A $1.1 billion Southland windfarm proposal has reared its head at a regional council after facing rejection earlier this year.Contact Energy is continuing its push to establish up to 55 turbines at sites east of Wyndham, 40 minutes from Invercargill, after an Environment Protection Agency panel refused the project in March.The company deemed the decision “extremely concerning” at the time and lodged a revised application under the Fast-track Approvals Act in August.Environment Southland now has an opportunity to provide input over two phases — a substantive comment stage ending 17 December and a feedback opportunity for draft conditions in March 2026.A report prepared by the regional council showed it was broadly supportive of the project last time around, as were mana whenua and DOC.“Whilst the decision was extensive, in summary the previous [EPA] panel was concerned by landscape and some ecological effects and overall did not consider the relevant statutory tests were met,” council advisor Bruce Halligan wrote.Proposed sites for the wind farm covered around 5800 hectares and included a wetland complex and habitat for bats and lizards, Halligan said.The new application was of the “same general nature and scale” as the previous one but included more mitigation around the wetland and earthworks, plus a refined biodiversity package, he said.Not all were in favour of the project, with the report noting there was some strong community concern.The council had recommended to the panel convenor that the community be given an opportunity to be heard through the process.Contact Energy said the turbines would generate enough power for the equivalent of 150,000 homes and create up to 300 new jobs during construction.Environment Southland said the wind farm was a circa $1.1b proposal with turbines reaching heights of up to 220 metres.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Next year - 2026 - could be the year that the kākāpō breeding programme takes such a big leap forward that conservationists can finally take a step backKākāpō numbers are so thin that all 327 of them have a name and a transmitter.The funny little tree-climbing, owl-like parrot has had intensive management over the last several decades, and its numbers have come back from the brink to give conservationists hope.And after a four year wait, they're preparing for what could be the biggest boom in kākāpō chicks yet, because next year is a mast year.That means rimu trees on the predator-free islands where the birds live are about to burst with seeds, the bumper year that kākāpō wait for."You have to wait around to get a good thing from kākāpō, but this year all the stars are in alignment," says Alison Ballance, who will be continuing her Kākāpō Files podcast series from December 16.It will also mark the first time that conservationists take a step back from such intensive methods of rescuing the critically endangered population.Those methods are resource-heavy and not sustainable. So instead of incubating every egg, encouraging the females to lay more than one clutch, and providing supplementary feed, attention is turning to making sure the birds have enough room to spread their wings.The ultimate prize would be to turn Stewart Island/Rakiura into a pest-free haven."That's why we're looking with great interest at the Predator Free Rakiura programme," says Ballance, "where the community down there alongside DoC, and Zero Invasive Predators and Ngāi Tahu are starting to begin a programme where [they're asking] can they get rid of things like feral cats and rats on Stewart Island."And if that was the case, then we could move kākāpō back to Rakiura and just stand back and let them be kākāpō in their own time frame, without the risk of predation."Conservationists know that the risk of taking their eye off every egg and chick means they may lose more than they have in the past.They say while it's nerve-wracking, it's essential. There will be fewer chick checks this season, more eggs hatching in nests rather than in incubators, and generally a move towards minimal intervention.The last mast years were in 2019 and 2022, so the big crop of chicks that arrived in 2019 will now be ready to breed. The females start from age five but it's possible some four-year-olds may also lay eggs."There should be lots of new, young female kākāpō trying to breed this year which will be really exciting. The Department of Conservation's kākāpō recovery team tell me there's a bit of a wild card. There's 24 young females who are four years old and basically they [DoC] haven't had experience in the last 30 years of intensive kākāpō management of a breeding season that was four years apart."So they're wondering ... maybe some of those precocious four-year-olds ... will they breed?"Thirty years ago there were 51 known kākāpō; 21 female and 30 male. Now we've got 84 females of breeding age, so that's about a 400 percent increase in potential chicks.Kākāpō are a long-lived species, although we don't know exactly how long-lived. There are definitely some birds in their late 40s and early 50s and there's speculation they could live up to 80 or even 100 - and they keep laying until the end.Published by permission

