A $180 million hotel and resort development in Wānaka is set to break ground next year, marking the town’s first major hotel project since 1986. The Mount Iron Wānaka development will occupy 1.8 hectares at the foot of the mountain, aiming to address a long-standing gap in the local tourism market. Project Scope and Design … Read more
The search for missing 47-year-old Brazilian national Erika Rodrigues Coelho in Queenstown’s Coronet Peak area was paused this evening. Rodrigues Coelho was reported missing on September 20 after no one had seen or heard from her since September 18, with her rental vehicle subsequently discovered at Skippers Saddle on September 21. Police believe the car … Read more
Phosphate mining has resumed in New Zealand for the first time in nearly 80 years, with the first truckloads from an operation in Otago delivered to farms this month. The extraction targets a critical mineral that New Zealand farmers rely on for optimal animal feed, amid national import data from Stats NZ showing the country … Read more
New Zealanders heading into the school holidays face a weekend of unsettled weather, with MetService forecasting a cocktail of heavy rain, strong winds, and snow across various regions. While Thursday provided a window of mostly clear skies, a sequence of cold fronts is set to move in starting Friday, peaking with the most severe conditions … Read more
A blast of cold southern air has delivered unseasonable frosts across New Zealand, sending temperatures below freezing in parts of the North Island just hours after the spring equinox, according to MetService. The equinox marked the point in the calendar when day and night are roughly equal in length, but the seasonal shift brought severe … Read more
The Tapanui community in West Otago has raised more than $170,000 for the Child Cancer Foundation, inspired by local residents Peter and Sarah Davies and their late son Jock, according to Seven Sharp. The fundraising effort involves the community of fewer than 1,000 people and brings fresh attention to a cause that supported the Davies … Read more
A massive portrait of British singer Ed Sheeran in Dunedin, New Zealand, has become the center of political debate after a “Free Palestine” tag was painted across the artwork. Artist Tyler Kennedy Stent, who created the mural on Bath Street in 2018, stated that the graffiti is a welcome addition to the work, according to … Read more
An Otago University student died from asphyxia after choking on his own vomit while heavily intoxicated during a birthday celebration, according to coroner’s findings released from Dunedin. The 20-year-old first-year student, whose name is permanently suppressed, was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on October 1, 2023, following a gathering at a Dunedin flat. Coroner Details … Read more
A Qantas Boeing 737-800 operating flight QF122 from Queenstown to Sydney diverted safely to Christchurch Airport on Saturday, September 5, 2026, after experiencing an engine issue and shooting flames shortly after takeoff, according to reports. The aircraft, registered as VH-VZQ, landed without injury to the 158 passengers and crew onboard, meeting a full emergency response … Read more
New Zealand’s Winter Ranked Third-Warmest on Record, Data Shows Earth Sciences New Zealand reported that the country’s winter of 2026 ranked as the third-warmest on record, with a nationwide average temperature of 9.7°C—1.1°C above the 1991-2020 winter average, according to the agency’s climate summary. Regional Temperature Variations Highlight Climate Contrasts While the South Island saw … