A good meal can make a big difference to how you feel, and a new partnership between Gore Health and local social enterprise Koha Kai is taking that impact even further by changing lives.Koha Kai is now providing both the Meals on Wheels and in-patient meals for Gore Health.Koha Kai founder and CEO Janice Lee said the change came about when Koha Kai were looking to diversify after news came they would be finishing their lunches in schools contract.Knowing they needed to diversify, Koha Kai general manager Sammi Lee emailed every organisation she could think of, and heard back from Gore Health within days.Gore Health CEO Karl Metzler said meals were of a similar cost but of wonderful quality, with people offered a choice of three meals.Koha Kai also shared similar values with Gore Health, making it an easy decision to make, he said.“We spend quite a bit on food every month, so we're delighted to be working alongside a social enterprise with a strong focus on supporting people,” he said.Koha Kai is work closely with Gore Health’s nutritionist, making sure the food available is able to be enjoyed by everyone no matter their dietary needs.“We’re getting lovely messages coming through to us from the Meals on Wheels,” Janice said. “One lady was so pleased with her Meals on Wheels because, being a coeliac, it had been the first time in three years that she had tasted gravy, and to have that gravy was just divine.“A lot of our elderly say they aren’t hungry but when they start eating the meals they end up finishing the lot,” she said.Karl said demand for Meals on Wheels referrals was increasing daily, and even he and his wife had bought some to have at home.“They are delicious, they’re just like mumma’s homemade meals.”Gore Health Ltd incorporates a hospital offering a range of public and private integrated services, including 20 inpatient beds, a 24/7 Emergency Department, maternity services, Gore Health Centre GP practice, dental clinic, specialist outpatient clinics, Allied and Community Health services, MoleMap, lab, radiology, and Mobile Surgical Services.

Southland households with solar panels will soon be able to export more electricity back to the grid, following PowerNet's decision to increase their limit from 5kW to 10kW.The announcement brings Southland into line with Otago's Aurora Energy who increased their limit to 10kW in August 2025.PowerNet Chief Executive Paul Blue said the increase was in response to customer demand and would enabling more power to be exported into the network which would also generate income for the householder.The decision also fit with the company’s long-term goal of a future-ready network, he said.PowerNet has undertaken extensive work to understand any risk this increase in capacity will have on the wider network and, while the 10kW limit won’t be available to every household, there should be widespread coverage, he said.“There will be some cases where large numbers of customers in one area all want to increase their limit and, depending on the specific circumstances of their connection and the infrastructure supporting it, that may not be possible.”Blue said PowerNet has a work programme that is committed to exploring new and emerging technologies and how these can benefit our customers and communities.“Solar generation is a big part of this, and these changes could make solar power a more economic option for people, enabling more power to be exported into the network and generating income for the householder.”World Solar owner Doon Morrell said people were using more power now and he expected PowerNet's decision would see households futureproofing themselves by installing more solar panels and bigger inverters.People may also start shopping around more for the best buyback rate, he said.New applications from households who wish to have an export limit between 5-10kW and from customers who already have a 5kW limit, and wish to have the new 10kW limit, will be accepted from 16 March 2026.CLICK HERE for more details.