Reporter: Farah Hancock of RNZWarning: This story includes written descriptions and pictures of the trapping and killing of feral cats and other pests and wild animals“I’m sorry mate, it’s not your fault,” he says, swinging the piece of wood.The swift blow sounds loud in the quiet Fiordland bush and the feral cat squirming in the net is suddenly still.Two more heavy blows ensure the job is done.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyVictor Tindale is at his happiest when he’s surrounded by nature.There’s dirt under the nails of the hand grasping the heavy length of mānuka and he’s clad in an orange hunting shirt with layers of well-worn merino underneath.A belt bag full of essential items sits around his waist and a rifle is slung over his shoulder.He’s a little bit feral himself, confessing he’s not sure when his last hot shower was, although he’s had plenty of cold water washes in Lake Manapouri under the gaze of snow-capped mountains.He breaks into song on occasion and makes jokes even more frequently, his face creasing with laughter until his cheeks rise so high that his eyes narrow to arched slits and his eyebrows vanish under his cap.Tindale is good at killing, but he takes no joy in unnecessary slaughter.When he kills something an apology and a gentle pat always follow.When it comes to predators like feral cats, he sees dispatching them as a necessity.“We're in this beautiful place and this is just an utter killing machine,” he says before grabbing the length of mānuka.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly“I hate to think what this cat has slayed to survive. He's just doing what he's got to do, but we've got to do what we've got to do as well.”This is his second trip to the same area in the space of a few months and he’s here to prove the point that a jewel in the crown of Aotearoa’s national parks is thick with pests and the Department of Conservation (DOC) is missing an opportunity to make it easy for people like him to help.Tindale’s one-man-mission started in April when he spotted cat droppings at DOC’s tiny Back Valley Hut close to Lake Manapouri.It’s a humble hut nestled in the swampy edges of Fiordland and mostly frequented by hunters.A cow skull adorns its exterior and inside there’s just four bunks, a small bench and an incongruous tattered office chair next to the fireplace.He wasn’t expecting to see signs of cats in one of the country's most pristine places.Fiordland is a tourist hotspot, attracting around 800,000 visitors a year keen to take in the waterfalls, moss-covered forests, mountains and wildlife.Leghold traps are hanging in the wood shelter, so he sets one.The next morning he finds a cat.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly“I was pretty stoked with myself,” he says.He assumes he’s captured the cat responsible for the fecal calling card, but decides to set the trap again.Later that afternoon he hears it clank shut. It is a sound he will become familiar with.In two days he catches four cats.Tindale is astounded. Fiordland is home to kiwi, tomtits, robins, bellbirds and weka.Feral cats and their ferocious appetites have no place here.He buries them in lumpy ground behind the hut; four mounds of dirt, neatly lined up with a shared wooden tombstone announcing the feral cat graveyard with four tally marks burnt in.Tindale knows he’s being provocative, he describes his cemetery as a “little bit of a laugh”, but he hopes it will inspire other hunters visiting the hut to set traps.He contacts DOC, sharing photographs of his graveyard, and saying he would like to return and trap more cats.Photo: Victor Tindale“I thought they'd have a chuckle, you know, and be pleased, but it was nothing of the sort.”He is made to feel like a “naughty boy”.The DOC staffer isn’t happy he buried the cats close to the hut where people might pitch a tent.He’s told he should have left them on the ground where they were trapped and that the leghold traps, which are of a prohibited style, will be removed from the hut.Tindale feels there’s scant enthusiasm about his desire to return and do more trapping.“What was said to me was, ‘I don't mean to knock your efforts, but it's not an area that we do any pest control’.”Once again, he’s astounded.The area around Back Valley Hut is swampy, thick with sandflies and bordered by the dubiously named ‘Stinking Creek’ but it holds an undeniable charm.Fantails flit around, huge native sedges tower like silent grassy sentinels over the swamp and harriers soar above the trees.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyNearby, the picturesque Hope Arm Hut and campground, which lies on the kōwhai and flax ringed shoreline of Lake Manapouri, is a popular summer spot with holiday makers.To Tindale, this area is a doorstep into Fiordland.Protecting this border is important, otherwise the frontline for native species inches further and further back. The advance of cats into Fiordland’s wildest spaces fills him with unease.Seeing the bush under pressure from pests, is like seeing a friend dying, he explains. Even things which appear to be thriving feel like future ghosts to him. “You want to help.”DOC’s limited budgets are common knowledge and he’s aware it can't do everything, so his reaction is: “Okay, well, then I'll do it.”He anticipates catching more cats on this second visit, but yet again he’s astounded.“It's a bloodbath out there.”Counting Our Cat ProblemAsk experts how many feral cats there are in New Zealand and invariably, there’s a sigh and a quip about how hard it is to herd cats for counting.We’re one of the world's biggest domestic cat owners, with around 40 percent of homes owning at least one cat. Unwanted pets make their way into becoming what’s referred to as stray cats.These are the cats which live close to humans often surviving on scraps.Feral cats are the truly wild cats, generations removed from their domestic roots and having had no human interaction.It’s these cats even the SPCA accepts should be killed due to the risk they pose to wildlife.Jessi Morgan is the chief executive of the Predator Free New Zealand Trust, which aims to inspire New Zealanders about what a predator free country could look like.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyShe says it’s anyone’s guess how many feral cats roam the country.“I've seen estimates from two-and-a-half million to 14 million, which basically tells us we've got no idea what those numbers are,” she says.Anecdotally she’s hearing hunters and farmers say they’re seeing more and that warmer winters mean females can have up to three litters a year.What is known is how far they’ve spread, which she describes as “absolutely everywhere”, from sea level upward and even crossing the Southern Alps.For native species, which evolved without mammals hunting them, cats are a disaster. Many native birds either nest on the ground, or spend time on the ground and are defenceless.The book Extinct birds of New Zealand identifies cats as certainly contributing to the extinction of 14 native bird species, and possibly contributing to an additional 10.It’s not just birds they target. A feral cat in Ohakune was documented killing 107 bats in one week, and another in Canterbury was found with 17 skinks in its stomach.Feral cats are estimated to kill 10 to 20 creatures a day from birds to lizards, frogs, bats and even wētā.“Even a well-fed cat will still hunt for fun,” Morgan says.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyThe trust has been campaigning for feral cats to be included in the Predator Free 2050 list, which currently consists of rats, possums and stoats.To her, it makes no sense removing the other predators while leaving feral cats.The origins of species included in Predator Free 2050’s hit list was a ‘pest summit’ workshop convened by DOC in 2012. Cats were initially part of the list, but were later removed, due to a lack of social support.Morgan says the tide has turned and there’s now social licence to include cats.The Predator Free 2050 strategy is up for review, and earlier this year DOC sought public submissions.“I think DOC has been overwhelmed by the number of submissions supporting the addition of feral cats to the list of target species.”An upcoming report looking to refresh the predator free strategy is due to be considered by the government about now.Meanwhile, cats are in a limbo land, with control measures not falling into any national strategy.Calls for action have come from both conservationists who fear for native species and from farmers due to the risk toxoplasmosis poses to livestock.Even moves to tighten controls on domestic cats stalled after the government chose not to follow the recommendation of the environment committee to require cats be registered and desexed, saying there was “no scope” to advance the work.A feral cat and some of the remains of 107 dead short-tailed bats. The bats were found at the base of a bat roost tree and stashed around in piles during the time the cat was active. Photo: DOCThe inclusion of feral cats on the predator free list would lead to more research to understand ways to control their numbers, says Morgan.This is important because eradication is a challenge. Poisoning campaigns for carnivores rely on meat-based baits.These spoil quickly and come with a delivery conundrum if you want to target large areas.Anything dropped from a helicopter needs to stay intact when it hits the ground, and there’s been talk of exploding sausages.Trapping, or hand-set poisoned baits is the other approach, but is labour intensive and comes with its own obstacles.“They are quite sneaky. They can be really hard to trap or poison because they are cautious,” says Morgan.Red Tape and the Return To Back Valley HutTindale’s keen to return to Fiordland and is brimming with cunning ideas for how to trap the notoriously wary felines.