On a mild evening in November, Dave Howard and John Wellington were out with their machetes and some pink ribbon bush-bashing a route for a new bike trail beside the Hawea River in Upper Clutha.They tied ribbon on scrappy broom bushes and laid low the pigfern as they went."That's kind of a fun part of it, just cutting a track, going, 'What are the cool things that we can see along here?', whether it's little plants or view-corridors," Howard said."So you might take them past cool rocks or trees or just, how the landform will feel when you move through it, thinking about what's the experience someone's going to have when they travel through here."So that's quite a fun stage despite the matagouri and the bush lawyer (two types of plants) and everything else that wants to kill you and prick you."Up until recently he had thornier problems to deal with. He had helped design the Kawarau Gorge trail from Queenstown to Cromwell, and the Roxburgh Gorge extension. By 2018 they were ready to go.Instead, they went nowhere, running smack-dab into a long-forgotten policy suddenly reactivated at the Department of Conservation (DOC)."Until recently, the current Conservation General Policy was applied quite rigidly in Conservation Management Strategies (CMS)," DOC told RNZ."This meant that unless the CMS listed a proposed location for biking, a (costly, multi-year) partial review or amendment process for the CMS was required, simply to consider the application on its merits."While the policy had slumbered, trail building had cracked on, the network and patronage expanding rapidly in the decade after John Key's government latched on to cycling in 2009 as a way to create jobs.Dave Howard. Photo: Supplied'Silly little thing written on a bit of paper'In 2019, DOC shifted suddenly and question marks appeared over existing trails' compliance, while new builds hit a brick wall. Many regions had few potential trails listed on the schedules in their various CMSs. They were going nowhere."It was horrendous," Howard said. "It was all consuming, all consuming. DOC was supportive of so many of the trails, but they just had to pull the handbrake on them because of this silly little thing written on a bit of paper."Pete Masters at Bike Taupō hit the wall too. So he joined with others to use a trail in Tongariro as a test case to help break the rigid grip.It worked - 11 out of the 16 DOC regions began easing up on trail building in the last year or so - but it took time and money."So we won that," Masters said. "Interesting thing is after the six years, they turned around and agreed on what we said on day one."Instead of having to be rigid, to have it on a schedule, it could be on 'effects-based', which is what we'd been arguing all the time."For trail builders in Te Anau and Gore the battle was far from won, but their experience was now more an exception than the norm.Rowan Sapsford at Bike Taupō sawthe flipside: He helped Masters with the test case, and now things were at "half full", he said."All our trails in Taupō are OK... we were able to secure access... we can carry on," Sapsford said.The application process had sped up."The last one I was involved in professionally, it went through an under 12 months, which was a bit of a record really."It can also be the difference between whether we're able to secure funding or not, and often, you know, the permissions process is seen as one of the key risks... for new trail development."Officials now saw biking in the bush as legitimate, not just tramping, he said.Recently he went to the annual national trails forum."It was probably the best representation from DOC in the odd 13 or 14 years I've been going to these forums."John Wellington. Photo: SuppliedIn a report in July, the Department of Conservation said its backlog of concession applications for cycling had been cut from 1300 to 550, and processing times were three times faster.It was now able to tap into co-funding too for new trails from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, that also had $8m a year to maintain the 23 Great Rides.'We're through the dark days'Otago was unusual among the 11 newly flexible regions, alone in undertaking a $500,000 review of its conservation strategy that ran for several years.This ended up last year in it designating a lot more potential trails, though only after volunteers spent thousands of hours mapping them out.Now those lines were down on paper, that allowed Howard and Wellington to bash them out for real along a simple 5km trail south beside the Hawea."We're through the dark days," Howard said."All those particular trails, they were part of connecting Wānaka, Queenstown through Dunedin, so they're all back on track and underway, which is fantastic. So there's been a massive swing, you know."The much-anticipated Kawarau Gorge ride would be steeper and more exciting than other Great Rides thereabouts, he said. E-bikers would love it, he predicted.The bill would be steeper, too: They had had to go back to where they got to in 2018 and "do a bunch of stuff again" which probably added several million dollars in costs.There was an up-side to this - Kawarau had become a bit of a test case for new thresholds around wildlife permits, lizard studies and relocations, and the like, Howard said.Yet the inflexible grip of the Conservation General Policy still held in five of the 16 regions.1"We can't consider new proposals for bike tracks for Waikato, Canterbury (Waitaha), Stewart Island/Rakiura, Otago and Southland," the July DOC report said."We appreciate this is frustrating," DOC told RNZ, "but it underpins the importance of progressing modernising and updating the legislation."Those changes would not deal just with CMSs - likely dumping them - but also with constraints other trail builders still face when they veer into national parks.The Mountains to Sea trail had the funding to build Te Hangāruru and Te Ara Mangawhero sections of Ngā Ara Tūhono Great Ride, but needed to go through 200m of Tongariro National Park."That held us up for a number of years," central North Island trails promoter Lynley Twyman said."It meant that the value of the funding we secured diminished in its value. So that's been really, really tough... in a region where cycling and walking are the resilience for our tourism industry."Pete Masters, acting chair of Ngā Haerenga NZ Cycle Trails. Photo: Supplied'Totally broken'Prime Minister Christopher Luxon seized on barriers to biking when in August he called the concessions regime on public conservation land "totally broken"."Outdated rules mean we've got examples of modern e-bike users being turned away from potential touring opportunities because they have to be considered as proper vehicles," Luxon and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said in a statement..One high-profile example is a ban on e-bikes on the Timber Trail near Taumarunui, though that is widely ignored and not impinging on business, operators said.The ministers' statement collided with DOC saying processing times had sped up by three times.And the press statement's title, 'Unleashing growth on conservation land', appears to invite a fight over the government's plans to reform the Conservation Act next year.DOC said this was about striking a balance."These improvements are aimed at making the system more enabling and easier to navigate, while ensuring any development does not compromise conservation values."Guided biking and e-biking might be allowed as part of low-impact activities exempt from needing a concession or pre-approved with a simple online application process, it said.The likes of the Timber Trail's e-bike ban looked likely to fall under the definition of "unnecessary and outdated restrictions" set for removal, plus the way trail plans could be amended would be streamlined under the reforms.A bill is due from ministers in the first quarter of next year. A new National Conservation Policy Statement might end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting.'Correct tracks in the correct places'Cycle trail builders and operators would not want any part in a fight over the reforms.The way they tell it, the argument over the economic benefits of trails to the regions has been well won, DOC is far more on board than it was, and the ongoing disquiet over environmental impacts is turning in favour of them being no greater than from tramping and needing to be assessed the same way."Really, the debate of a [new] trail or an existing trail being used by bikers and walkers should be on social interaction," Masters, who is also acting chair of New Zealand Cycle Trail Ngā Haerenga, said.Federated Mountain Clubs was watching the changes being made."Hopefully the new [flexible] rule interpretation allows the environment to continue to be cared for and make sure that the tracks are the correct tracks in the correct places," president Megan Dimozantos said.The Clubs group had not been consulted on by DOC about new trails being put in, but perhaps they had not needed to be."They don't consult us on every single concession. I would hope that if the particular track that was being built was going to affect other user groups, that they would come and ask us for our opinion. And I'd generally trust them to do that.""We are super supportive of people to get out and enjoy the ngahere, but our view has always been the right trail in the right place."'We're in a lot better space'The incredibly messy rules around trail building based in regulations and legislation not changed in decades have not done anyone any favours, yet even so the Great Rides alone had grown into a $1.3 billion industry that mostly benefitted the provinces.The system has reached a new, still messy halfway house where some regions remain largely locked up, while in others new trails are being assessed on a "case-by-case basis by district teams with strong local knowledge" about local needs, conservation considerations, and whether community or third-party partners bring forward proposals, according to DOC.It is not any sort of stable equilibrium though, and next year promises more, bigger changes."We're very pleased with what we've managed to achieve in the last few months, but we've still got some gaps and we need a sustainable, resilient solution," Twyman said."We're in a lot better space, they're [DOC] in a good space, and we want to work together to have good outcomes for all the cycling and walking community, because there's as many walkers on the cycle trails as there are cyclists," Masters said.Howard was just "super-stoked" to be route-blazing again."Someone was saying passion is the degree of suffering you're willing to endure towards a cause.So, if the amount of suffering and persistence required to pull a trail off, then I'm certainly passionate."Published by Permission