Improvements to the health of Southland’s "resilient" Waituna Lagoon have been tentatively welcomed by DOC’s top science advisor.Results from an annual survey have exceeded the department’s expectations, revealing a decrease in algae and higher levels of aquatic plant Ruppia.The treasured wetland is home to a plethora of native birds, fish and plants, but has been plagued by algae blooms and deteriorating water quality in recent years.Waituna Lagoon forms part of the much larger Awarua-Waituna Wetlands, a 20,000 hectare area. Credit: Living Water.DOC principal science advisor Hugh Robertson told Local Democracy Reporting he was feeling “positive, but always cautious”.“This is a system where we really have to keep an eye on the water quality as well as water levels … for a number of years ahead of us,” Robertson said.“The system is vulnerable each summer to whatever conditions are present.”Located about 40 minutes southeast of Invercargill, Waituna Lagoon's management has proven contentious over the years.Surrounded by farmland, it is prone to high nutrient levels which have led to toxic algal blooms and manual openings to adjacent Toetoes Bay.A 20-year consent was granted in October 2025 to DOC, Te Rūnanga o Awarua and Environment Southland for opening the lagoon based on a variety of triggers; it has been appealed by Federated Farmers who feel the required level will compromise farms.A Ruppia sample from the Waituna Lagoon. Credit: DOC/Supplied.Robertson explained the balance at play with the lagoon — if it stayed open the whole time, the system would change with water levels dropping and salt content increasing, making it harder for plants to grow.But opening it also had the benefit of flushing out nutrients.“So in an ideal world, if nutrient levels coming into this lagoon were much lower, [we] probably wouldn’t need to open it that often. Apart from when there’s concerns around flooding and other things like that.”Robertson said the current lagoon level was 1.4 metres, which meant more water and habitat for plants to thrive.Although many of the country’s coastal lagoons were in quite poor condition, Waituna had remained “fairly resilient”, he said.The lagoon was last opened to the sea in September 2024 and closed in April 2025.DOC’s annual survey was undertaken across 47 sites at the lagoon and showed low levels of algae.Ruppia was present at 80 percent of monitoring sites compared to 36 percent last year, and stonewort had jumped from 7 percent to 54 percent.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Road users are asked to take extra care on busy South Island state highways leading into the long holiday weekend, which will be swelled by thousands travelling for an event billed as the largest motorcycle event in the Southern Hemisphere. The Burt Munro Challenge from February 4-8 in Southland will be a hot destination for motorcyclists and enthusiasts, adding to traffic for other events and the usual holiday travel for Waitangi Day weekend around the South Island. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and its contractors will be monitoring and ready to respond to any incidents. “Long holiday weekends always mean more traffic on the state highways and greater potential for crashes,” says NZTA journey manager for Otago and Southland, Nicole Felts. “Having a much larger than usual number of motorcyclists travelling adds another dimension of risk, given they are amongst the most vulnerable road users.”  Due to the limits of protection, motorcycle and moped riders have a higher risk of death or injury than drivers of other vehicles, however there are simple steps motorcyclists can take to help keep themselves safe. MetService has heavy rain or strong wind watches for parts of the South Island through until tomorrow but says there is otherwise minimal risk of severe weather leading into the long weekend. “Whether you are a motorcyclist or operating some other type of vehicle, people can stack the odds in their favour by ensuring the basics – keeping to the speed limit, avoiding drinking and driving, being well-rested, driving to the conditions, and showing patience and respect towards other road users,” Miss Felts says. Pause for most roadworks for long weekend NZTA acting system manager for the Central South Island, Scott McKenzie, says road users travelling on state highways should be aware there are various roadworks underway this week and next, that may mean delays. Most work will pause over the long weekend itself and is weather dependent, but some traffic management may remain in place and less invasive work is likely to commence during or at the completion of the weekend. “The delays can add up to a make a noticeable difference on a long journey, so we do encourage people to give themselves plenty of time to get to and from their destinations. This helps to avoid frustrations building,” Mr McKenzie says. “We appreciate peoples’ patience and understanding as we make the most of the summer months to get important roading maintenance done to keep our state highways up to standard.” Chinese New Year traffic increase Beyond the Waitangi Day holiday weekend, South Island highways are also expected to have increased traffic volumes around the time of the Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) from 17 February. Airports and tourism operators are expecting a leap in Chinese visitors travelling for the two weeks of holidays and festivities. “Again, we want road users to just be aware of the potential for busier roads, especially leading in and out of popular tourist destinations such as Queenstown, Milford Sound and Lake Tekapo,” Miss Felts says.    “It may mean more visitors who are driving and not as familiar with New Zealand roads, so again we ask people to take care and show patience.’’         Stay up to date on roadworks and potential delays at our Journey Planner site.

Tourism is a significant part of Southland’s economy, leveraging the region’s natural attractions and famous southern hospitality. And while our two national parks and five Great Walks are incredible attractions, the growing range of Southland events is also becoming important in encouraging visitors South.The 38th annual Edendale Crank Up Day, which I enjoyed attending at the weekend, the recent successful Tour of Southland, the up-coming Burt Munro Challenge and the Waimumu Field Days, are all events which attract visitors here and promote positive economic growth.During the busy summer months there are approximately 340,000 passengers through Invercargill Airport and 40,000 visitors to Stewart Island - and in 2025 this region hosted 153 major events of 500-plus people.The Government is aware of the importance of encouraging visitors to the regions and we have established the Regional Events Promotion fund to stimulate that domestic tourism.More visitors help raise local accommodation occupancy rates, support food and hospitality venues, promote spending at businesses, and maintain essential jobs.Several local events have recently benefitted from over $90,000 in Government, including last month’s Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park International ($20,000), this week’s Burt Munro Challenge ($16,000) and the Shepherdess Muster 2026 at Tokonui in early March ($22,000).In May, the ever-popular Tussock Country – NZ Country Music Festival 2026 will also receive $30,000 for promotional and marketing activities from Government.This comes on top of $79,000 in Regional Events Promotion funding, last year supporting seven Southern events, including the George Begg Festival.We all know that we live in one of the best parts of the world – now thanks to Government support, more people will also get to hear about Southland and the wonderful events that we have to offer. Funded by Parliamentary Services