“I couldn't come back here to just go hunting without doing something to help,” he says.“Otherwise it’s a take-take-take equation without giving back.”What he’s not planning for are the hoops he needs to jump through to get DOC’s blessing to voluntarily trap in a national park.Obtaining a hunting permit, which allows the use of a high-powered rifle on conservation land, takes a few taps of a keyboard.Moments later a 12-month permit arrives by email.Feral cat eating kākāriki on Maukahuka/Auckland Island. Photo: Finlay Cox/DOC“On the other hand, for that same person to get a permit to carry a couple of traps to help better the environment, there’s really nothing set up.”There are trapping permits for community groups but the only option Tindale has as an individual wanting to trap feral cats is to apply for a commercial possum fur trapping permit, even though he has no desire to trap possums for fur.Tindale sends his detailed application to the local DOC office in June, but it takes a reminder email late August, just a week before his trip, to get approval.The application includes maps of where he will be trapping and the types of traps he will use.He includes an explanation of how he will humanely dispatch cats caught in live capture traps.Small calibre .22 guns aren’t permitted on conservation land, and using his deer hunting rifle would be unsafe and excessive.The use of a club and blunt force is approved by a DOC staffer.He arrives in Fiordland at the beginning of September as a dry winter turns into a soggy spring, armed with an array of approved traps he’s bought himself, some which kill instantly and others which trap cats alive.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyIn the five months since his last visit the mounds in the cat graveyard have subsided and someone has pulled his tombstone down, throwing it in the woodpile. The two prohibited leghold traps remain dangling in plain view.Topping his to-do list is hunting deer for his own meals and for its trap-disguising pelts.Next is trapping possums, whose fat is rancid-smelling stuff, with an odour which clings to your skin for hours.He hopes this smell around the traps will be the scent equivalent of a kitty-cat dinner bell.He selects perfect spots for the cat traps, trees growing on a slant are ideal, they raise the trap above where kiwi or weka can reach while providing a convenient ramp for cats to slink to the banquet he's prepared.He disembowels the possums, nailing the carcass to the tree above the trap and leaving the guts on the ground underneath.Traps are baited with the organs, which he describes as delicacies.Bloodied fingers are wiped clean on moss carpeting the forest floor.The trap itself is camouflaged with pelts, grass or moss.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly“I want the cat to think it’s eating an animal from the inside out,” he says of the hide-covered traps.A “feeding station” in the middle of a clearing is created.Deer carcasses and possums are pegged to the ground.It’s a grotesque banquet which he hopes the cats will become accustomed to safely snacking on.Once he’s lulled them into complacency he plans to add kill traps to the area.A thermal camera is set up to document dinner guests.There are cat droppings, so he knows at least one cat is in the area but his first few nights are spent listening to rain dripping through the beech tree leaves, frogs chirping and possum traps slamming shut.Eighteen adult possums are caught, including one trapped snacking on the organs of another.He’s surprised at the cannibalistic turn of the omnivorous marsupials.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyAnother kill trap catches a stoat, an apex predator he’s pleased to remove from Fiordland.He suspects the stoat is responsible for a grisly scene where a freshly trapped possum has its joey eaten and its inside thigh munched from within the comfort of the possum’s pouch.It strikes Tindale that on a chilly night the pouch is a warm place for the stoat to feast from, like settling down to a hearty pub meal in front of a roaring fire.At first, cats are elusive. He traps one cat, but he’s certain there’s more.He worries the spring rain is diluting the scent signals. Then, the rains clear and the cats come out.The next cat is caught in the cage trap draped in deer skin, with its metal floor covered with leaf litter.Thermal camera footage shows the cat cautiously circling the trap for half an hour.She’s intrigued but wary, repeatedly edging in and then skittishly darting off, before finally entering the cage and leaping in shock as the door slams shut behind her.Another kill trap is catless, but its possum-lure has been attacked with surgical precision.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyIt is one of the few possums Tindale left whole.But something has disembowelled it, discarding the guts neatly on the ground, before making its way up internally to eat the kidneys, liver and heart. He’s perplexed at what would do this rather than just eat the flesh.It’s a different story in the next kill trap.“We’ve got a stonker.”The tabby cat suspended part way up the tree stretches nearly a metre from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. It’s fat, shiny and huge.Tindale holds it up for a photo.He’s accustomed to carrying heavy deer out of rugged bush, but holding the dead cat by its tail causes his arm to shake.He’s incredulous at its size.“Holy moly, a kiwi hasn't got a chance against that.Cats, a ferret and a stoat caught close to Back Valley and Hope Arm huts. Photo: Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyNot a show. No wonder I've never heard of kiwi here in the years I've come here hunting.”It’s the biggest of the cats Tindale traps.He later catches another tabby in the same kill trap, and then finally a large grey tom near the feedstation, which by this time has been turned into a muddy pile of bones and tattered flesh thanks to the pigs, possums and cats who dined there.His most surprising catch isn’t a cat. A ferret with luxurious fur solves Tindale’s confusion about the surgical disembowelling of the possum.This ferret rounds out the cornucopia of predators he’s removed from Fiordland.He’s later told by conservationists that it’s a significant find; it’s not something which is caught frequently there.In just a few days he’s killed 18 possums, five cats, two stoats and a ferret.“It's been shocking to me, the brutality of the carnivores in what was once a sweet, innocent, basically flightless-bird New Zealand. It's just brutal.Stoats burrowing into possums, ferrets burrowing into possums, cats,” he says, describing what he’s seen in Fiordland National Park as carnage and a bloodbath.An Army Of TrappersThe mission isn’t over for Tindale.“I can't save the place all alone, or all the national parks, but there's a lot of people going out hunting, and as we've shown here, with just a few traps you can really make a difference.”Tindale wants DOC to make the permit process for individuals wanting to trap simpler.He wants a prompt to be added to the online hunting permit application asking people if they would like to do some trapping.Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly“I've just set a couple of traps by a hut. Imagine thousands.There are tens of thousands of hunters,” he says.In his mind, doing something positive in our conservation estate shouldn’t be so hard and individuals wanting to trap predators shouldn’t have to apply for a commercial possum fur trapping licence.The worry about bycatch is overplayed, he thinks.Hunters used to dealing with lethal weapons should be able to be trusted with following simple instructions for setting traps high enough to avoid bycatch.He’s written to the Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka and his suggestion has been passed on to DOC.Tindale is yet to hear back.DOC’s Te Anau operations manager John Lucas says a technical glitch meant a delay in receiving the letter.He says the organisation encourages trapping.Plenty of community groups help out already and there are other individuals like Tindale, who have adapted the possum permit.SA2 traps were set on trees or logs so they were out of the reach of kiwi and weka. This was the last of the cats caught on the trip and was smaller than the large tom. Photo: Victor Tindale“Trapping requires a permit to ensure people only use traps that are approved as humane under the animal welfare act, coupled with setting conditions to reduce by catch of native species such as kiwi.”He says the leghold traps left hanging in the woodshed at Back Valley hut aren’t for use.“The traps located at the hut are of a historic value and the possum trapping past many of these huts served.”The organisation works to control feral cats in some areas of Fiordland National Park, with trapping done in Eglinton and Clinton valleys.Control work is done in areas where the highest priority of protection is needed.However, given the park is New Zealand’s largest, he says there is always more work to do.Tindale is already planning on returning to the same corner of Fiordland to take another crack at the cats, stoats and ferrets.This time, he hopes he won’t need to do it with a possum fur trapping permit.There’s a saying he uses when talking about his idea of making it easier for individuals to trap: “A little and often means a lot in the end.”He knows his idea won’t eradicate feral cats completely but each cat removed is another hungry predator gone.“I feel really good about removing those critters, but they are going to get replaced. More will move in.”Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-FarrellyPublished by permission

