Laura Mills

Three hundred tahr are to be culled and fed to kea in an attempt to keep the endangered native parrots away from an aerial 1080 poison drop in the hills behind Whataroa.

An influx of boaties in South Westland, some inspired by YouTube videos of bumper catches, are keeping the Haast-based honorary fishing officer busy this year.

Mother Nature 1, Westland 0 - that was the verdict yesterday as Fox Glacier residents started pondering the reality of life in the tourist village without foot or road access to the glacier.

The Department of Conservation plans to spend $12million this year on rodent control with 1080 poison as it fights a "mega'' beech mast fruiting season.

In a major blow to Fox Glacier tourism, the access road to the glacier has been wiped out by a major landslip, just weeks after the last repairs costing $430,000.

The West Coast District Health Board has launched a full investigation after confidential patient information concerning 300 patients from Grey Base Hospital was found in a Christchurch suburb.

The recent addition of cellphone coverage in remote parts of South Westland has also introduced the area to a problem experienced everywhere - people driving while on the phone.

After almost five decades teaching, mostly in South Westland, Hilary Millard has finally called it a day, having made many happy memories.

West Coast Regional Council chairman Andrew Robb says his council's stance on the proposed Zero Carbon Bill is not embarrassing for the region, and he has had e-mails in support.

The mayors of Westland and Grey are standing firm on their councils' provision of freedom camping sites, and say they are getting tourists out of the bush and into a toilet.

The new freedom camping sites established by the Grey and Westland district councils are hurting - if not killing - their rate-paying businesses, campground owners say.

It is still under construction and 10 months away from opening, but the Paparoa Track has made the New York Times list of the top 52 places to go in 2019.

The West Coast District Health Board says it hopes to be in the new hospital in Greymouth next December, as costs continue to mount.

The Grey District Council hopes to make permanent repairs to the Greymouth water supply next week after the town ran out of water on Christmas Eve.

The Grey District Council has pulled the plug on plans to fit a giant 3m television screen above the Greymouth town square, after costs escalated.

The Department of Conservation has delivered an early Christmas present to Fox Glacier by reopening the glacier access road and walking track, which had been closed because of flood damage in early...