A 44-year-old man has been charged with the theft of veteran war plaques from St John Cemetery.Between 28 October and 22 November, nine plaques were taken, four of which were taken from the graves of Returned Service personnel who served in the World War I and II.Invercargill Police's Senior Constable Craig Colyer said all nine plaques have since been recovered, but, sadly, some were damaged beyond repair.“While we are pleased the plaques have been located, it is disappointing that not all could be restored to their original condition,” he said.“Theft at any time is appalling, but targeting a cemetery is a particularly low act."“We hope this arrest brings some comfort to the affected families, and we want to thank the public for their assistance with the investigation.”Police said the accused was scheduled to appear in the Invercargill District Court on 13 January.

Entertainment and Info with the Southland App – Where Southlanders Stay Connected!Looking for what’s happening around our region - or wanting to share something of your own? The Southland App is your one-stop destination for everything local, from major events to everyday community news.🎉 Events:Stay up to date with Southland’s biggest occasions - concerts, exhibitions, festivals, and more. Don’t miss out on the moments that bring our region together. Have an event to promote? Feature it here and reach thousands of locals.A taste of upcoming Events:NextGen Championship - Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park InternationalSouthern Field Days - WaimumuBest of the Bee Gees "Greatest" ShowThe Shepherdess Muster📢 Public Notices: Find what’s happening closer to home - fundraisers, club meetings, school fairs, and community updates. It’s the perfect place to advertise your smaller events or share important local information.📲 Be Seen. Be Heard. Get Involved. Explore Events and Public Notices on the Southland App today - or advertise with us to make sure your message reaches every corner of Southland!💌 Want to advertise? We’d love to help spread the word for you. Email us at [email protected] to find out more.

A project focused on maintaining a reliable and healthy water supply for Invercargill has been named a finalist in national awards recognising outstanding public works projects across New Zealand.The Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade was one of Invercargill City Council’s major infrastructure investments in the last decade. The project saw almost 11km of aged pipeline between the Ōreti River and the water tower in Gala St replaced with a modern, resilient new pipeline – which is now fully operational. The project has been selected as a finalist in the Excellence in Water Projects category – part of the the IPWEA Aotearoa New Zealand Public Works Excellence Awards. The annual awards, run by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia, recognise innovation, sustainability, and asset management. Invercargill City Council Chief Executive Michael Day said the accolade was well-deserved recognition for the Branxholme project. “Water is a critical lifeline and essential to everything we do – our health, our homes, our economy, and our environment. The Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade was about making sure future generations of Invercargill and Bluff residents can rely on high-quality drinking water every day,” he said. The new pipeline has an expected lifespan of more than 100 years, ensuring long-term reliability for the city’s water network. Day said the project involved complex construction across urban areas, waterways, reserves and major transport routes, while maintaining water supply and minimising disruption to residents and businesses. “Delivering a project of this scale while keeping the city moving takes careful planning, strong partnerships, and clear communication with the community,” Day said. “Being recognised for the mahi undertaken is not only testament to the strength of the project itself, but to the collaborative effort that was poured into it along the way.” Council appreciated the patience and support the project received from the community, Day said.