There has been a major structural fire at the luxury log-cabin-styled Fiordland Lodge overnight.Emergency services were first alerted to the fire, near Te Anau, at 11.16pm yesterday (31 Jan).The Southern Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager said when they arrived, the fire - which had been reported as a kitchen fire - was well involved. FENZ Rural Fire tankers ferry water to the Fiordland Lodge fire. Photo: Southland AppCrews initially had concerns that people were still in the building, but that turned out to not be the case.The fire was quickly elevated to '3rd alarm' with crews from Te Anau, Manapouri, Mossburn, Blackmount, Lumsden, Balfour and Invercargill brought in and working at the scene throughout the night.Smoke and water is seen billowing over Fiordland Lodge early this morning. Photo: Southland AppBy 8am this morning there were still 8 fire appliances, 5 tanker, 2 support vehicles and 1 aerial appliance from Invercargill at the fire."They have made good progress with the fire in containing it - at the seat of the fire - and saving the remainder of the building," the shift manager said.The manager said they would now start scaling back the operation, with relief crews from Winton, Otautau and Invercargill, and 3 fire appliances, two pumps and two tankers, remaining on site for most of the day to make sure there are no hot spots and ensuring that the fire was definitely well out.Radio NZ have reported lodge owner Vicki Onions as saying that all guests were uninjured and had now been moved to local Te Anau hotels. She was also reported as saying it was too early to determine the cause or the extent of the damage, but that she was grateful for the swift response from emergency services.Fiordland Lodge following a devastating fire that reportedly started in the kitchen. Photo: SuppliedThe 10-suite, rustic-style mountain lodge with its three massive stone fireplaces, five-star restaurant and bar overlooking Lake Te Anau’s South Arm, is mostly booked out from October to April with mainly overseas guests.Located about 5km from Te Anau, it was opened in 2002 and has since hosted an impressive array of high-end guests, from Hollywood icons to A-list celebrities.Fiordland LodgeIt has been favoured by higher profile clients seeking an exclusive retreat when visiting the area and is also a popular wedding venue.Built and established by Ron and Robynne Peacock, the property and business were sold last year to Australian company Imperium Collection (which owns the plush Eichardt’s Hotel, The Spire, and Pacific Gem in Queenstown), and Queenstown hospitality entrepreneur Vicki Onions.READ MORE: From Logs to luxury, river stones to A-listers - the incredible rise of Fiordland Lodge

There has been 3 major Lotto wins in Southland tonight (31 Jan), with tickets in Invercargill, Te Anau and Southland each winning $19,526 from their second division win.The winning tickets were sold at Plaza SuperValue in Invercargill, Four Square Te Anau and online through MyLotto.Their second division win was shared with ten other players from throughout the country.Anyone who bought their ticket from any of the above stores is urged to check their ticket as soon as possible in-store, on MyLotto, or through the MyLotto App.

