The Eastern Southland Gallery has lost one of its most devoted friends. Sir Sam Neill, who died on July 13 aged 78, spent more than 25 years quietly shaping the Gore gallery's collection and championing the idea that provincial New Zealand deserves serious contemporary art. Gallery curator Jim

Paul Henry is heading to Parliament — or at least ACT is betting on it. The veteran broadcaster announced this morning he will stand as an ACT Party list candidate at November's general election, having resigned from the TVNZ board to do so. ACT leader David Seymour expects Henry

New Zealand's first herd of special interest has been officially designated — and it's in Fiordland. The Fiordland wapiti herd has been granted herd of special interest (HOSI) status, a recognition that locks in hunter-led management of the herd and gives the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation a formal,

Eighteen-year-old race driver Jacob Begg from Winton in Central Southland has received the opportunity of a lifetime as he heads to Europe to take up a testing and evaluation programme with Leipert Motorsport in a Lamborghini Super Trofeo Evo 2. It all started with an email that was almost too

Southland motorcycle racer Cormac Buchanan has finished 13th at the Moto3 World Championship round in Germany, his best result of the 2026 season and a badly needed confidence boost after a difficult start to the year. The Sachsenring circuit suited Buchanan from the first session. He went P9 in FP1

Wallacetown's new BMX and pump tracks opened on Saturday — though they nearly didn't make it to the ribbon-cutting in one piece. A group of motorcyclists rode over the tracks the night before the opening, forcing Ryal Bush Transport staff into an emergency cleanup job. Ōreti Community

There was fire and light, marketeers, food trucks, music and people, lots of people. Another large crowd gathered in Bluff on Saturday evening to enjoy the annual Thieves Alley Market/Bluff Promotions Night Market and Fire & Light Show at the Bluff Oyster & Food Festival site. The market stalls

Invercargill's public transport system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt. That, at least, is the view gaining traction at the council table. Mayor Tom Campbell told councillors this week the city should abandon any tinkering with its existing setup and start over. "Clearly what we have at