Beef + Lamb New Zealand has recognised Cameron Davies, Executive Chef and co-owner of The Fat Duck in Te Anau, with the prestigious Platinum Ambassador Chef title - a lifetime honour reserved for only a handful of exceptional chefs nationwide.Cameron’s Platinum title recognises his outstanding contribution as a Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador Chef over the past four years, celebrating his passion for championing New Zealand’s grass-fed beef and lamb and sharing the “paddock to plate” story through his food. Having represented Beef + Lamb New Zealand at events nationwide, Cameron brings genuine insight from connecting with farmers and producers and showcasing New Zealand’s world-class grass-fed beef and lamb with creativity and depth.Cameron says being named a Platinum Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador Chef is an incredible honour.“To be recognised alongside some of the greats of our industry is very special. It’s a privilege to represent the farmers and producers behind our world-class beef and lamb, which I’m proud to showcase to the world through our plates at The Fat Duck.”With this achievement, Cameron joins a distinguished group of just ten chefs nationwide who have reached Platinum Ambassador status since the programme began almost three decades ago.Beef + Lamb New Zealand Foodservice Manager Lisa Moloney says Cameron’s leadership and creativity have set a benchmark for excellence in the culinary industry.“Cameron has been instrumental in shining a light on New Zealand’s grass-fed beef and lamb, crafting menus that celebrate our producers and their world-class products. His commitment to telling the paddock-to-plate story through every dish embodies what the Ambassador Chef programme is all about.“Beyond his role as an ambassador, Cameron’s leadership, mentoring, and business skills within the hospitality industry have also been widely recognised. He’s not only an exceptional chef but also an inspiring figure who contributes to the growth and professionalism of New Zealand’s culinary community,” says Moloney.The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ambassador Chef Programme was established to recognise and promote chefs who are passionate advocates for New Zealand red meat and who demonstrate exceptional skill and innovation in their craft.As a Platinum Ambassador, Cameron will continue to inspire both his peers and the next generation of chefs, while helping to elevate New Zealand’s reputation as a global leader in world-class, high-quality red meat cuisine.The next cohort of Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs isn’t far away, with applications opening in January 2026. Chefs interested in applying can find out more and register their interest at thechefskitchen.co.nz

Closing in on a uniqie record - Stratford's 17th win at Tapanui shearsInvercargill shearer Nathan Stratford equalled a possible New Zealand record when he won the West Otago A and P Open shearing title at Tapanui on Saturday.It was his 17th win in the event dating back to 2000, equalling shearing legend Sir David Fagan’s 17 wins in the New Zealand Shears Open from 1986 to 2010.It is thought no other title in New Zealand shearing has been won more times by one competitor.It was Stratford’s 92nd win in 29 seasons of Open-class shearing, having won 17 finals in the lower grades, including the West Otago Intermediate title in 1992 and Senior title in 1994.Best known for his quality, including many wins when he has not been the quickest in the show, Stratford added speed to the repertoire at the Tapanui Racing Club and Showgrounds, shearing the 14 sheep in 12min 40.5sec, to finish almost half a minute before second-man-off and runner-up Corey Palmer, of Dipton, and ultimately claim the $500 first prize by 3.0813 points.Third place went to Napier shearer and 2025 Golden Shears Senior champion Bruce Grace, in his first Open final, and fourth was Linton Palmer, also of Dipton.In the Senior final, Mataura shearer Dre Roberts was also