Converting farmland to forestry in the sensitive Catlins area of the South Island has been an opportunity to set good standards, says the forest management company tasked with the project, Southern Forests.The river which flows through parts of Wisp Hill Station forms the headwaters of the Catlins' estuary.The 5500 hectare property - once a sheep and beef farm - also borders the Catlins Forest Park which straddles Otago and Southland.Ingka Investments purchased the property in 2021 and set about converting about 3300ha into commercial forestry, retiring the remainder of the land and leaving native vegetation to regenerate."It's quite sensitive land, it's got high biodiversity values, high conservation value," explained Josh Cairns of Southern Forests from the peak of the property."It's quite unique here on this Wisp Hill range where we've got alpine species that are commonly found in the Southern Alps that are at much higher altitudes, but they seem to do quite well down here."It's also too high altitude to grow a production forest on, so it just made sense to retire it and look after it."Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.Planting started on a 330ha block of the most unproductive part of the farm in the very back corner while the transition was underway, with Ingka contracting Southern Forests crews to work their way towards the middle of the property.Four years on, the first trees are now between 4.5 and 6 metres tall and will be ready for pruning early next year.About 2975ha have been planted in Pinus Radiata, another 140ha in Pinus Attenuata hybrids, 95ha has gone into redwoods, 100ha mānuka and 70ha is in mixed natives. Another 2130ha have been retired or planted in natives along the riparian margins.Forest manager Josh Cairns, of Southern Forests, at Ingka's Wisp Hill. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country LifeWith all eyes on Ingka, converting farmland to forestry was an opportunity for the firm to set the standard, Cairns said."We pride ourselves in doing a high quality job and doing it properly, and you know we had those discussions with Ingka in the very early stages and said 'no shortcuts'. Everyone's going to be looking at us, seeing what we're doing here."We're in an area where it does have quite a lot of biodiversity value and conservation value, a lot of waterways that need managed, so we want to be seen to be doing the right thing."And from day one, they were 100 percent on board with that. [They] provided a lot of leadership, a lot of education, advice coming from Europe, where some of the environmental regulations are a lot more stringent than ours here."Ingka and Southern Forests have prioritised riparian and waterway management, with a secondary focus on looking after the native species which grow in those corridors."In this particular catchment, there's about 40 hectares of natives planted on the riparian margins, with pine tree setbacks ranging from probably 40 metres to 150 metres off of the waterway."In the future, it makes life a lot easier. We'll never really have to stress about how we get those trees out when we harvest it, because we don't have to worry about what's happening in the waterway."Wisp Hill has high biodiversity value - on the peak grow alpine species that are commonly found in the Southern Alps at much higher altitudes. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country LifeAnother key focus - and part of the Overseas Investment Office requirements that allowed Ingka to purchase the property - has been ensuring public access.Cairns said Ingka was keen to provide recreation opportunities for the local communities."We've got a really nice river here for fishing, good hunting opportunities."Access for hunters in particular helps with the local pest population, in particular the deer and pigs which live on bordering conservation land, which Cairns described as a "massive issue"."There's one particular block we had to replant twice, 30 to 40ha, just through deer damage. It was just simply red deer coming out in that particular area and eating the trees."And at a cost of $2000-2500 a hectare to replant, well that buys you a lot of pest control."Since 2021, they have culled almost 8000 hares, rabbits and possums, over 1800 red deer and close to 570 pigs.More than 3300ha of the 5500ha former-station have been planted in a mix of exotic forestry. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country LifeAs the forestry block is Forest Stewardship Council-certified they do not use poisons.Two full-time pest control contractors help keep pressure on the population, while still allowing for recreational hunting opportunities which have helped to bring the local community on board.Other major challenges Cairns faced were the heated debate surrounding the afforestation of farmland and concerns it would be shut up for carbon sequestration."The biggest challenge here was trying to, and it still is, getting the point across that this is a timber production forest first and foremost. And, we back that up by our pruning, planting and the genetics we've planted and that sort of thing."It was one of those properties that's iconic down here and [there was] a lot of emotion attached to it."Cairns, who is also a farmer himself, understood the tension.He said the property is different from other more productive, large-scale properties that have been converted recently, although it did not have high staffing levels - just a farm manager, stock manager, shepherd and tractor driver, with the owners based elsewhere.The conversion to forestry has created new jobs for not only his team, but also forestry contractors, a local agricultural contractor and agricultural pilot.Planting first started on the least productive section of the farm. Photo: Gianina Schwanecke / Country LifeIngka 'here for the long term'Ingka's forestland country manager Kelvin Meredith said New Zealand was identified as a key area for the company to develop a forestry portfolio early on, about the same time plans were developed for its first store in the country which opened in December last year."We all thought that IKEA was going to get here before forestry, but as it turned out, forestry was first sort of cab off the ranks."Meredith told Country Life timber was essential to IKEA - not only was it used in its supply chain, but it was also a great investment."It's got nice, stable, steady returns, and you know, you can actually get some good environmental improvement by purchasing forests."IKEA's first Auckland store opens on December 4 Photo: Marika Khabazi / RNZInside IKEA's first NZ store at Sylvia Park Photo: Marika KhabaziAt the time of the Wisp Hill purchase, Ingka's first in New Zealand, a number of farms were being bought up by other companies for carbon sinks.Meredith said it would have been easier for Ingka without the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which drove up prices for such properties as demand for carbon credits increased.About 8000ha of the 41,000ha Ingka owns in the country have been registered with the ETS to "preserve the value of the land", including some forestry blocks which had been registered prior to purchase.He hoped to see all the land that had been planted eventually registered."We have no intention of being carbon traders. We don't want the cash for the business."Long term, we might look at selling some credits for biodiversity projects, but there's been no decision made yet."Meredith told Country Life converting farmland to forestry had allowed Ingka to set the forests up in alignment with its values - larger set asides, big riparian margins, experimentation with different species, including natives for long-term restoration projects."It's been quite beneficial to do that, although it has raised a few eyebrows because we have bought quite a bit of farmland, but not all of it is high-quality farmland. A fair chunk of that, we've subdivided off and sold to the neighbour. Wisp was a classic example - 300ha there sold to a neighbouring farm."Eventually he hoped to see some of the timber processed here in New Zealand, although he acknowledged there were a number of challenges facing the industry."We're here for the long term."Published by permissionGianina Schwanecke, for Country [email protected]