Chief executive Willie Wiese is set to step down, Alliance Group announced today. Tom Moran, chairman of Alliance Group, said Mr Wiese has decided to leave the company after eight years, including almost three years as chief executive, to attend to some pressing family matters and focus on new opportunities. Willie Wiese 2025. Photo: Supplied“Willie’s decision to step down follows an intensive two-year re-set of the entire business, a pleasing return to profitability and the completion of a successful capital raise with Dawn Meats. “I would like to thank Willie for his leadership and commitment in leading the significant turnaround of the company alongside the Alliance team and the support of the farmer-shareholders. I wish him every success in his future endeavours.” Mr Wiese said he has delivered all his goals for the company and now was the right time to leave the company. “After much reflection over the holiday period, and in discussion with the Board, I have decided it is the right time for new leadership to lead the next phase of growth. “I’m proud of the hard work and support of the Alliance team and our farmer shareholders that has brought the company to this point, with the business now well positioned for the future. “I am delighted to have Dawn as a partner in the Alliance joint venture and have full confidence that this will be a successful partnership for Dawn and farmer-shareholders.” Niall Browne, group chief executive at Dawn Meats, has been appointed the acting chief executive at Alliance Group. “Willie has worked extremely hard over the last two and a half years to help find a suitable partner for Alliance and played an integral role in the successful capital raise,” said Mr Browne. Primal Cutter Technology. Photo: Supplied“Willie and the Alliance team have brought the business back to profitability and we thank him for his contribution. We wish him well for the future.” An integration process with Dawn Meats is underway with senior representatives from Ireland and the UK visiting New Zealand to share information, make plans for the future and secure further synergies with Alliance, he said. Mr Browne thanked farmers for their continued support of the company. “With the first quarter results under our belt, we are tracking ahead of budget, with supply from both current and returning shareholders and new suppliers. “As part of the completed transaction with Dawn Meats, Alliance farmer-shareholders will receive a $20 million payment scheduled for the end of the 25/26 season and a further $20 million scheduled at the end of the 26/27 season, subject to livestock flows.”

The rescue of two men stranded on a boat in Fiordland has prompted warnings to other boaties about the need to be prepared.The pair were on a fishing and diving trip south of Milford Sound when their 6.4 metre recreational boat broke down on Saturday night.Emergency SOS messages from their phones were picked up by the iPhone Emergency Comms Centre in the Netherlands, which then alerted New Zealand Police.Marine VHF radio broadcasts were then put out by Maritime NZ every hour, requesting assistance from any potential vessels in the area.These broadcasts went unanswered until Sunday morning, when a boatie heard the call for help.At the time, police and family members were arranging a float plane to fly replacement batteries to the stranded men.But the fisherman and his three passengers went to the pair's rescue and were able to tow the stricken vessel about 50 kilometres back to Milford Sound.Invercargill Police search and rescue coordinator Sergeant Dougall Henderson said the men were equipped with lifejackets, two forms of communication and had not drunk any alcohol."Although the boys were well prepared... the incident highlights how difficult assistance can be if you have a mechanical failure or emergency situation," he said."It is a timely reminder of the golden rules of boating particularly in isolated areas like Fiordland."Police outlined outlined several key guidelines for boaties.They included: always wearing lifejackets; ensuring two forms of communication on board, including a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB); checking the weather forecast, avoiding alcohol; ensuring others know where you are headed; and ensuring you had an auxiliary motor.Published by Permission

Environment Southland’s monitoring observations have found toxic algae in the Waihōpai River upstream of Queen’s Drive. Algae naturally occur in waterways and can flourish during fine conditions and stable river flows. Most algae are harmless. However, some species can produce toxins and rapidly bloom to high levels. What you need to know:Toxic algae are commonly identified in waterways as dark green/brown slime on rocks or dark brown/black mats at the water’s edge.Water users should be vigilant and avoid contact with the algae.Environment Southland can’t monitor everywhere. Similar algae growth may be occurring in other waterways in the area and other rivers in the region.Toxic algae can pose significant health risks to people and animals if swallowed or through contact with the skin.Keep dogs on the lead and children away from affected areas.See a doctor immediately if you experience health symptoms after contact with contaminated water.Take your animals to a vet immediately if they have consumed toxic algae or contaminated water.We encourage river users to take the time to know what to look for and to keep informed via our website, www.es.govt.nz/toxic-algae Check the latest toxic algae alerts at: www.lawa.org.nz

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardComments:Minor delays with roadworks expected this week.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Cloudy with showers in the west Tomorrow: Showers turning to rain Thursday: Showers turning to rain Friday: Rain easing to showers Saturday: Rain developing

Sergeant Dougall Henderson - Invercargill Police Search and Rescue Coordinator - states that the rescue of two boaties in a remote area of Fiordland over the weekend has highlighted the importance of being prepared when heading out on the water.The two men were on a fishing and diving trip just south of Milford Sound when the batteries in their 6.4 metre recreational boat failed on Saturday night and left them stranded.The pair were able to use their iPhone satellite emergency text system to message for help. Their messages were received by the iPhone Emergency Comms Centre in the Netherlands who relayed their plight to NZ Police.Marine VHF radio broadcasts were put out by Maritime NZ on an hourly basis for any vessels in the area able to assist with no response.The following morning, Police and family members were arranging a float plane to fly replacement batteries to the men, when a recreational boatie heard the call for help on his VHF radio.He and his three passengers, who were on a day’s fishing trip went to the pair’s rescue and were able to take the stricken vessel under tow back to Milford Sound, which was approximately 50 kilometres away.Although the men were well prepared with lifejackets, two forms of communication and had not consumed alcohol, the incident highlights how difficult assistance can be if you have a mechanical failure or emergency situation.It is a timely reminder of the golden rules of boating particularly in isolated areas like Fiordland.1. Always wear lifejackets2. Ensure you have two forms of communication including a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)3. Check the weather forecast4. Alcohol and boating don’t mix5. Ensure you tell someone where you are heading.6. Ensure you have an auxiliary motorFinally, Police would like to thank the skipper and his crew who gave up their fishing day to help a fellow boatie in need.