first to finish an claimed his third win in a row, fourth this season, and ninth in three seasons in the grade, putting him on the brink of being upgraded next season to join brother Brett in the Open grade, while 2025 Golden Shears Junior champion Paddy Hudson, of Hokonui, had his first win in the Intermediate grade, also being first to finish.The three grades at Tapanui attracted 42 entries (Open 11, Senior 10, Intermediate 21)RESULTS of the West Otago A and P Show Shears at Tapanui on Saturday, November 22, 2025:Open final (14 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 12m 40.5s, 42.025pts, 1; Corey Palmer (Dipton) 13m 7.84s, 45.1063pts, 2; Bruce Grace (Napier) 14m 21.75s, 54.3732pts, 3; Linton Palmer (Dipton) 16m 25.69s, 54.4273pts, 4.Senior final (8 sheep): Dre Roberts (Mataura) 8m 55.94s, 31.922pts, 1; Emma Martin (Gore) 10m 3.46s, 35.298pts, 2; Richard Lancaster (Clitheroe, NW England) 8m 58.57s, 38.5535pts, 3; Cody Waihape (Gore) 9m 31.68s, 42.584pts, 4.Intermediate final (5 sheep): Paddy Hudson (Hokonui) 6m 42.72s, 28.536pts, 1; Izaak Cleland (Oamaru) 7m 1.54s, 32.277pts, 2; Ariana Te Whata (Mossburn) 8m 35.91s, 33.1955pts, 3; Chloe Cormack (Scotland) 8m 52.25s, 33.6125pts, 4.Third home show win for shearer Travers Baigent  Wakefield shearer Travers Baigent won the Nelson A and P Show Open shearing title for a third time on Saturday.Baigent previously won the title in 2018 and 2023 and on Saturday shore the 20 sheep in the final in 18min 5.5sec for victory by almost two points from Rangiora visitor Hugh de Lacy, who had marginally the better quality points.Wakefield shearer Travers Baigent, who on Saturday won the home Nerlson A and P Show Open shearing title for a third time. Photo: SSNZThe pair followed up the effort by finishing first and second respectively in the North Nelson Country Club speed shearer held on Saturday night.The Senior final at the show provided a first win for Nick Owen, from Darfield, beating runner-up and local Timo Hicks by 3.25pts, Tim McIntyre, from Blenheim, won the Intermediate event, and Jacob Booth, of Waimate, won the Junior final, his third win of the season, after victories at the Rangiora and Ashburton shows.The shears attracted 20 entries (Open 6, Senior 6, Intermediate 2, Junior 6). RESULTS from the Nelson A and P Show Shears on Saturday, November 22, 2025:Open final (20 sheep): Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 18m 5.5s, 63.42pts, 1; Hugh de Lacy (Rangiora) 18m 46.28s, 65.36pts, 2; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 20m 5.72s, 72.54pts, 3; Duncan Higgins (Blenheim) 21m 53.3s, 76.07pts, 4.  Senior final (8 sheep): Nick Owen (Darfield) 11m 5.57s, 40.53pts, 1; Timo Hicks (Tapawera) 10m 18.1s, 43.78pts, 2; Ben Forrester (Waikari) 9m 28.4s, 45.pts, 3; Andrew Booth (Waimate) 12m 8.03s, 47.03pts, 4.Intermediate final (5 sheep): Tim McIntyre (Blenheim) 7m 58.47s, 39.92pts, 1; Sam Stewart (Cable Bay) 8m 0.41s, 73.42pts, 2.Junior final (3 sheep): Jacob Booth (Waimate) 9m 19.19s, 39.29pts, 1; Ben Rowson-Jones (North Derbyshire, England) 7m 27.1s, 41.36pts, 2; Katie Hicks (Tapawera) 9m 27.66s, 54.05pts, 3; Charlotte Boyce (Seddon) 9m 30.69s, 59.2pts, 4.Speed shear at North Nelson Country Club:Open: Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 24.8s, 1; Hugh De Lacy (Rangiora) 28.92s, 2; Lyall Windleburn (Rangiora) 31.46s, 3. Senior: Ben Forrester (Waikari) 32.1s, 1; Thomas Adams (Blenheim) 32.31s, 2; Timo Hicks (Tapawera) 3.Ladies: Katie Hicks (Tapawea) 1, Ashlee Blanchett (Brightwater) 2.Farmers: Emma Hodgkinson (Tapawera) 1, Sam MacLean (Motueka Valley) 2.

Road OpenNo Avalanche HazardRoad status:OPEN from Te Anau to Milford SoundComments:No travel delays are expected over the coming days.Weather forecast for the Homer Tunnel area:Today: Mainly fine with rain developing this evening. Tomorrow: Rain with heavy falls easing to showers around midday. Thursday: Rain with heavy falls easing to showers around midday. Friday: Morning rain, then a few showers. Saturday: Periods of rain.