A second Fire and Emergency New Zealand deployment of firefighters, including 3 Southlanders, have departed today (31 Jan) to support firefighting efforts in Victoria, Australia.This follows a formal request from Emergency Management Victoria for an exact replacement of our current Alpha deployment who are due home on Monday.The Bravo contingent consists of 20 firefighters experienced in arduous conditions and two liaison officers.Deputy National Commander Brandan Nally says the Alpha contingent have done a great job supporting Australian firefighters in tough and challenging conditions in the north-east of the state, where a bushfire has been burning out of control since it broke out on January 5."Fire and Emergency has received very positive feedback from the Australians for the work Alpha has done and I know the Bravo contingent of firefighters will continue the good work."Bravo deployment will work as four crews of five plus a Field Liaison Officer and a Jurisdiction Liaison Officer. One crew is from the Department of Conservation, and the other three crews are firefighters from the South Island plus two forestry workers.Victoria is experiencing extreme weather conditions with multiple bushfires, which have already caused loss of life and extensive damage to homes, property and the environment.The Bravo firefighters are experienced in working on complex wildfires in difficult terrain and hot temperatures. They are equipped and ready to stay at a fire camp in a remote location.Fire and Emergency has international agreements to provide mutual assistance, and regularly deploys personnel overseas to Australia, Pacific Islands and North America.

Conservationists expect to officially declare the Otago Peninsula possum-free soon and put more pest species in their sights.There have been years of mahi from residents, community groups and the Predator Free Dunedin collaboration to remove the pest from about 9000 hectares on the peninsula.Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group led community possum control on the peninsula for more than 15 years, laying down the foundations to make elimination possible.Responsibility for eliminating possums formally shifted to Predator Free Dunedin in 2024 for the final push, with the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group turning its attention to controlling multiple species and the Sustainable Otago Peninsula initiative which aims to bring the community and different groups together to tackle ecosystem restoration, sustainable land use and food resilience.A steep patchwork of backyards, gullies and bush is the last line of defence to stop them from reinvading.More than 25,000 possums have been removed from the area over the years.The Halo Project, a delivery partner of Predator Free Dunedin, is leading the efforts on the ground, using AI cameras, trail cameras, and possum scat detection dog, Scout, to track down any remaining survivors.The Halo Project, a delivery partner of Predator Free Dunedin, checks the elimination efforts in the Silver Peaks near Dunedin. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Dunedin.Its predator-free project manager Jonah Kitto-Verhoef said the community buy-in had been impressive and important, helping to report different sightings and granting permissions to clear predators from their properties."Possums don't really care about who owns the habitat. Obviously, it will straddle several adjoining properties," he said.Kitto-Verhoef was also the handler for possum scat detection dog, Scout.Detection dog Scout sniffs for scat to find possums. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Dunedin.Scout was a crucial part of their response as he helped them to work out where they needed to invest their efforts and where they could move on, he said."Half the challenge is having the data confidence to make operational decisions with the speed that we need to do so the scat dog compared to every other technique, maybe bar thermal drone, is the real game changer for us to be able to move rapidly."Predator Free Dunedin project lead Rhys Millar said the wider project area stretched across more than 40,000 hectares including Orokunui Ecosanctuary and in the city.Rhys Millar. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Dunedin."We're now at a point where we feel confident that we can eliminate possums and we're beginning to explore multi-species elimination operations, which will encapsulate rats, the suite of mustelids as well as possums," Millar said."We're going to likely include feral cats and also rabbits in the mix. Not that rabbits are a target species for Predator Free 2050, we believe by removing rabbits it will make the control of mustelids a lot easier."That included looking at which toxins, traps and tools were appropriate for the different communities and areas they covered.Awareness campaigns and community conversations about the impact of cats and feral cats on native wildlife were already underway, he said.Kitto-Verhoef said they were already noticing more bird life and more diversity of plants that would usually be snacked on by possums.Thermal drones are used to help find remaining possums where densities are low. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Dunedin."We've got people in residential areas who are winning flower competitions with their magnolias for the first time because they've been browsed so heavily by possums."People enjoy crops of broad beans and their roses so I guess our view of success is often in a conservation lens but for some people success is being able to grow a healthy rose bush."It was exciting to see less pressure on the ecosanctuary's fence and vulnerable species spilling out from Orokonui, and now that plan was to improve survival rates of native species, he said.While he was excited to celebrate success on the peninsula, Kitto-Verhoef said he was excited for the next challenge.Possums caught on infrared cameras. Photo: Supplied/Predator Free Dunedin.Millar said they were only funded until the middle of 2027."Current funding uncertainties do make forward planning beyond the next two years quite difficult so it's really important for us to prove that we can deliver."They might reach a time where they had to simply maintain their wins and tread water rather than expand further as it was vital not to lose the hard-won gains, Millar said.Published by Permission