Thousands of patients caught up in the ManageMyHealth ransomware attack could be at risk of identity theft or extortion, cyber security experts are warning.The hackers, calling themselves "Kazu", posted on Sunday morning that unless the company paid a ransom within 48 hours, they would leak more than 400,000 files in their possession.In a post on Telegram, the group purporting to be behind the breach said it had brought forward the deadline from 15 January in part because ManageMyHealth had responded faster than expected, but mainly to "put pressure on the company"."Their ignorance of our emails and messages, along with their failure to acknowledge users or explain exactly what happened, is the main issue. Many MMH users have been asking the company for an explanation, but they've either ignored them or responded with vague statements."Kazu said it had opted for a low-ball ransom demand of $60,000 "to protect the data and quickly close the deal"."But it seems the company doesn't care about their users' data."The hackers indicated they were prepared to leak the "valuable" data just to make a point."We know exactly how valuable health data is and how sensitive it can be."Even if the company doesn't pay the ransom, we can still find buyers for this data."To prove our claims and increase the chances of successful deals in the future, we decided to leak the data for free if they don't pay the ransom."Kazu said they were "not a hacktivist group with political motives"."We're doing this as a business. Our main goal is money and building a good reputation in the community."The hackers claimed to have successfully extracted ransom money from many healthcare companies in Asia and Africa over the last two months."Once the company pays, we send them a copy of the data, delete it from our servers and never post anything related to the company again."Patients at riskSamples for potential "buyers" included clinical notes, lab results, vaccination records, medical photographs and personal identification details, including names, birth dates, addresses, emails and phone numbers.IT consultant and Hornby community board member Cody Cooper was signed up to ManageMyHealth through his GP."My clinic has got 20,000 patients so there's a real push for online. It's seen as convenient, but patients don't have a lot of choice."He went online to verify the veracity of the claims and was horrified by what he found."There's people's passports, there's people's ADHD documents from a psychiatrist, there's pictures of people unclothed. It's very personal data. And my concern as a patient would be, will someone blackmail people? Or try to extort them personally as well, if they don't pay up?"From what had been made visible so far, it did not appear the data had been encrypted, Cooper said."You can infer this fairly safely because resetting passwords doesn't cause users to 'lose' their stored documents. If the data had been encrypted properly with keys tied to credentials, access would break when credentials change."He also questioned why ManageMyHealth took so long to respond."The hack was published around 10pm on 29 December, the MMH website notice appeared on the afternoon of 31 December, but the site wasn't taken offline until that evening."Furthermore, the company was taking too long to inform affected clinics and patients, he said."It should have been able to determine the extent of the breach relatively quickly. The fact that, days later there is no clear confirmation about what was accessed or copied is worrying."However, there was no guarantee that giving in to the hackers' demands would solve the problem for MMH, he said."They may still release the data anyway, they may still contact people, we have no way of knowing if they will honour it."Furthermore, if that person is from a country with sanctions, there are laws and treaties that forbid that payment from being made legally as well."Patients were just collateral damage, he said."I will personally probably look to close my account. I can't really have confidence in the system after this. Hopefully my clinic will find a solution that's better."'Big wakeup call' - Health MinisterThe Health Minister said the cyber breach of the country's largest patient information portal was a "big wakeup call".Simeon Brown told Morning Report he was incredibly concerned."It's a deeply serious situation," he said."I've been briefed a number of times by health officials who are working very closely with ManageMyHealth in regard to the notification process."He said ManageMyHealth was also working with the Privacy Commissioner and the National Cyber Security Centre, who were providing them with advice around the notification process.Brown said his expectation was that they do it as quickly as possible, but they also had to do it accurately as well, and in compliance with the Privacy Act."There's a number of processes they have to go through. My expectation is that they do that as quickly as possible so that patients who have had data breached are aware of that and of what data has been breached," he said.Brown said the advice he's received was that the cyber hackers had only released a very small portion of data as part of their attempt in order to receive a ransom payment.There was a forensic process underway at the moment to go through and identify who's been impacted and then the process of notification, which is what Manage My Health was doing, he said.Brown said the group were using hacked information in order to receive a financial reward, but they did not know where they were operating from."The reality is that here is a big wakeup call in terms of the protection of private health data and their need for that to be held in the most secure form possible so that patients can have confidence in how it is being used," he said.Hackers building their 'brand'Data journalist Keith Ng said the hackers appeared to be using ManageMyHealth to leverage a bigger payout from one of their other targets: Saudi Icon Ransom."They're implying they've got their hands full and don't want to be distracted by small fry here, that's their explanation for wanting this over quickly - and if they don't get their ransom they will release data for free."For Kazu, it was an exercise in brand management."They want to establish themselves as a 'trustworthy' ransomware group. By that they mean 'If you pay us, we'll delete the data and you'll never hear from us again. If you don't pay us, bad things will happen to you'."So they want to build up their business and use the New Zealand dataset to make an example out of, so people will take them more seriously in the future."Unfortunately, the ManageMyHealth breach was unlikely to be the result of a sophisticated hacking operation, Ng said."This is probably a couple of days work for a couple of people. It's not like an elite hacking crew, it's about volume and they want to make sure they've got targets on the hook all the time."They poke around and try to find common vulnerabilities, flaws, they're really looking for low hanging fruit - and if they don't find it, they move on quickly to the next target."Over and above the technical question of which part of ManageMyHealth's system was not secure, the more important question was what processes it had in place, whether it was having regular independent security audits and taking action to fix the problems identified, he said."A business that sets itself up as a health information management system has a lot of incentive to do things right because when they fail, really catastrophic things like this happen, and it is an existential risk for them."So we should expect better from these businesses and the fact they let this one slip past them, they should be held accountable."In its public statements, ManageMyHealth appeared to be trying to minimise the scale of the problem, Ng said."They're saying only 7 percent of users were affected, but 7 percent of 1.8 million is quite a big number. The other thing they've said is 'only one component' of the site is affected, not the core database. But it's the kind of things in there - medical photos, test results - which make it so sensitive and damaging for people who are affected."It's probably the worst data breach that I recall seeing in New Zealand so far."Aura Information Security's Patrick Sharp said medical records were hugely valuable to criminals.The Medibank ransomware attack in Australia in 2022 resulted in many thousands - "maybe even hundreds of thousands" of real financial crimes, he said."It's quite likely that the 126,000 or so people affected - depending on the kind of information involved - may suffer at the hands of criminal gangs, lots of scams, blackmail, those kind of things."ManageMyHealth has been approached for comment.Published by permission

