Hamish MacLean

New Zealand's leading expert on stone tool production says he is not nearly as good at making stone tools as the people who produced the circa 14th century ''state of the art'' adzes in the North Otago Museum's collection.

PGG Wrightson Seeds has promised a ''complete and utter systems review'' after Southland and Otago farmers learned this week they had grown a discontinued variety of herbicide-tolerant swedes.

Environment Canterbury has released a report detailing 25 recommendations on how to balance preserving the "outstanding national landscape and biodiversity values" of the Mackenzie Basin with needs of landowners and communities.

​For nearly three decades, Kakanui's Debbie Shields was the friendly face at Awamoa Clothing. Hamish MacLean catches up with another North Otago local legend.

Oamaru's Tongan community probably all have family members suffering in the aftermath of the category 4 storm that ripped through the islands at the start of the week, Oamaru Tongan Community president Hotili Asi says.

An Australian motorcyclist was dumbfounded yesterday after waking up next to his broken-down bike in Oamaru's main street with a $200 freedom camping ticket.

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was not among the 22 mayors to receive an invitation from Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis to hash out solutions in Wellington next month to the country's freedom camping problem.