Cleanup crews working on storm damage in Invercargill’s Queens Park have reached an important milestone this week, with the latest section of the award-winning park scheduled to reopen on Friday afternoon.The entire northern half of Queens Park had been closed following the severe wind storm that hit Southland in October, with fallen trees, hanging branches and debris making the area unsafe.Invercargill City Council Manager Parks and Recreation Caroline Rain said most of the park would now be accessible, including the major thoroughfares of Coronation Ave and the George St track near Southland Boys’ High School.“It has taken many months of hard work by staff, contractors and volunteers, but the bulk of Queens Park is finally open again,” she said.“We’ve isolated some areas where tree work is continuing, but the main paths, the golf course and the entire length of Coronation Ave have now reopened.”Restoring north-south access through Queens Park had been a priority because these paths served as a major arterial walking route, particularly for students on their way to and from school, Rain said.“Our teams have done an amazing job to get the main walkways open before the start of the new school year.” Invercargill Mayor Tom Campbell said the damage from the storm was extensive, and Queens Park had been sorely missed while it was closed.“I’m really proud to let the people of Invercargill know that they can once again walk freely through the heart of Queens Park,” he said.“Thank you to everyone involved in the clean-up and thank you, too, to the public for your patience and support. It is the result of everyone’s efforts that we can reopen these gates and enjoy our beloved park again.”As visitors returned, they would notice significant changes to the landscape they once knew, Rain said.“Many large stands of trees came down in the wind, and a lot of those that remain have been significantly trimmed or have had branches removed. “Queens Park will look different after the storm, but the good thing about trees is they can regenerate. The specialist arborists from Treetech have taken great care to preserve what they can, and the canopy will recover in time.”While most of Queens Park was open, some areas would remain cordoned off with barriers or hazard tape while arborists continued their work, including the further removal of trees and branches.“Over 850 tonnes of wood have been removed from Queens Park so far,” Rain said.“Some of this has been sold and some has been passed on to local charities. We are continuing to invite expressions of interest from community groups that can help us fairly distribute excess firewood to those in need.”A map of the remaining closed sections of Queens Park and further information about expressions of interest for firewood could be found on Council’s website.

The Langlands Hotel in Invercargill has received Gold Accreditation from Qualmark, recognising it as one of the country’s top-performing tourism businesses.The Gold Sustainable Tourism Business Award is the highest possible rating from Qualmark, the official quality assurance system for Tourism New Zealand. It tells visitors that The Langlands is a trusted, high-quality place to stay that delivers great experiences and operates with care for people, the environment, and the community. This award also puts The Langlands among the country’s leading hotels, alongside The Hermitage Aoraki Mt Cook, Hotel Grand Chancellor, Peppers Resort, and DoubleTree Queenstown. It’s the first hotel in Southland to achieve this standard, a milestone both for the hotel and for Invercargill. ILT Chief Executive Chris Ramsay, said this rating is thoroughly deserved. “Alannah and her team have worked incredibly hard to ensure the hotel operates to an international standard. Their ongoing focus on training, wellbeing, and inclusivity underpins the excellent service that guests experience every day. This accreditation is something our whole community can be proud of.” Qualmark’s independent assessment reviewed all areas of operation from Health and Safety and Business Systems to Culture, Environment, and People & Community. They were particularly impressed with the efforts of The Langlands and ILT in the Restoring Nature pillar, acknowledging the strong commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement. The Langlands Executive Manager, Alannah Tamariki, said the award recognised the collective effort of everyone at the hotel. “Across the board, from our leadership team through to casual team members, we strive to be exceptional. It’s wonderful to have that hard work recognised, and we’re excited to keep building on the foundations we’ve set since opening.” Ramsay said the recognition will also strengthen Invercargill’s reputation. “This accreditation gives international visitors instant confidence that The Langlands is a great place to stay and that Invercargill offers world-class hospitality with a strong community heart.”