Police are appealing for information from the public following a serious assault in Edendale on the weekend (15 Nov).At around 10.55pm on Saturday a woman knocked on the victim’s door saying she had a flat tyre and needed help.The victim – a man in his 50s – walked with the woman to the corner of Melvin Street and Turner Street, where he was accosted by a man and assaulted.During the assault, the offender also attempted to restrain the victim by tying his hands behind his back.The victim suffered serious injuries in the assault, including a fractured eye socket and broken nose.Police said inquiries were underway to establish the identity of the man and woman involved in this incident and they were hoping Edendale residents could help.Following the assault, the victim saw an SUV leaving the area at speed, and we believe it is likely the man and woman were in this SUV.Police would like to hear from any residents who have street-facing security cameras on Turner Street, Melvin Street, Seawood Road or Ferry Road, and who may have captured footage of the vehicle on Saturday night.They would also like to speak to anyone who saw an SUV in the Edendale township between 10pm and midnight, or anyone with other information which could assist their enquiries.If you can help, please contact Police via 105, quoting file number 251116/4977.Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

From artefacts telling the stories of local wartime tragedies and historic rural fashion, to the restored Tokonui Jail and its only drunk and disorderly prisoner, Southland’s Waikawa & Districts Museum is celebrating 50 years this coming week.That’s 50 years of hard work by an enthusiastic, but resourceful, small team of volunteers who have turned a historic hub of local buildings into an increasingly popular destination packed with gems of local history.Museum president Gay Lamb, who spent most of her life farming at Quarry Hills about 10km away, says it’s all thanks to Southland Education Board member ‘Mrs T.A. Buckingham’, who came up with a great idea back in 1972.“She found out that Waikawa School was going to be closed back then and thought the building would make a great museum for the district," Gay, who’s been involved since those founding days, says.“We opened in 1975 from small beginnings, and we’ve always been mostly funded through donations.”The original museum was opened in the old Waikawa School building, but nothing goes to waste in the country.When it was time to grow in 1982 the group added on the old Southern Star Rugby Clubrooms building from nearby Niagara.Further expansion in 1988 saw them add the old Mokoreta School onto the right-hand end to house more displays and artefacts.“All the artefacts have come from around the local area,” Gay says.Among the most moving memorabilia is the original New Testament Bible of local Tokonui man John Shankland, who was shot and killed during World War I, the bullet piercing straight through the Bible in his pocket.“The bullet is still in the Bible.”There’s also a beautiful tapestry on display that the local McKenzie brothers from Progress Valley bought for their mother in Egypt during World War I.The WW1 bible which still holds the bullet that tragically took the life of young Tokonui soldier John Shankland. Photo: Supplied“They posted it home to her the day before they were both killed in action,” Gay says.“A member of the McKenzie family had been going through belongings of those passed and rang us to ask if we’d like it, so we went and picked it up.”Lifelong local, 87-year-old Maurice Yorke, born just before World War II broke out, is looking forward to Sunday’s (23 November) museum celebration.He says the Waikawa farming district was thriving post war, particularly due to timber production from the local sawmill, and a crayfish boom.The influx of bushmen and sawmill workers to the area greatly boosted the local Niagara School roll.Progress Valley School, which Maurice attended, was built by the sawmill company and when Maurice was at school it was just the children of two farming families – his and another, that made up the roll.“The post war economic boom was such that there were five schools in our area back then,” Maurice recalls.“I remember Quarry Hills, Niagara, Progress Valley, Waikawa and Haldane Schools.""There was no road between Haldane and Waikawa and we had to walk there via the beach to see our cousins.”There was no electricity and Maurice rode to school on a horse with his sister.“If I got out early, I’d get a ride home in one of the big logging trucks.”After the war local roads, communities and transport expanded and the area became known as South Catlins, as it is now, he says.“We drove our wild bush cattle from Progress Valley to Tokonui to load them onto the train. In 1952 the first cattle were transported off our farm by road,” he says.The rail service closed in the 1960s.Married to Meree for 60 years, Maurice worked hard developing their farm, enjoying recreational fishing and rugby, playing for Niagara’s Southern Star Club, and “drinking beer”, he says, with a grin.An enthusiastic bunch of models dress up in period garb for a Waikawa Museum fundraiser. Photo: SuppliedGay says the locals have thrown many a fun fundraiser to support the museum, including an old-style dance in Turn of the 20th Century costume and a mock wedding featuring a spot of cross-dressing Tokonui style, and wine and cheese evenings.They throw a good bash, so members of the public are invited to get along to the 50th birthday celebrations on Sunday (23 November) and help mark the milestone.The museum will be open from 10am with light music by Sharon Bruce (Hayes), of The Possum Pickers, and a museum quiz before afternoon tea is served from 2pm at the Waikawa Hall.Southland District Mayor Rob Scott and councillors Paul Duffy and Julie Keast have been invited to be part of the occasion.The Southland District Council and its Regional Heritage Trust, Community Trust of Southland and donations from the local Toi Toi Lions Club, Mataura Licensing Trust and Vetco keep the museum buildings operating.Local volunteers keep the doors open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays – 10am until 5pm at present, and Gay says they definitely need more volunteers.One of their archives almost blew away during the recent huge winds and storm that battered Southland.The local 98-year-old St Mary’s Anglican Church, which the museum group are also custodians of, was blown off its piles in the storm, suffering some damage.“We’re waiting on the insurance claim to come through,” Gay says.Waikawa & Districts Museum. Photo: SuppliedThe museum group are also custodians of the historic Tokonui Jail, which was moved to Waikawa, and the local Gangers’ Hut which provided shelter and warmth for railway gangs working on the line.“They’d go in there when it was raining and play cards and keep warm by the fire,” she says.“There’s only ever been one person in the Tokonui Jail, and he was there for being drunk and disorderly.”The jail has been closed since the 1980s and the group moved it up to Waikawa.“People love coming here because everything’s out on display and nothing is behind glass,” Gay says.“They’re really starting to seek us out.”Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.

