This weekend, Central Otago adventure racers Mike Johnston and Sarah Clarke will take on spiders as big as feet and mosquitoes the size of small birds in their bid to complete the 300km Proyecto Aventura Ecuador race, Marjorie Cook reports.
Contractors who began removing a 1.4km section of the Glenfinnan flood protection works from the Matukituki River this month are making quick progress.
An old-fashioned map and ruler helped Bannockburn wine-growers Crawford and Catherine Brown pinpoint New Zealand's furthest point from the sea on Monday, satisfying a 12-year curiosity.
The Lake Hawea Holiday Park has been sold, with new owners Richard and Sarah Burdon taking over from founders the Cotter family in October.
Peter Hook's hackles might be raised over suggestions Wanaka's camping ground should close but he was all smiles yesterday as he discussed a $21.5 million sports facilities proposal with Wanaka Community Board member Dick Kane.
There has been a positive reception to Wanaka's new town centre development strategy released by a Queenstown Lakes District Council working party on Tuesday, but many questions still remain.
Two Wanaka gravel extractors appear to have the blessing of the Queenstown Lakes District Council to operate partially outside the terms of new resource consents until the Environment Court sorts out the dispute.
Upper Clutha Environmental Society president Julian Haworth is urgently investigating why the organisation has been struck off the incorporated society register.
Lethal 1080 is still being dropped in the West Coast to kill possums, which destroy native trees and bird life and are thought to give bovine Tb to farm stock. Not everyone backs 1080 drops, as Marjorie Cook reports.
The small but crucial commercial fishing industry at Haast faces uncertainty, following a proposal to establish 11 traditional Maori fishing reserves in South Westland, doubling the total number already created for the whole country.
West Coasters love wandering along the area's rugged beaches looking for interesting stones - even pieces of prized greenstone.
A stock truck rolled on State Highway 8A at sandy Point, near Luggate, yesterday, killing 40 newly-weaned lambs.
A second Wanaka gravel supplier has been limited to a five-year consent period for its operations in the Cardrona River bed because of increasing tensions between rural and residential activities on the town's outskirts.
The arts of sculpture and wine-making combine at Rippon Vineyard from tomorrow until May 3 with the opening of a large-scale public installation in the vineyard's grounds.
Wanaka ratepayers are facing a $21.5 million question: should proposed new sports facilities include a swimming pool and where should the facilities go?
No compelling social or economic case has been found to retain the Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park in its town centre location and any further council investment in Wanaka camps should be made first at Glendhu Bay, a Queenstown Lakes District Council report says.
Naseby's 102-year-old Sacred Heart Church was sold yesterday for an undisclosed price, although it was above its $138,000 government valuation.
Matt Henderson, of Wanaka, smashed Otago swimming's oldest record at the Canterbury championships last Saturday and will be going for gold again this weekend at the Otago championships.
Mark Williams, of Queenstown, won the inaugural two-stage mountain-bike race at the Mavora Lakes last weekend.
The Cromwell Community Board has slashed the ward's forecast 54% rates increase for 2009-10 to 34% but members are not happy and want more cuts.