New Variable Speed Limits signs will slow traffic down outside Southland schools and improve safety for children return to school according to Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds.14 local schools including Ascot Community, Edendale Primary, Hauroko Valley, Hedgehope, Makarewa, Sacred Heart (Waikiwi), St John's Girls', St Patrick's (Nightcaps), St Thomas's (Winton), Te Anau and Winton have had the new signs installed.Simmonds said drivers would be required to slow to 30km/h, or 60km/h, at peak times and depending on the road and safety requirements.The signs are part of the Government’s approach to set safer speed limits outside schools, protecting children and their families, she said.“Research shows that reduced speed limits, when in force at school drop-off and pick-up times, can make a real difference in keeping children safe."“These new signs are an excellent additional safety mechanism, especially when children are first back at school for the New Year."Simmonds said Southland was one of several regions around the country where the new Variable Speed Limits signs have been installed.

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:Zonnis Live Concert (Canadian Duo)Operatunity - Rodgers and Hammerstein & FriendsBest of the Bee Gees "Greatest" ShowDistilled NZ📢 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.

Below is a list of programmed works on Southland state highways next week, and all known work on Southland state highways next week is mapped HERE.  **A reminder that the Burt Munro event takes place from the 4th – 8th of February - please expect significantly more motorbikes on highways and local roads around Southland, and check twice for bikes. Due to Waitangi Day, the team will be out of the office and off the roads from Thursday 5th evening and back in the office and on the roads from Monday 9th February. For any highway concerns please call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49). Key renewal sites in Southland currently underway/beginning next week:SH90 Waikaka Valley highway between Waikaka Road and Cunningham Road – Construction work has begun and will continue over the next few months. Delays of 5-10 minutes.SH94 Milford Highway at the Homer Tunnel – Asphalt resurfacing will be taking place from Monday 26th January for 1-2 weeks. Expect slightly longer delays at the tunnel.SH96 Winton-Wreys Bush highway near Transmission Line Road - Construction works underway, delays of 5-10 minutes. Weather permitting, we anticipate this may be sealed by the end of next week. Upcoming renewal workSH99 Wallacetown – road renewal and culvert work – February/March SH1 Waipahi Highway east of Pukerau – road renewal – February/MarchSH6 North Road Waikiwi, Invercargill – road resurfacing – March/April  Other maintenance work underway next week is listed below:Highways South/SouthRoads maintenance work:SH1 Pioneer highway at Brydone, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Waipahi highway at intersection with Waikaka Valley highway, stop/go for vegetation clearingSH1 Waipahi highway at McNab, lane diversion for vegetation clearingSH6 Winton-Lorneville highway near Thomsons Crossing Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH93 Old Coach Road near Ferndale Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH93 Old Coach Road near Kaiwera Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH93 Old Coach Road near Waikana Road, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairsSH93 Old Coach Road near Elliot Road, stop/go for vegetation clearingSH93 Old Coach Road near Dodds Road, stop/go for vegetation clearingSH93 Old Coach Road at Owaka Valley Road, stop/go for vegetation clearingSH94 Waimea highway near Mandeville, temporary traffic lights for drainage workSH98 Lorne Dacre Road near Mill Road North, temporary traffic lights for pavement repairs Chipseal resurfacing sites will be active next week:SH1 Bluff highway at Motu Rimu Road, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway near Kekeno Place, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingSH1 Bluff highway at Duck Creek, temporary traffic lights for resurfacingRoadmarking taking place under mobile traffic managementSH1 - Invercargill UrbanSH1 - Bluff RoadSH93 - Mataura to Clinton SH96 - Mataura to Ohai**Programmed work may be delayed due to weather/other factors. More information at:NZTA Journeys website - https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-plannerFreight Impact Register - https://www.nzta.govt.nz/commercial-driving/trucks-and-tow-trucks/potential-restrictions-affecting-freight/ - download and filter the region for ‘Southland’. This will indicate any upcoming work in the next fortnight which have closures, detours or width restrictions for freight.