Police have released details of the offenders involved in a serious assault that occurred in Edendale last week (15 Nov) that left a man with serious injuries.The assault, near the corner of Melvin Street and Turner Street, occurred around 10.55pm after a woman went to the victim’s house asking for assistance with a flat tyre.The victim was then accosted and seriously assaulted by a man.4NZ Police Gore CIB's Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney said that after reviewing a range of CCTV footage they were able to obtain descriptions of the woman and man involved in the incident.The woman is described as being in her late teens or early twenties, of slim build, and approximately 175cm tall.She was wearing knee high black boots, shorts, and a light-coloured hooded top.She is also described as wearing a long black wig.The man is described as having a slim build and is approximately 175 – 185cm tall.He was wearing light coloured (possibly grey) track pants with zip up pockets, ankle high boots with a dark coloured sole, a light-coloured hooded top, and black gloves.McKinney said this had been a particularly vicious and unprovoked assault, where the victim had been beaten unconscious and suffered serious injuries, including a fractured eye socket and a broken nose.Concerningly, after the victim lost consciousness, the offenders attempted to restrain him by taping his hands together behind his back, he said.We believe the outcome for the victim could have been much worse given the severity of this attack, McKinney said.McKinney said Police would like to thank those people who have contacted them following their earlier appeal for information and CCTV footage.If you can help us identify the man and woman involved or have any other information which might assist our enquiries, please contact us via 105 and quote file number 251116/4977.Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

After years of red tape, hard work, and quiet determination, Southland now has a new pathway for truly local meat.Sometimes the biggest changes in a food system start quietly.This one just happens to begin in Lorneville.The local team behind The Grocer don’t sit around and hope someone else will sort a problem. They’re practical, hardworking Southlanders with a knack for seeing what’s missing, then quietly getting on with building it.So, when small farmers began telling familiar stories about being turned away from the big meat works, or sitting on waiting lists that never seemed to budge, the two Craigs (Hamilton and Phillips) did what they do best.They paid attention and started planning.What began as a conversation has turned into one of the most meaningful recent shifts in Southland’s local food system.After navigating a maze of regulations, reworking building plans, upgrading their facility, training as meat inspectors, and investing countless hours and dollars into a project many of us will never fully see. The Grocer has just opened the South Island’s first registered micro abattoir. It’s one of the only facilities of its kind in New Zealand processing beef, sheep, pigs and goats at this scale.It’s been years in the making. But the motivation was simple: protect the future of local meat in Southland and give small farmers the pathway they’ve been missing.Photo: SuppliedWhy it’s a great thing for SouthlandThe big meat processors have grown busier and more focused on export. There’s no doubt that’s great for the national economy, but as a result, it has started to squeeze out the small growers and independent farmers who produce some of the best meat in the country and support Southland’s food identity.Some were turned away altogether. Others only just held on through long-standing relationships. But the direction was clear, space was shrinking, and local farmers were losing access to the system they relied on.“We could see the gap opening,” Craig Phillips says.“The big plants weren’t taking on new clients anymore, and smaller farmers literally had nowhere else to go.”For The Grocer, the risk was personal. They rely on being able to process their own stock for their retail stores. If the door ever closed at the big plants, their ability to sell their own Southland-raised meat would evaporate overnight.“So this was about keeping our business self-sufficient,” Craig said.