The "Southern Way", a southern tourism campaign aimed at linking the south's touring routes, has been given a $393,000 boost in funds from the government.The campaign and associated website were launched by eight of the south's tourism agencies, from Waitaki to Southland, in May 2023 with the hope that visitors would slow down and better explore the southern regions.Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds said the projects latest government funding would attract more visitors to Southland, support jobs and boost the region’s economy.“The “Southern Way” campaign, spearheaded by Great South, will encourage Australians, especially those from the Gold Coast, to explore the lower South Island and its unique landscapes, events and Southern hospitality."“Tourism has consistently presented a great opportunity for diversifying Southland's economy, with this funding allowing more opportunities to promote our province, and the wider Southern region, alongside helping create jobs and lift wages."“This $393,000 package is the second round of funding to come South, from the Government, with the Southern region receiving $350,000 in the first Regional Tourism Boost, for a campaign which ran from late April to July 2025."“It means the region can highlight special itineraries and accommodation, promote the great events that we have happening in the South and highlight our wonderful local hospitality."“The tourism sector brings substantial income to our region, and this funding will benefit local restaurants, cafés and bars, accommodation providers and tourism operators."“Tourism has consistently been one of this country’s biggest exports and is vital in growing our economy – that’s why National is focussed on boosting tourism and attracting more visitors here."“I’m delighted that our region has secured more tourism funding from Government."“It’s a testament to the strength of the tourism sector in the South and the hard-working people who turn up every day to make a visit to this province an enjoyable and memorable one.”

UPDATE: The fishing boat has now been refloated and was being towed to Bluff, however with weather conditions forecast to deteriorate and the boat taking on water, it has been diverted to Little Harry Bay on Stewart Island for shelter and to allow the team onboard to continue to pump water from the vessel.Coastguard Riverton and Bluff has been called to a fishing boat grounding on rocks at Whenuia Hou Codfish Island, west of Rakiura Stewart Island.Emergency services were notified at around 9:45am today (14 Nov).Police said they were monitoring the situation and Coastguard were working to have the vessel towed back to shore.It is believed that everyone on board is currently safe and the boat is not taking on water.The Harbourmaster has also been informed and is supporting the response.No environmental contamination of diesel or oil is believed to have taken place.Whenuia Hou Codfish Island is nationally significant, both as an ancestral homeland to Ngāi Tahu and a wildlife sanctuary to the critically threatened flightless kākāpō.

SH 6 Winton, near the intersection with Bute Street - Both directions.Due to a public event, this section of road will be closed on Saturday 15th November between 2:30pm and 3:30pm.The detour will be via Bute Street, Park Street and Grange Street.Plan your journey accordingly allowing extra time for travel.

After close to three years at the helm, Andrea Dixon is concluding her tenure as General Manager of the Southern Dairy Hub to concentrate on the next phase of her career and personal life.“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved over the last, almost, three years. The Hub is an incredible farm, and our new demonstration focus means we can get meaningful insights to our farmers in real time” Dixon said. “Working with DairyNZ, SDDT and Bioeconomy Science Institute (previously AgResearch) has been a privilege, but it’s the southern farmers who make this job special. Knowing the work we do at the Hub provides farmers with critical information, making a real contribution to their farm’s prosperity, has been a driving force for me”. SDT Board Chair Simon Flood said, “Andrea has been a wonderful general manager, keeping the ship steady as we updated our strategy and pivoted to a demonstration mode. We will miss Andrea’s passion, leadership and strategic thinking, and thank her for her contribution and wish her every success as she starts a new chapter in her life. We are indebted to her for her commitment and dedication for the Hub, and I cannot speak highly enough about Andrea’s capability and can-do attitude”. “Recruitment for Andrea’s successor will start in early 2026. The SDH General Manager role is totally unique, with a clear mandate to support southern farmers as they strive to improve not only their sustainability, but also productivity and profitability in a rapidly moving environment,” Flood said. 