Work is set to begin next month (Feb) on a new channel above Meridian's Manapōuri Lake Control Structure in an effort to better flush nuisance periphytons like toxic algal boom and Didymo from the Waiau River.The work, estimated to cost between $5-7million, was consented in 2024 and will see 225,000 cubic meters of gravel excavated and moved onto Meridian land.Meridian said the current channel depth and alignment, and gravel build up, haven’t been as reliable as was intended when the consent condition was put in place in 2012.Meridian Energy's proposal to redirect water through a new channel above the Mararoa Weir. Photo: Meridian EnergyMeridian said it aimed to provide four or five flushing flows every year, when necessary, to maintain the health of the river.Lead project contractor, Rooneys, will establish themselves on site from early February, before creating a road for construction vehicles and gravel removal.Meridian said it was very important that people don’t try to enter their property during construction as there will be heavy machinery in use.The project will be managed to strict consent conditions to protect water quality, fish and kākahi (freshwater mussels), native sedge plants and nesting birds, they said.Following completion of works the site will be enhanced with wetland restoration.Meridian said the project is expected to take around 4-5 months, but due to variable weather conditions and lake levels, the project is allowing a 10-month construction period.CLICK HERE to read more.

A public health expert has painted a sobering picture of the impacts of alcohol on society, saying consumption needs to reduce drastically.On Wednesday, Te Whatu Ora medical officer of health Michael Butchard presented to Southland District Council regarding its Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) - a mechanism which allows councils to set rules guiding the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol in their area.Butchard told those gathered the harm caused by alcohol was underestimated in New Zealand, and internationally.Every year, it caused around 900 deaths, 1250 cancer diagnoses and 30,000 hospitalisations across the country, he said.Alcohol harm cost the economy $9.1 billion a year, and the substance was linked to more than 200 medical conditions."But the main point is that the burden of alcohol harm is large. It's often underappreciated, probably by the majority of New Zealanders, and it does justify an LAP that aims to do more rather than less."Butchard said the only way to reduce chronic harms was for people to consume less alcohol."It's way too high at the moment. To be honest it should be less than a fifth of what our average consumption is now."Te Whatu Ora medical officer of health Michael Butchard Photo: LDR / The Post / Robert Kitchin.Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora's submission to the council supported maximum off-licence trading hours of 9am to 9pm. The current policy has no restriction, although licence applications need to justify the requested hours.The submission also supported extending sensitive premises to include health facilities, rehab centres, marae and fale Pasifika; plus off-licence deliveries coming with a minimum three- hour wait time.Hospitality New Zealand head of membership Darelle Jenkins gave a different perspective, saying councils had many options for reducing alcohol harm while maintaining the benefits of hospitality.That included through national settings and district licensing committees, which had discretion around approving licences and could issue infringements."We recognise that some feel hospitality contributes to alcohol-related harm in some communities, however we firmly believe that well run on-licensed environments are part of the solution to addressing alcohol-related harm in New Zealand."Off-licences include bottle stores and supermarkets while on-licences include restaurants, bars and pubs.Southland District Council undertook a public consultation from 3 November to 12 December for its Local Alcohol Policy.A total of 20 submissions were received during that time, and deliberations are set for next month ahead of final policy adoption.The council currently reviews its policy every six years but is looking to reduce that to four so it can deal with concerns faster and avoid election years.The policy has previously been shared with Invercargill City Council but is being reviewed separately this time around.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardComments:Resurfacing works continue at the Homer Tunnel today, minimal delays expected - Please follow signage and directions.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Fine Tomorrow: Cloudy with showers Sunday: Showers Monday: Rain Tuesday: Fine

Speed and route choice have been blamed for the grounding of South Port's pilot boat, Takitimu II, in December 2024, according to the findings of a Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) report released today (29 Jan).The pilot boat had set out from Bluff to transfer a pilot to an incoming ship, however after passing Stirling Point the TAIC found the master had made an excessive course alteration and at about 18–20 kt the vessel ran aground on rocks and sustained moderate damage to its hull and underwater fixtures.TAIC concluded speed and route choice had reduced the time available to detect and correct course.Fog patches in the area restricted visibility, yet the master navigated by referring to their usual visual references and didn’t make effective use of the compass and electronic navigation equipment, they said.The deckhand alerted the master when navigation screens showed they were heading toward shore, but by then there was insufficient sea room to avoid the rock.This resulted in two of the three people on board suffering minor injuries.There was no pollution and the Coastguard later towed the vessel off the rocks and back to port.TAIC concluded that since South Port had now updated its training and procedures, there was no need for the commission to make a recommendation.