20, was determined to drive after drinking at the Tokanui Tavern and neither an offer of a lift from his mum, an approach from bar staff, nor the presence of a police officer at the pub was going to stop him. Templeton pleaded guilty...

Cancer diagnosis delayed

Administration errors and “unacceptable” wait times led to delays in a southern man’s cancer diagnosis, the Health and Disability Commissioner has found. In a report released yesterday, Commissioner Morag McDowell found Health New Zealand Southern...

The Riff strikes a new chord on Preston St

After more than 40 years as The Southland Musicians Club, the Preston St venue is getting its own name and identity. The Riff Live Entertainment Venue will be officially launched next month as a standalone entity with its own website and social media...

Pick of the bunch

Iplanted a small row of thornless blackberries about 10 years ago and they continue to be one of the stars of the summer fruit. Heavy with berries for two to three weeks, they ask very little in return – just an easy prune once a year to remove the...

Mayors tackle park funding ‘lead balloon’

While Invercargill warns that losing Rugby Park would be a blow to regional pride, neighbouring mayors in Gore and Southland districts are signalling a tough “no” on funding for upgrades to the stadium. The future of the park, which is home to the...

Sports day still going strong after 127 years BROWNS

Browns Sports Day is turning 127 and showing no signs of slowing down. With the cancellation of the Tuatapere Sports Day after more than 100 years on January 1, Browns Sports could have been next, but that’s definitely not the case. With 2025 having...

Teen shooter to face world’s best in Chch

Marnie Clark knows it will be tough going at the clay shooting world championships next month but she wouldn’t have it any other way. The Northern Southland College year 13 student has been selected for the New Zealand team competing at the...

New home sought for magnificent model

A large and meticulously fashioned model of the clipper Invercargill, which was long a talking point in the city’s HMS Kings Restaurant, is now on TradeMe. The restaurant’s former owner Bruce Maher isn’t fussed about the price. “I’d just like it to...

Record summer for Piopiotahi Milford Sound

After record visitor numbers in December and January, Piopiotahi Milford Sound is expected to see another surge in visitors over the Chinese New Year. Great South’s market intelligence suggests the Chinese market, which has been slower to rebound from...

Crowds and MPs converge

Southland welcomed a parade of MPs at Southern Field Days at Waimumu this week. There was a rousing response when Prime Minister Chris Luxon visited yesterday. He stopped at several stalls and chatted to people, with many in the crowd approaching him...

Southern Field Days Moo-ment

Whether it’s watching the tractor pull, checking out the latest in farming innovation or just browsing the sales, there’s been heaps on offer at this year’s Southern Field Days at Waimumu. Organisers are expecting tens of thousands of people from all...

Southland trio part of wood chopping first

Southland wood choppers Karen Corbin and Natalie and Emily Paterson are part of New Zealand’s first South Island women’s team. A 14-strong squad has been selected to head to the Royal Canberra Show, where they will compete against New South Wales and...

Joe Bennett Another week of people, and ducks, behaving badly

What a week it’s been for news. First came the naughty Olympic ski-jumpers. It seems that some of them have been injecting themselves with hyaluronic acid with a view to enlarging the penis. My first thought was that the greater penis might serve as...

Stringent security

The terrorist convicted of killing 51 worshippers in the March 15 Christchurch mosque massacres has claimed in court that prison conditions meant he was thinking irrationally when he pleaded guilty. At a five-day Court of Appeal hearing in Wellington,...

School crossing ‘like Russian roulette’

Hundreds of people crossing Queens Drive to and from the James Hargest Junior Campus each day are facing dangers akin to Russian roulette, the school has told the Invercargill City Council. At peak arrival and departure times, the crossing is...

High-octane action out at Oreti Beach

Held annually as part of the Burt Munro Challenge, this year’s racing featured household names such as defending champion Jonny Racz and Burt Munro Challenge great Kevin Ryan, who competes in every event. Rider numbers were up on previous years with...

READ MORE INSIDE:

■ Display of unity, NATIONAL ■ Waitangi, cohesion and the challenge to our major parties, IN DEPTH ■ Overcoming our Treaty fear, IN DEPTH

Maize paddock becomes fundraising fun

An a-maize-ing fundraising idea is bearing fruit – or rather corn – with a maize paddock near Riversdale transformed into a maze. Set on a working farm, the maize maze invites visitors to step into the paddock and navigate winding pathways through...