Below is a list of programmed works for next week. ** Please note there is a northbound closure of SH6 in Winton tomorrow (Saturday 15th November) for an event between 7am and 5pm. Detour for light vehicles via Bute/Park/Grange streets. Detour for heavy vehicles via Gap Road West/Winton Substation Road/SH96. Key renewal sites in Southland currently underway/beginning:SH93 Old Coach Road - Underway and likely to continue until mid-December. Traffic lights in place, delays of 5 -10 minutes. SH94 at The Key - Underway and likely to continue until mid-December. Traffic lights in place, 10-15 minute delays. Team will be moving to Mararoa School end to begin stage two next week. SH97 Mossburn-Five Rivers Highway (at Five Rivers end) – Underway and likely to be completed early the week of the 24th November. Traffic lights in place, delays of 5 -10 minutes. SH97 Mossburn-Five Rivers Highway (near Ellis Road) – Beginning Monday 17th November and likely to continue for 3-4 weeks. Traffic lights in place, delays of 5 -10 minutes. SH90 Waikaka Valley highway between Waikaka Road and Cunningham Road – earthworks and drainage beginning Monday 17th November until late December. Construction will begin in new year. Traffic lights in place, delays of 5-10 minutes. Other maintenance and contractor work underway next week is listed below and mapped HERE. Highways South maintenance work:SH1 between Arthurton and Mataura, roadmarking – mobile operationSH6 Dipton-Winton highway between Winton and Benmore, stop/go for watercuttingSH94 Waimea highway near Croydon, traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway between Riversdale and Longridge, traffic lights for surface water channel workSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway between Riversdale and Longridge, traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway Balfour and Lumsden, stop/go for watercuttingSH96 Winton-Hedgehope highway between Springhills and Winton, stop/go for watercuttingSH99 between Riverton and Clifden, roadmarking – mobile operation **Programmed work may be delayed due to weather/other factors. Other contractor work that we are aware of:SH1 Tay St between Lindisfarne and Doon Streets, lane diversion for CCTV/cleaning stormwater assetsSH6 Winton, Saturday 15th from northbound closure of Great North Road for event – see info above. SH6 Dipton-Winton highway at Hundred Line Road, stop/go for reseal workSH93 Old Coach Road near Kaiwera Road, lane closure for powerlines workSH96 Winton-Wreys Bush highway at Ryan Road, stop/go for sealing of side roadSH99 Palmerston St Riverton, stop/go for three waters workUseful links: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.

Invercargill residents still cleaning up after October’s storm could drop green waste and clean scrap metal off for free this weekend, with a similar service on its way for Bluff. The state of emergency through Southland was lifted last Friday, and the recovery process following last month’s gale-force winds had begun. Invercargill City Council Manager Infrastructure Operations Matt Keil said damage throughout the community had been widespread, and the free disposal of green waste and scrap metal was needed as people began to return to life as normal. The free green waste drop-off point, at 351 Bond St in Invercargill, would be open on Saturday 15 November between 8am and 6pm, and again on Sunday 16 November between 9am and 6pm. The last entry time would be at 5.30pm each day, Keil said. Meanwhile, Bluff residents who had green waste or clean scrap metal to dispose of would be able to do so on Saturday 22 November. Further details on the Bluff service would be made available next week, he said. “We really appreciate people’s patience while we made these arrangements. We know it’s been a huge clean-up job for many people, “ he said. “This is all about making it a little easier for everyone to get back on their feet and clear their sections safely. Load it up, drop it off, and together we’ll keep the recovery rolling.” Access for green waste drop-off in Invercargill would be available from the south end of Bond St, via the Bluff Highway/Clyde St. Light vehicles and residential trailers only would be accepted, and no entry would be available from the north end. Meanwhile, residents could drop off clean scrap metal – including corrugated iron, clotheslines, or trampolines with no attachments – at several locations throughout the city. On Saturday 15 November, the service would be available at Phoenix Recycling Group (9am – 4pm), Habitat for Humanity (8am – 6pm), ISM (8am – 10am, and 10.15am – 12pm). The following day, clean scrap metal disposal would be available at Kiwi Skips (10am – 4pm) and Habitat for Humanity (9am – 6pm). The free drop-off areas were separate from the Invercargill Transfer Station, where usual fees would apply, Keil said.

Its Great to be back for a very busy term 4, and at the start of the term we welcomed William (Room 3), Fletcher (Room 2) And Una to room 1.William Room 3 and Una Room 1. Photo: Supplied.In week 2 & 3, we welcomed Bodhi  & Kairo to Room 1 - This classroom of new entrants is humming with lots of new faces eager to learn!Bodhi and Kairo. Photo: Supplied.We hope they have a great first week at school and enjoy their time here!We started the term off with School Photos, and then we had a Bring your Tea to School night - On Friday 31st October. It’s a great chance to come together, meet some of our new families/students, have a look around the classrooms, check out what we’ve been up to and catch-up with the teachers. Pypers Produce proud sponsors of Wallacetown SchoolWe had some questions up in Room 4 seeking feedback for the school’s strategic planning.Our pool is officially open! A big thanks to Mike our caretaker for the work he has done in getting this ready for the season ahead! Room 2 were very excited to the first class in the pool this year! Photo: Supplied.Keys for this season are $100. Keys are available for school families and the wider Wallacetown Community, these are available from Annie at the office. Annie is in the office 8:30-12:30pm Monday – Friday. The classes have enjoyed getting over to the pool for swimming. School Swimming lessons happen with REAP in week 6, so that is something they always look forward to!In week 5 we had our ‘horse’ themed mufti day as we collected donations to support RDA in Otatara. Thank you for your generous donations we raised $114.50.Horse themed mufti day. Photo: Supplied.Our Jubilee Committee has had its last official meeting late October, and we would like to acknowledge and thank the team for their work over the past 18 months. We would like to thank them for their generous contributions, both in funding some of our recent school events such as the buses for the ‘Sing Out’ dress rehearsal, for some new games and equipment for our Before/After School Care Programme and for the donation they have made back to the school.Room 4 brings van Gogh to life! Check out their ‘A wheatfield with cypresses’ artwork! Photo: Supplied. Pet Day – Friday 5th December – This is a very popular event at school, and the children and teachers are looking forward to the day, where the children get to show off their pets with their friends! Hopefully we’ll see plenty of family members there on the afternoon, to watch our grand parade.That’s a wrap from us at Wallacetown School for 2025.We are looking forward to farewelling our year 6 class at their Graduation dinner on the Wednesday 10th December, and then following that, we have our School Prize Giving Breakup on the Thursday 11 December at the Wallacetown Community Centre, so hope to see you there!Merry Christmas, and we will see you in 2026 …First day of school is the Thursday 29th January 2026.