“But it was also about closing the loop, having control of the whole journey, from field to fridge.”The result is a facility that will not only protect their own supply, but also open doors for farmers across the region.Inside the Lorneville micro-abattoir. Photo: SuppliedWhat “closing the loop” actually meansFor The Grocer, closing the loop means complete control over the process. From animal welfare, hygiene, inspection, handling, to the final product that reaches the shelves.It means knowing the animal, knowing the farmer, knowing the conditions, knowing the systems, and being able to stand behind the whole journey with confidence.For farmers, the micro abattoir creates a pathway to sell meat they’ve raised themselves. That might be direct to consumers, to a local butchery, to a restaurant, or under their own brand.Until now, many growers simply didn’t have that option. They were too small for the big meat works and not able to sell meat legally if it was processed under the homekill model.Craig says this facility changes that. It offers a transparent, MPI-regulated route for local meat to stay local.The difference between homekill and a Micro AbattoirHomekill processing is relatively limited. It’s perfectly fine for a farmer to process their own meat for personal consumption, but that meat can’t be sold. It can’t enter a butchery, restaurant, farmers market, or supermarket. It stays within the household.A registered micro abattoir is completely different. It sits under full MPI regulation, with ante-mortem inspections (before slaughter), post-mortem inspections (after), microbiological sampling, salmonella testing, traceability systems, strict hygiene standards, and detailed documentation. That level of oversight is what allows meat to enter the retail and hospitality markets.In a New Zealand first, The Grocer’s team have been trained and approved to carry out both ante- and post-mortem inspections in-house. That’s something usually reserved for large-scale meat works, not small regional operators.It gives them a level of control that simply hasn’t been possible at this scale before.“It’s business as usual, just better,” Craig says.Navigating the grey, the hardest part of the journeyFor The Grocer team, the biggest challenge hasn’t necessarily been the money, or the machinery; it’s been ‘the grey’.“There’s a template,” Craig says, “but none of it is black and white. It’s all grey. Very grey.”Because almost no one in New Zealand has gone through this process before, there isn’t a clear pathway. MPI could tell them the principles, the standards, the outcome, but not the exact design.The team had to interpret requirements, design systems from scratch, and test scenarios that larger plants have entire departments to manage.It was painstaking work for the Craigs. But it’s also what makes the end result so effective.Photo: SuppliedHow it works for farmersDespite the complexity behind the scenes, the experience for farmers is simple.When a farmer arrives, they’re assigned their own pen. That pen follows their animals through the entire process. Ante-mortem checks, humane slaughter, post-mortem inspection, chilling, and tagging.Every carcass carries the farmer’s name. There’s no mixing of lines, no ambiguity, and no questions about where anything came from.Carcasses are moved next door to the butchery for processing, or farmers have the option to collect their chilled, inspected carcasses and take them to their chosen butchery, whether that’s one of The Grocer’s own, or any other registered operator.For many farmers, this is the first time they’ve ever had a realistic, regulated pathway to sell their own animals. It opens the door to branded meat, new customer relationships, Farmers Market stalls, restaurant supply and even something as simple as selling a quarter beast to a friend, legally.“It opens doors that didn’t exist,” Craig says.What it means for local eatersFor Southlanders who care about where their food comes from, this is great news.We should expect to see more local meat processed and sold here. More local farms represented in butcheries, supermarkets, restaurants, and markets. More traceability. More transparency.More stories tied to this place. Shorter supply chains. Fresher product.It strengthens the regional food system.It strengthens local identity.The Grocer Lorneville. Photo: SuppliedA shift worth celebratingThis micro abattoir might look modest from the outside, but its impact isn’t. It fills a major gap in the Southland food system, supports small-scale farmers, strengthens local food resilience, and keeps local meat local.It’s the kind of innovation that aligns directly with the Feeding Murihiku Good Food Roadmap and reinforces what makes our region special: passionate people, strong relationships, and a willingness to build what the community needs.The people behind it allA quick word on the men behind the mahi.Craig Hamilton founded Woodlands Butchery 26 years ago and has been shaping Southland’s meat landscape ever since. He’s still innovating, still problem-solving, and still quietly leading.Craig “Muscles” Phillips started as the clean-up boy, literally sweeping floors. Then he became an apprentice, then a butcher, and now a shareholder across three stores and the hands-on operator of The Grocer Lorneville.It’s said, only half-jokingly, that part of the motivation for this micro abattoir was to keep him challenged.Together, they’re a very Southland combo. Practical, hardworking, relationship-focused, and deeply committed to their community.

Let the fun begin!Christmas is coming and as usual the Bluff community are working hard to make the festive season memorable for young and old alike.December will see three festive events, including the annual Santa Parade, Christmas In The Bluff (CITB) Gala Day and then, later in the month, the Decorated Christmas Shop Window Competition.  It all begins on Sunday 7 December with the annual Bluff Promotions Santa Parade, supported this year by South Port NZ Ltd.That will be followed as always by the very popular Christmas In The Bluff Gala Day at the Bluff Oyster Festival site.This year’s Gala Day is a particularly special one as it is the tenth year the Christmas In The Bluff Committee have organised the event for the community.Family fun at the CITB Gala Day. Credit: Yvonne PickfordThe parade will commence at 1pm with newly elected Mayor Tom Campbell and the Bluff Town Crier leading the way followed by cars, bikes, marching girls and plenty more including of course Santa.It will follow its traditional route along Gore Street (SH1) before turning into Palmer Street to end at the Oyster Festival site on Barrow Street where the Christmas In The Bluff Gala Day will be getting under way.The Santa Grotto will be one of the big highlights for the kids at the Gala Day but there is plenty more with face painting, mini jeeps, a bouncy castle, a chocolate wheel, food and craft stalls and live music. The Your Corps gaming area returns this year and is bound to be popular.A Decorated Christmas Wreath Competition, with an opportunity to vote for your favourite by gold coin donation, is also a popular part of the day and a new innovation this year will be the Decorated Christmas Stocking Competition for children up to Form 2.The Gala Day provides a wonderful atmosphere and is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and family.Santa Claus, always a big attraction at the Bluff Santa Parade supported by South Port NZ Ltd. Credit: Nicole McLiskeyThe CITB Gala Day is all about the families having a fantastic day without having to worry about the cost – celebrating the 10th Anniversary with loads of smiles, fun and laughter.Admission is free as is much of the entertainment making it a truly family friendly day.

Below is a list of programmed works on Southland state highways next week.  Key renewal sites in Southland currently underway/beginning:SH1 Bluff highway – Stage two north of Clifden is likely to begin next week.  Traffic lights in place, delays of 5-10 minutes.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) – Underway and likely to continue for 2-3 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. A map of all known work is mapped HERE. Highways South maintenance work:SH6 Dipton-Winton highway, stop/go for watercuttingSH93 Old Coach Road near Three Stones Road, traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway near Two Chain Road, traffic lights for pavement repairsSH94 Lumsden-Riversdale highway near Longridge, traffic lights for pavement repairsSH96 Glencoe highway near Te Tipua, stop/go for watercuttingSH96 Glencoe highway between Glenoce and Springhills, stop/go for watercuttingSH96 Winton-Wreys Bush highway near Hundred Line Road, stop/got for sealingSH96 Nightcaps-Ohai highway, stop/go for watercuttingRoadmarking taking place on SH99 at Riverton, SH99 at Tuatapere and SH1 between McNab and Dacre under a mobile operation **Programmed work may be delayed due to weather/other factors. Other contractor work that we are aware of:SH1 Marine Parade Bluff, stop/go for utility workSH1 Bluff highway at Kekeno Place, stop/go for third party maintenanceSH1 Tay St Invercargill between Lindisfarne St and Queen's Drive, lane diversion for utility workSH1 East Road Invercargill, lane diversion for utility workSH6 Dee St Invercargill between Tay St and Gala St, lane closure for filmingSH6 North Road Invercargill near West Plains Road, lane diversion for utility workSH6 Winton-Lorneville highway near Wilson Crossing Road, lane closure for tree trimmingSH93 Old Coach Road near Kaiwera Road, lane closure, for capital worksUseful 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.

