Rebecca Fox

A visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought out the Sunday best in the St Paul's Cathedral congregation yesterday.

It took two German journeymen more than 200 hours to replicate, but a special spire and cross has been put in rightful place in Dunedin's Southern Cemetery.

Chatting casually about their children in the pews of St Paul's Cathedral, the Duchess of Cambridge and Robyn Madden had much to talk about.

It took 80 hours and some Kiwi ingenuity but Albie the albatross is ready to fledge.

Retired projectionist Russell Campbell says he will not be able to resist adding a touch of royalty when he shows old newsreels and documentary clips at the Regent Theatre next week.

Port Otago is worried cruise ships making hasty decisions to forgo visiting Milford Sound will have ''significant flow-on effects'' for Dunedin.

Dunedin academics are among those on a quest to get New Zealand's political leadership to start preparing the country for future challenges such as climate change and economic instability.

New genetic research will help guide the conservation of New Zealand's most inquisitive bird, the kea, University of Otago scientists say.

Agresearch's plan to downsize Invermay is sending the wrong message to the next generation of potential scientists, University of Waikato professor of agribusiness Jacqueline Rowarth says.

While Otago and Southland's agricultural sector could benefit from higher rainfall and warmer winters, the region's coastal environments will be at risk from greater erosion and storm events, Niwa climate scientist Dr Andrew Tait says.

It could be the turn of depleted northern hemisphere whale populations next, University of Otago Assoc Prof Liz Slooten fears.

Caricatures, shell casings, diaries, medals and even bayonets came out of their cupboards and cases this weekend as their keepers hoped to nab a spot on the Tony Robinson's Tour of Duty television series.

As another outbreak of potentially toxic algae hits Tomahawk Lagoon, the Otago Regional Council has promised to brief the community on the problem.