Invercargill’s annual report was formally adopted at a council meeting this week, detailing highs and lows for the city.Council chief executive Michael Day began his official comment in the document by saying it had been a “challenging financial year”.The council had faced high local government inflation, additional work and regulatory change which impacted operations, he said.But Day was pleased the council had managed to meet 71 percent of its levels of service — down just 1 percent from last year.The report listed a range of achievements from November 2024 to June 2025, including the opening of Bluff Adventure Park (Te Wahi Tākaro o Motupōhue), progress on Te Unua Museum of Southland, Queens Park gaining national accreditation, CCTV roll-out, and infrastructure upgrades.As for the numbers, the council’s total assets had increased to $1.56 billion while liabilities sat at $182.1 million.The report also noted rates revenue had slowly increased over the past five years while subsidies and grant revenue had reduced since 2021/22.Mayor Tom Campbell said at a Tuesday meeting that the adoption of an annual report was one of the weightiest accountabilities for a council.He acknowledged in a media statement that the past financial year was not without challenges.“But we’ve balanced progress with prudence, and that’s something to be proud of.”The report noted council had worked with rūnaka on projects and continued to work with Te Ao Mārama Inc to meet both legislative responsibilities and Takata Whenua needs and interests.It also gave a brief overview of the city.Invercargill was home to an estimated 57,600 people, with the district's area encompassing just under 50,000 hectares.The climate was described as mild, with an average annual temperature of 9.9 degrees Celsius and 1,614 sunshine hours.Rainfall was spread evenly throughout the year at an annual average of 1,112mm.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Road OpenLow Avalanche HazardRoad status:CHAINS MUST BE CARRIED from East Gate (Hollyford) to The Chasm from 9pm tonight.Comments:Chains must be carried between East Gates & The Chasm from 9pm tonight (Friday) due to snow forecast overnight. Please take extra care.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Rain, heavy for a time this afternoon with thunderstorms possible, easing to showers & turning to snow later Tomorrow: Showers, falling as snow early, clearing from afternoon Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with fine spells increasing Monday: Rain developing, turning heavy later Tuesday: Rain, with heavy falls possible

Middle distance runner Millie McFadzien and rugby player Olivia Gill have been recognised during the ILT Academy Southland’s end of year celebrations in Invercargill tonight (November 13).Academy Southland, which was first piloted in 2005, provides a range of support for many of Southland’s best young athletes, including mental skills training, athlete life, nutrition and strength and conditioning at the Mike Piper Training Centre.While a special event to mark the 20th anniversary of the programme is being held in December, tonight was about recognising the achievements of the current crop of Southland athletes.St Peter's College athlete Millie McFadzien. Photo supplied.Gore-based Mille McFadzien (St Peter’s College) was honoured with the top award for Foundation Year athletes for commitment in the first year of the programme.Millie represented New Zealand at the Australian secondary schools cross country championships, and also won the Young Enterprise Scheme’s Southland company of the year title recently.Academy coordinator Carly Anderson said Millie, who is coached by her cousin and Academy Southland graduate Hannah Miller, had made the most of the opportunities the programme provided.“Millie is a high achiever and she’s been able to use the things she’s learned this year to help fine tune the skills she already had. Despite the additional travel required to take part, Millie has made it work.”Millie has a busy end to the year, with the national finals of the Young Enterprise Scheme and the New Zealand secondary schools athletics championships both happening in early December.Central Southland College rugby player Olivia Gill was honoured for her commitment in the Leadership Year of the two-year academy programme.The hard-running loose forward has been a member of the CSC’s First XV, which this year qualified for the South Island final, defended its title at the Buller 10s and qualified for the Condor Sevens, being held at Mt Maunganui at the end of November.Olivia, who is heading to Otago Polytechnic next year to study applied science, was also selected for New Zealand under 18 and Matatū under 20s camps.“Olivia has really made the most of opportunities the programme has provided her with and when she’s gone away to those camps she’s been able to thrive in those environments,” Carly said.Academy manager Jason McKenzie said planning for the December anniversary event had provided the programme with a great chance to reflect.“It’s been a special time looking back at the past 20 years and the 250 or so athletes who have come through the programme,” he said.“As part of the celebration we’ve been able to reconnect with a lot of those athletes and it’s heartening to see what they have gone on to achieve in their sport and their lives.”