The Invercargill City Council has given its first look at how much last month’s devastating storm cost the organisation, and it is not cheap.On October 23, severe weather hit the region, toppling trees, damaging properties and leaving thousands without power.The council revealed in a report for a coming meeting the estimated cost to date to the council was more than $2.39 million — a figure which was expected to change in the coming weeks.4Parks and reserves topped the spending at $930,538, followed by $623,304 for elderly housing and $298,308 for roading.On the other end of the spectrum was a bill of $500 for car paintwork repair and $215 for an aerial replacement at the cemetery.Council chief executive Michael Day said the cleanup would take weeks, if not longer.Mr Day commended the efforts of council staff."They put in a huge effort and we really appreciated the support, encouragement, and patience the people of Invercargill and Bluff have shown as we worked to get things back to normal," he said."It’s too soon to tell the final cost of October’s weather event, or when all the damage will be remedied."The council report said insurance assessors were inspecting assets, which allowed staff to get quotes for repairs.It also noted that costs did not include tree replanting, and council did not budget for emergency events.Southland remained in a state of emergency for two weeks following the storm from October 24 to November 7.Linesmen worked long hours to restore electricity supply. More than 10,000 properties were initially without power.City council staff contributed 525 hours of work to Emergency Management Southland over a 15-day period, the report showed.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

The top boss at Environment Southland has given a blunt assessment on a wilding pine issue which is plaguing parts of the country.Southland has previously been described as reaching a “tipping point” with trees spreading aggressively through high country, farmland and conservation areas.Environment Southland acting chief executive Rob Phillips said on Thursday that about $25 million extra was required to tackle the issue of wilding pines on top of the “ballpark” $20 million currently being spent by Government and councils.“We’re hardly treading water, but we are going backwards,” he said.Douglas fir has previously been highlighted as a species of concern in Southland because of the distance its seed can travel, tolerance to climate and commercial popularity.Phillips touched on that point, saying the tree was seen as a favourable production species, making it a challenge to turn that around and put liability back on plantations.“This is certainly the biggest biodiversity threat to our tussock grasses in the South Island and central North Island.”His comments followed concern from councillor Alastair Gibson that the council had recorded its containment of the trees as 'partially achieved' in a biosecurity report.“I think we’re going backwards to be honest,” Gibson said.The council report measured a range of outcomes for a one-year period and showed the council had reached the majority of its biodiversity targets.But it also noted some of the larger biosecurity programmes were beginning to struggle because the scale of pest issues was greater than the capacity to respond.Harmful species the council fought fell under four categories: marine, animal, plant and freshwater.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

Three people have been arrested and charged on a range of drug-related offences following a planned operation by Southland Police’s Organised Crime Group in Invercargill.Operation Mist, which ended on 6-7 September, saw an intensive investigation into the supply and sale of illicit drugs in the Invercargill area.The arrests follow the execution of four search warrants simultaneously at various addresses in Southland and located an ounce (28 grams) of pre-packed methamphetamine, quantities of cannabis and class A and B drugs, $10,000 in cash, and multiple items related to the sale and supply of drugs.Police said they have not ruled out further charges.Southern District Organised Crime Group Manager, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Baird says the operation’s success was the result of strong teamwork across a number of Police workgroups.“The number of teams involved in this investigation is not only a testament to the level of collaboration that we have come to rely upon in Southland – but also represents the dedication Police have to disrupting this type of offending.3“It’s estimated that the methamphetamine seized alone has a street value of $21,000 and the social harm this could cause would be astronomical.“I am extremely please with this result and would like to commend the teams on their efforts,” Baird said.Police urge the public to report any criminal or suspicious activity by calling 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.You can also make a report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Southland Girls High School year 12 student Sophie Ineson is this year’s recipient of the Prime Minister’s Space Prize for student endeavour and will receive $50,000 to support her tertiary education, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says.“This is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to Sophie – she has done herself, and Invercargill and Southland proud.“I have followed Sophie’s endeavours over several years and have been impressed with her passion for all things related to Space and Science.“This prize is a huge accolade. It’s a recognition of her wonderful talent, but also a reflection on her education right here in the South.“It’s incredible that this award has come to Invercargill and it should inspire all local students to aspire to be leaders in their field.” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Sophie’s innovative research, “exploring how Southland’s natural materials could enhance wound care for astronauts, is highly impressive.”“This kind of forward-thinking not only holds promise for space exploration but also for the future of healthcare on Earth.”Sophie’s project focused on an important challenge: how wounds heal in space?Sophie designed ways to prevent infection in the context of microgravity, low pressure, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and lunar dust.She considered both medical and engineering concepts which will be essential to space exploration and targeted the goal of developing new wound dressings for future Artemis missions. She designed an approach that incorporated natural materials from Southland.“The Prime Minister’s Award panel members were impressed with Sophie’s initiative, determination, and critical thinking, and the sheer amount of testing she managed to complete and analyse.“The Government sees it as crucial to celebrate the achievements of people like Sophie, as we continue to position New Zealand as a leader in the global space industry,” Mrs Simmonds says

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.