On New Years Day 2026 the axe finally fell on Western Southland's iconic Tūātapere Sports Day.The Southland App, Central and Western Archive and Advento Photography looks back on the iconic summer event that has entertained Southland families for well over one hundred years.Passengers alight their train to attend the very first Tuatapere Sports in 1910. Photo: Central & Western ArchiveEarly last century a group of hardy Western Southland bushmen gathered with a bold idea - to form the Tūātapere Axemen's Sports Society.Their vision was simple yet spirited—an event to celebrate strength, skill, and the rugged life of the timber country.The inaugural meeting took place on Easter Monday, 1910, in Bill West’s paddock, and it was no small affair.Families attending the 1913 Tuatapere Sports in Bill West's paddock. Photo: Central & Western ArchiveRecords tell of more than 800 eager souls boarding trains from Waihōpai Invercargill, bound for Tūātapere to witness the spectacle.The day’s programme was dominated by chopping and sawing contests—fitting for men who made their living among the trees.There was little room for track events, but that didn’t stop the bushmen who in true frontier fashion ran races “around stumps and other obstructions,” in a course as wild as the land itself.Later that year (27 Dec 2010) a second gathering drew even bigger crowds.Families picnicked under the summer sun while competitors tested their mettle.The Waiau punt worked tirelessly, ferrying visitors across the river.Tuatapere Sports Day early last century. Photo: Central & Western ArchiveBy 1911, Boxing Day became the traditional date, though the running track remained rough.In 1912, interest in footraces had surged, and by 1913 the entertainment got a boost with the appearance of the Invercargill Pipe Band.That same year, famed axeman Jack Pont claimed victory, cementing his place in local lore.Axemen compete at the final Tuatapere Sports in 2026. Photo: Advento PhotographyWest’s paddock remained the event's venue for nearly a decade before moving to the current Domain grounds in 1921.However this was not without effort, with logs and stumps “roughly cleared” to make way for the competitions.Crowds arrived in spring carts, milk carts, gigs, and buggies, with only a handful of motorcars in sight.Children compete in running races at the 2026 Tuatapere Sports Day. Photo: Advento PhotographyMost visitors still came by train, their excitement undimmed.As the years rolled on, the event continued to grow as did parking.In the 1930s a bridge was built, courtesy of local sawmillers, over the Alton backwash so that cars could park on the island, however nature had the last word - with a flood swept later the same year sweeping the bridge away and ending parking on the island for good.Announcer and long-time president of the Tūātapere Axemen's Athletic Society Peter Templeton (right), 78, commentates at the town's final sports day. Photo: Advento PhotographyFor over a century the Tūātapere sports day has been a New Year’s tradition, drawing crowds and competitors from far and wide.Families enjoy the sun, food and action at the final Tūātapere Sports Day. Photo: Advento PhotographyWhile changing habits, dwindling volunteers and competition from other events have all contributed to the demise of the Tūātapere Sports, its legacy, will remain etched in Southland’s history - a testament to community spirit, hard work, and the enduring charm of a day in the bush.An aerial view of Tūātapere's final Sports Day. Photo: Advento Photography

Police are pleased that, for a second year in a row, the number of holiday road deaths has decreased.The provisional number of road deaths for the 2025/2026 Christmas holiday period stands at seven, well below the 15 deaths recorded for the same period last year, and a far cry from the 22 lives lost during the 2023/2024 holiday period.Director of Road Policing, Superintendent Steve Greally calls the decrease in road deaths encouraging, but says Police aren’t celebrating.“That’s still seven deaths too many.Seven families have lost loved ones, for no good reason, and instead of being able to celebrate during this holiday season, their lives have been changed forever.“There are many contributing factors to lowering road trauma.Under Operation Open Roads, there has been an immense lift in Police enforcement over the last three years, to address those areas of the network that have higher speeds and those others that have high risk.This is likely to have played a part in the success over these years.“We’re not going to celebrate until we have zero deaths on our roads, but this is trending in the right direction.“For the month of December alone there were 17 road fatalities – that’s the lowest it’s been for that month in the last 45 years.The 10-year average for December road fatalities is 35, so to see that number halve in December 2025 is definitely encouraging.“Even so, we want everyone to keep in mind that one death is one too many.Our job continues and we won’t be letting up our focus on road safety, not for a second.”Police will continue to target unsafe driving behaviour through road policing operations and patrols, especially in those higher risk crash areas, Superintendent Greally says.“We’re all responsible for road safety, and while our officers are doing all that they can on the roads to reduce the number of serious crashes, we need drivers to do their part.“Make sure you are always driving free from alcohol, drugs, and fatigue.Everyone in your vehicle needs to be safely buckled up, drive at a safe speed for the conditions – under the speed limit, and put your cellphone away at all times.“Please keep yourself, and everyone else on the roads safe – have empathy for other road users and stay patient.”