Forty original lithographs by twenty prominent artists.We are delighted to welcome the Muka Youth Print Exhibition back to Southland. Since its inception in 1987, the Muka Youth Print Exhibition has been touring the country almost every year, exhibiting original stone lithographs exclusively for young people. Arguably New Zealand’s longest on-going art event, 165 artists––88 of them from New Zealand and 77 from overseas––have contributed to the project, and tens of thousands of young people have been attending and building their very own art collections.The exhibition provides a unique opportunity for young people (aged 5-18 inclusive) to purchase original lithographic prints in an environment where adults are not allowed. All unframed prints are $90, and the artists' names are covered during the show. This encourages children to choose work based on their appreciation of the work rather than the artist’s reputation or potential for financial gain.Over the years most of New Zealand’s major artists have produced lithographic prints for the exhibition, including Ralph Hotere, Pat Hanly, Nigel Brown, John Reynolds, Gretchen Albrecht, and Dick Frizzell, to name a few.Entry to the exhibition is free, any young person is welcome and there is no pressure to buy. Because no adults are allowed into the exhibition, the children select prints based on their own individual taste.Frames will also be available to purchase at $90 each.Especially for ages 5 - 18 years.Co-founder and Muka director Magda Van Gils, who has been involved in the project since the beginning says, “The method of exhibition allows young people to develop a unique awareness of art that cannot be taught. By entering the room without adults, and with an opportunity to choose, young people really engage with the works of art, on their own terms.”Gallery Programmes Officer, Marcella Geddes, says “The exhibition leaves a legacy of children and adults who have grown up with and experienced art through the Muka Youth Prints. Many of the children who bought prints back in the early days of the exhibition are now bringing their own children along to experience art as a new and exciting part of their world.”TWO DAY’S ONLY - Eastern Southland Gallery, 14 Hokonui Drive, GoreSaturday 29th and Sunday 30th November 2025, 11am - 4pmONE DAY ONLY - Invercargill Public Library, 50 Dee Street, InvercargillSaturday 6 December, 11am - 3pm

We had the privilige of hosting Harold the Giraffe and the Life Education Truck in October.Harold the Giraffe. Photo: Supplied.The students absolutely love Harold and the messages he brings.Mataura Licensing Trust, Falls Hotel - proud sponsors of Tokanui SchoolWe dressed up in yellow in support of Harold.Harold and students. Photo: Supplied.We held out Pet Day on October 17th in lovely conditions.Students proud to show off their pets. Photo: Supplied.This is always a lot of fun and competition was fierce especially amongst the Dad's and Mum's Cake competition.Cakes to be auctioned. Photo: Supplied.These cakes are auctioned off at the end of the day with the proceeds going to a charity.Another lovely pet for the show. Photo: Supplied.This years charity was the Hospice and we were delighted to be able to give them $1150 from the cake proceeds.Dogs day out. Photo: Supplied.Thursday 6th November we had most of our senior class and a couple from the middle classroom participate in the Golf Tournament held at Mataura.Golf Tournament at Mataura. Photo: Supplied.What a fabulous day they had and we are super proud of our students who took part, they showed our Tokanui School Values - Excellence; Respect; Community and Integrity.Thanks to the parents for their support. Photo: Supplied.A big thanks also goes to those parents that transported and coached our teams.

This Saturday, there’s a record-breaking $55 million Powerball jackpot – and it must be won.The big question is – will one lucky player take it all, or will the prize be shared among several winners?In a Must Be Won draw, if there is no Division 1 Powerball winner, the jackpot rolls down to the next division where there are winners.There have been 12 Must Be Won draws in Lotto NZ history, and seven of those have been shared by multiple winners.“It wouldn’t be surprising if this jackpot went the same way,” says Lotto NZ Head of Corporate Communications, Will Hine.“The last three big $50 million Must Be Won draws were all shared – and that’s great because we know so many people benefitted,” says Hine.The most recent $50 million Must Be Won draw was in June 2024.The jackpot rolled down to Second Division, and seven lucky players each took home $7.18 million. Over a year on, we caught up with a few of them to see how life has changed since that unforgettable night.One winner said, “we’ve paid off our mortgage, and helped family and friends with theirs, and bought a couple of new cars.”“We haven’t managed to tick anything off the bucket list yet,” they said, “but the list is ready, and we’ll be starting that in the new year.”Another said the most extravagant thing they’ve done was a shopping spree overseas, but day-to-day life hasn’t changed much.“We still check prices before buying things – that’s not going to change.”They all agreed the first year felt surreal, full of decisions and ‘pinch me’ moments.“Seeing how much interest the first term deposit earned us – we just couldn’t believe it,” one winner shared.Their advice for Saturday’s winners?“Don’t let it change you,” and “make sure you’re confident in the team you build around you – you have to trust they are giving you good advice.”Hine says hearing these stories is one of the best parts of his job.“It’s fantastic to hear how our lucky winners from last year’s Must Be Won lives have changed, and how they’ve been able to help those around them.”With $55 million on the line, many New Zealanders will be grabbing a ticket for their chance to win, but Hine says players should stay informed on the odds and not spend more than they can afford.“You don’t need to purchase more than one ticket to be in the draw, and a $6 ticket will enable you to do that. It’s all about playing a little and dreaming a lot.“Even with a jackpot this huge, the odds of winning Powerball remain very small at 1 in 38.3 million per line.” A history of Must Be Won draws

An aurora lit up skies at the southern end of the country overnight.Stargazers took to social media to post their photographs from places like Dunedin, Waihola Lake, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Mount Cook.Te Whatu Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki in October told RNZ aurora could often be caught on camera, even when they were not visible to the naked eye.Aurora over Dunedin and surrounding areas. Photo: Jennifer Gould, Dunedin"We're currently in a pretty high activity period with our sun, and the aurora is a direct result of solar activity interacting with the Earth's magnetic field."The further south you went - place like Twizel, Southland and Otago - the better the view. Spots with less light pollution worked best.He said aurora were notoriously hard to predict in terms of how bright they would be, but people could keep an eye on the space weather forecast on the NOAA website.Meanwhile, Transpower has lifted the grid emergency that was issued on Wednesday afternoon now the G4 geomagnetic storm - the force behind the aurora - had reduced in severity.It said in a statement the South Island electricity transmission lines, taken offline as a precaution to prevent damage to equipment, had now been returned to service.There was no impact on consumers' electricity as a result of the storm.Transpower said this kind of action was standard when space weather reached a particular level.Aurora colouring the clouds. Photo: Jennifer Gould, DunedinA plan had been developed over several years through work with the University of Otago, international space agencies and others in the electricity industry.Although New Zealand was well prepared for geomagnetic storms, Transpower said, it was a timely reminder to Kiwis that they should be prepared for a natural disaster or other major event that could interrupt their power supply and damage other infrastructure.Last week, the National Emergency Management Agency and other affected agencies ran through a test scenario of a solar storm response in the Beehive's bunker, to make sure they are adequately prepared.Published by Permission