Sights on Munro Rally

Fresh off becoming New Zealand under 21 solo motorcycle speedway champion, Southland’s Hayden Brookland is set to show off his skills at the Burt Munro Rally, which runs from tomorrow until Sunday. And Brookland hopes to see plenty of fans at the...

Local company involved in Nasa moon mission

Self-confessed space geek Robin McNeill was a kid in 1969 when he watched grainy film footage of Neil Armstrong achieving the milestone of being the first man to walk on the moon. Now he’s the chief executive of an Invercargill company that will be...

Tractor beams

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Police Ten 7 fan turns Rakiura cop

Watching Police Ten 7 inspired a South African to join the Kiwi cops. Now he’s taking on community policing on Rakiura. Constable Justin Schwarz is replacing Stewart Island’s long-time solo cop Senior Constable Stuart Newton, who’s heading back to the...

Crank Up Day celebrates two household names

The 38th annual Edendale Crank Up Day this weekend is all about Ferguson and Toyota. It has been 80 years of the Ferguson tractor and 60 years since the first Toyota car arrived in New Zealand. Each year the Edendale Vintage Machinery Club, who run...

No-one left homeless

No-one will be left homeless when the Gore Motor Camp closes for the last time on Saturday. The Gore District Council will terminate the lease held by 4 Trade Direct Ltd, a company owned by Nick Irons, at the end of February, but permanent residents...

Murderer apologises to teen victim’s family

Convicted killer Christopher Brown has apologised to the family of his Invercargill victim, Jack McAllister, during a parole board hearing on Monday. “I am sorry, I am sorry for the pain I have caused you. I am sorry for being that angry kid, angry...

Highway reopens as rivers begin to recede

A weekend of persistent rain has caused rivers to burst their banks and closed a state highway near Gore, but river levels are now beginning to fall. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advised State Highway 90 had reopened yesterday morning between...

Burnett wins his third title

Josh Burnett has become just the sixth rider to win three or more SBS Bank Tour of Southland titles after surviving a frenetic final day on Saturday. Burnett (PowerNet) started the day with a 19sec lead over Cambridge’s Matthew Wilson (Advanced...

Fish for compliments

If it’s hot outside, the family is often dispersed until early evening, and meals that can come together quickly are a must. Luckily, fresh produce is abundant in the garden and stores at this time of year, so it’s easy to put together a simple salad,...

Aust coach Whitfort joins Southern Steel

Highly rated Australian netball coach Jess Whitfort will bring plenty of experience to the Southern Steel this season. Whitfort, from Queensland, arrived in Invercargill on Wednesday to link up with head coach Wendy Frew, creating a formidable pairing...

Fox moving to Dunedin for more opportunities

Te Anau’s Libby Fox would love to one day play for the White Ferns, like her favourite cricketer Amelia Kerr. To progress towards the realisation of that dream, she has opted to move from Fiordland College to St Hilda’s College in Dunedin. It’s a...

Yelling ‘Bella’ a recipe for wagging chaos

Calling out the name Bella in a southern dog park is likely to get more than a couple of labrador tails wagging. That’s because Bella is the most popular dog name in both Invercargill and the Southland District Council areas. And the most popular...

LISA CARRINGTON

Rodeo has real family feel for the Perkins

The Perkins family love attending a rodeo together, so much so it’s been part of their family for at least four generations. Johnny Perkins, a life member of the Mataura Rodeo Club, competed for nearly 40 years, his son Anthony competes and his two...

Young William can’t wait for A&P show

William Malcolm is a 7-year-old embodiment of A&P show zeal. The Heddon Bush youngster spent the weekend bottling like a good’un to ready his jams, relishes and preserves for the home industry section of Saturday’s show at Winton. But that’s not the...

Skin cancer is a ‘huge issue’, doctor says

A skin cancer clinic opens in Invercargill this week, for a community its founder says has a “huge issue’’ with the disease. Dr Sophie Sharpe, a GP with a significant surgical background, will be providing skin cancer checks and minor surgical...

Thank you, Sir Tim

Invercargill has lost a legend. The city’s longest-serving mayor, Sir Tim Shadbolt, died on Thursday at the age of 78. Kiwis from all walks of life have recalled their fondest memories of the charismatic leader who will be remembered for his...