A helicopter swoops over the mountains above the Milford Road and drops explosives. Snow and ice cascade down, and when everything has settled, the area is much safer for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who will use the road below.Each year, close to one million visitors travel the remote and rugged State Highway 94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound to reach the popular tourist destination in Fiordland National Park.But behind the postcard-perfect scenery of glaciers, steep cliffs and waterfalls lies a high-stakes operation to keep the road open and safe no matter the weather, including using explosives to trigger avalanches before nature does.A Milford Road Alliance loader sweeps snow from the Milford Road. Photo: SuppliedThe Milford Road Alliance, a partnership between the NZ Transport Agency and Downer, is tasked with managing the 120 kilometre stretch of highway that winds through the national park.A dedicated team of 27 people work all year round to ensure travellers get to and from Milford Sound safely.Alliance manager Kevin Thompson said the fairly short length of road presented a lot of challenges."We have the avalanche programme, we have rockfall issues, we have the Homer Tunnel, we have the alpine fault, we're operating inside Fiordland National Park, and we have a very large number of tourists who visit Milford Sound both New Zealand and international visitors," he said."All of those things wrap together to be quite a challenging environment."Among the team's most specialised tasks is managing the risk of avalanches. Each winter, snow builds on the steep slopes above the road, creating hazards that could bury the highway without warning."Fiordland is an interesting place and it's why visitors from overseas come here, it's dynamic, it's a big landscape. The avalanches we get here are some of the biggest in the world if they get up to their maximum and it's because of the big valleys we have," Thompson said."We can have avalanches that start way up high, they come to the edge of the cliff and then go into freefall and land on the road. Not a lot of time or chance for people to get out of the way or survive those big ones, so that's why we have to use a number of methods to try and prevent them starting for the first case, or keep people away if we can't deal with them ourselves."Just another day at the office as crew members carry out avalanche protection work high above the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied.The avalanche control programme was established in 1983 to predict and manage risk from snow, ice and avalanches more effectively."Every winter is different, this winter we didn't get avalanche hazard on the road until, really, the end of August," Thompson said.When the snow builds to dangerous levels, sometimes the team uses explosives to trigger avalanches."Explosives are something we don't use all the time but when we do we will direct those where needed. So explosives we will drop into the avalanche zones that are the highest risk and we'll bring down avalanches as much as we need to.The aim there is to try and bring them down before nature brings them down so we can control that process," Thompson said.Milford Road Alliance operation lead Brad Carpenter said the conditions had to be right to use explosives.Metres of snow can accumulate at the Milford Alliance's base on the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied"We have to have flyable weather to get the helicopter to do that. When the conditions warrant, it takes a lot of background experience even prior to getting to working at the Milford Road, so when we're hiring people we look for pretty extensive experience using explosives in more ski area settings," he said.Spring adds another challenge, as rising temperatures destabilise the snow just as tourists return in large numbers. September through to November was usually the riskiest period for avalanches, Thompson said.The team shifted focus when it turned to summer.Summer was a time to maintain equipment, maintain the road and infrastructure and carry out tree work to keep the road clear of trees and debris. The team also calibrated their network of weather stations, which fed into avalanche forecasting alongside MetService data."What we really want people to be left with is a trip to Milford Sound where they have no delays, everybody is in and out safely and we don't interrupt or affect their visit. That, for us, is what we aim for where we don't impact their trip, they have a safe visit and they don't even know we do our job," Thompson said.He said a warming climate was adding new challenges.Avalanche zones were being exposed to more rain and warmer temperatures, making the snow more unstable. The risk of rockfalls and trees falling was also increasing, Thompson said."We are expecting far greater numbers into the future into Milford Sound over the coming years so tourism is predicted to increase. That's going to bring some interesting challenges for us as a team to manage and be part of. We are looking forward to that, that's going to be an exciting challenge. That said, we are going to be dealing with nature and that's changing too."Published by Permission

A 42-year-old man appeared in the Invercargill District Court today (2 January) after a reported firearms offence in the Tapanui-Raes Junction area yesterday.A Police media spokesman says a person was taken into Police custody at an address on Tapanui-Raes Junction Highway yesterday. No injuries were reported.The man faces three charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, three charges of failing to comply with conditions, burglary, believed to have occurred at an address near Roxburgh, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.With the matter now before the courts no further information could be provided, the spokesman says.Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.

Two separate patients were rescued by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter from ships off the Southland coast in the last few days – one an injured crew member off a ship in the Freshwater Basin area of Fiordland early this morning. (2 Jan).A spokesperson for Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre says they received notification overnight of an injured crew member on board the vessel on its way to New Zealand.“RCCNZ enabled a medical evacuation by facilitating coordination between the vessel, HeliOtago, Hato Hone St John, the ship’s agent, Milford Sound harbourmaster and pilot,” she says.The patient was transferred to Dunedin Hospital early this morning for further medical care.HeliOtago managing director Graeme Gale says they were also called just after 3am on New Year’s Eve morning to retrieve a medical patient off a cruise ship off the Southland coast.The patient was flown to a medical facility for care, he says.Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.

New Year’s Eve celebrations were disrupted for one person in the remote Lake Monowai area in Fiordland National Park last night (31 Dec) after they had a fall and had to be airlifted out.A St John Ambulance spokesperson says they were notified of the accident at 8pm and the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter responded just after 8.30pm. “One patient was treated and airlifted to Southland Hospital in a moderate condition,” she says.The Lake Monowai area, about 40 minutes’ drive from Otautau, is a popular summer boating and holiday spot around 12kms from Borland Lodge.

A cyber security breach at ManageMyHealth has been "contained", according to the company - but GPs and patients are still waiting to hear if their health records have been compromised.The government is also seeking assurances, with duty minister Karen Chhour saying the breach was "incredibly concerning" for patients."The minister of health has asked for urgent assurances from Health NZ and Manage My Health that everything is being done to protect patient data and patient privacy. We also expect Manage My Health to communicate transparently to ensure public confidence in their product."The country's largest patient information portal on Wednesday confirmed it had identified a cyber security incident involving "unauthorised access" to its platform.Chief executive Vino Ramayah said the incident had been contained and was currently under investigation."We are working closely with the relevant authorities and independent cybersecurity specialists, and we will provide updates through formal statements as further information is confirmed," he said."I want to assure our users, customers, and stakeholders that we take the protection of your health information extremely seriously."We recognise the concern that this situation raises, and I want to reassure you that it is being treated with the utmost seriousness."The immediate priority was ensuring the integrity and security of ManageMyHealth's systems, he continued."As you will appreciate, it is important that any information we provide is accurate and verified. We thank you for your patience and will continue to share updates with you as information becomes available."The government is also seeking assurances, with duty minister Karen Chhour saying the breach was "incredibly concerning" for patients."The minister of health has asked for urgent assurances from Health NZ and Manage My Health that everything is being done to protect patient data and patient privacy. We also expect Manage My Health to communicate transparently to ensure public confidence in their product."Outdated encryptionCyber security expert Daniel Ayers said ManageMyHealth was using an outdated encryption protocol, and it was a large data breach even by worldwide standards and catastrophic on the New Zealand scale."ManageMyHealth say that over their entire period, they've supported 1.8 million Kiwis. The data breach claim says 428,000 files. So it's hard to know. But at 108 gigabytes, that's a pretty large data breach, and it looks like it's going to be much larger than the Waikato DHB data breach, which affected just over 4000 people."Ayers said the claim of a ransomware attack should be taken seriously.A cyber crime group, Kazu, said it had compromised approximately 108 gigabytes of information, totalling over 400,000 files. It has set a ransom demand of $60,000 by 15 January."Well, we don't have much information about the hacking group, but the way that this has come to pass and been published is consistent with the way these things normally go, so we have to take the threat of the ransom seriously."Similar thing happened with the Waikato DHB several years ago, and that was a really major incident. So, you know, there is ground for people to be concerned here."GPs critical of lack of informationHowever, the dearth of communication has left family doctors worried.The president of the College of GPs, Dr Luke Bradford, said he only learned about the potential breach through the media."It's terribly disappointing. They're an absolutely key tool that we use for patients. It allows patients to access their records and better manage their health, literally."But if their data's not safe, then their very personal information is not safe, and that's really concerning."It was "terrible timing", with most practices now closed for four days, he said."We're going into this period without any formal communication about what's involved in the breach and what can be done about it."General Practice NZ chair Dr Bryan Betty agreed the situation was extremely worrying."Health data in terms of patients is incredibly important, and any breach like this has to be taken extremely seriously and has to be actioned as a matter of urgency," he said."There should be obviously free and open transparency about the situation and what's actually happened, both for patients and practices that use the ManageMyHealth portal."So I would expect that to be part of their management of the present situation."Published by permission

Seven Southlanders have received New Years Honours for their services covering sport, community, Maori, conservation and agricultural science.Mr Malcom McKeeMalcom McKee of Waikaia becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to sport.McKee has volunteered as a sporting and community administrator both at community and national levels for more than 30 years.As well as being a Board member and Treasurer, he has served as the Chairman or President for 17 groups including the Waikaia Domain Board for more than 22 years, Show Jumping New Zealand for six years, and Southland Country Rugby Club for seven years.MeKee has volunteered his time as an Equestrian Sports New Zealand Show Jumping Judge for 29 years.In 2011 he gained international accreditation and has officiated at 21 FEI World Cup Competitions, the highest level of competition and part of the World Championship and Olympic Games qualifying system.He was a member of the Waikaia Volunteer Brigade for 26 years, serving as the Deputy Chief Fire Officer from 2005 to 2006.His involvement in the rugby community has seen him act as the Northern Southland Junior and Senior rugby delegate for more than 30 years, coach junior rugby for 11 years, and he sat on the Rugby Southland Board Selection Panel for more than 14 years.Mrs Gail ThompsonGail Thompson of Bluff becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Māori and conservation.Thompson (Ngāi Tahu) has been a leader, advocate, and mentor for Ngāi Tahu whānui and in conservation.She has been Manager of Awarua Runaka since the early 2000s, providing leadership in fisheries management, particularly the customary fisheries area and restoration of mahinga kai and mātaitai takiwa around the Southland coastline.Thompson was Te Runanga o Awarua representative to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu from 2017 to 2023.She was also a founding member of Guardians of Fiordland Fisheries in 1997 and has led work that enabled establishment of several marine protected areas.Thompson has been influential across a wide range of governance and advisory group roles, including more than 20 years on the Southland Conservation Board and long-standing membership on Kaitiaki Rōpū, providing mana whenua views to the Department of Conservation (DOC). She has contributed leadership to conservation projects including Predator Free Rakiura and the South-East Marine Protection Forum.She advocates for Ngāi Tahu access to taonga species and materials, particularly feathers and bone, for continued customary cultural use such as weaving korowai.She has led Korowai Wānanga at Te Rau Aroha Marae since 2010.In 2018, Thompson was a founding member and co-chair from 2021 of what is now Whakamana Te Waituna, and was instrumental to restoration of the Waituna Lagoon and surrounding wetland areas.Dr Robyn DynesDr Robyn Dynes, formally of Southland but now resident in Christchurch, becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to agricultural science.Dynes is a farming systems scientist who has shaped more sustainable agricultural practices in New Zealand.Dynes has a family background farming in Southland, and following her graduation from Lincoln University, she worked for 14 years at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Animal Production in Western Australia.In 2004 she started working at AgResearch in Lincoln where she has held various roles, becoming the Principal Scientist and Farmer Engagement Specialist in 2024.She is a member on several boards and advisory groups, including with the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) and Southern Dairy Hub from 2017, Beef and Lamb New Zealand since 2015, and Lincoln University Dairy Farm.She is an AgResearch representative on Southern Dairy Hub Research Advisory Group.She actively supports further education through mentorship, leadership programmes, and hosting students.She was instrumental in the facilitation of the Everything to Gain event in 2022, an AgResearch partnership with Thriving Southland, and the Whitiwhiti Ora Land Use Sustainability Programme.She won the 2022 Sir Arthur Ward Trophy and in 2023 became a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science.In 2025, Dr Dynes won the Bledisloe Medal, Lincoln University’s highest accolade, only the fourth woman to receive it in 95 years.Mrs Liz HenryLiz Henry of Invercargill has received the King's Service Medal (KSM) for services to the community and sport.Henry is the founder and current Event Director of the Invercargill parkrun event, where hundreds of people meet weekly to run or walk a scenic park course, as well as a national parkrun Ambassador - providing mentorship and sponsored defibrillators for newly established events in other New Zealand towns.Henry sponsors the annual Murihiku Women’s duathlon as well as kit for the local men’s football club.An Age Concern Southland Board member since 2008, and its Chair since 2019, Henry has since 2023 been on the Board of Age Concern New Zealand where she heads the Risk Committee and is currently Vice President.Other roles have included the Surrey Park Early Learning Centre Incorporated Governance Committee and supporting the Green Light Innovations projects.Henry also supports local soup kitchens and families in need by donating vegetables grown on her law firm’s premises.A past ILT Southland Sports Awards and BDO Administrator of the Year recipient, Henry said she was truly grateful and a bit blown away by the honour."Invercargill is special because people turn up, pitch in, and lift each other up.""When we awhi one another, we strengthen wellbeing and social connection.""I love getting my bucket filled every Saturday at parkrun.""Being part of a community built on a free 5k run or walk, inclusive, and built on connection.""It’s a tangible representation of community in action, where friendships grow and everyone belongs.""This recognition belongs to everyone who cheers, volunteers, and offers a hand when it’s needed."Mrs Ruth ShawRuth Shaw of Manapouri has received the King's Service Medal (KSM) for services to conservation.Shaw has been an active environmental advocate for more than 60 years.In the 1980s and 1990s, Shaw assisted with rat eradication on Hawea and Breaksea Islands, serving in varied roles, including occasional boat skipper.Ruth Shaw outside her 'Wee Book Show' in Manapouri. Photo: Alina Suchanski/Southland AppIn 1984 she protested the removal of mature, native trees in Manapouri.She was actively involved in the Save Fiordland campaign that defeated a proposal to construct a monorail access through Fiordland National Park. In 1989, she joined Earth Trust’s fight to ban drift netting in Southern oceans.She was awarded the National Eco Tourism Award twice for her business Fiordland Ecology Holidays.Together with her husband they established the Breaksea Conservation Fund to finance environmental projects, including the removal of all predators from Pomona and Rona Islands in Lake Manapouri, allowing the Haast tokoeka kiwi to be introduced.She co-created and co-chaired the Fiordland Sewage Options group to oppose the Southland District Council’s plan to discharge semi-treated sewage onto land beside the Te Anau-Manapouri Airport, and helped to shape the Te Anau-Manapouri Water Scheme.She owns the Three Wee Bookshops in Manapouri and donates part of her income to the Forest and Bird Society and the Low Vision/Blind Society.Shaw’s 2022 memoir, ‘The Bookseller at the End of the World’ has become an international bestseller.Mr Russel Trow and Ms Tee TrowRussel and Tee Trow, both of Bluff, each received the King's Service Medal (KSM) for services to wildlife conservation.Russel Trow (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha, Hapu Rakiura) and his wife Tee have both contributed to the restoration and protection of native biodiversity on Kundy Island, and other islands that are part of the Tītī Island group around Rakiura, since the 1980s.The Trows spearheaded the removal of the invasive weka, who threatened local taonga species populations.The removal of weka was completed in conjunction with the Wildlife Service by 1986, creating a safe environment for the reintroduction of native species including the tīeke (saddleback), matata (fernbird), and meaweka (banded rail).They have been instrumental in community efforts to make the islands rat free also.Their bird transfer programme has seen Kundy Island become a vital source for repopulating other islands, including Ulva Island and several locations in Fiordland.They have developed expert bird-catching techniques, maintained detailed records to monitor species success, and continue to lead new initiatives, such as successful tīeke transfers to mainland sanctuaries like Orokonu in 2025.They conducted pioneering genetic mixing of tīeke populations between islands.The Trows have built relationships through a collaborative model, working with government agencies and local whānau with mātauranga Māori practices, which influenced the return of former Crown Tītī Islands to iwi management.CLICK HERE for a full list on New Years Honours recipients.

At 3.27pm on this day, thirty-five years ago - Saturday 30th December 1989, Southland's worst aviation accident occurred when two tourist charter planes collided mid-air over Milford Sound killing seven people.The collision sent an Air Fiordland Cessna with one pilot and six Japanese tourists on a fatal plunge into the Sound, while the other plane - a Milford Sound Scenic Flights Cessna carrying one pilot and four passengers managed to land safely.Photo: Southland AppIt later transpired that both pilots never saw each other in time to avert the collision.Following the accident the Transport Accident Investigation Commission made six recommendations for planes operating in Milford Sound, including a minimum requirement for a Milford rating, restrictions of the number of airplane departures, the provision of lifejackets on planes and access to continuous weather updates.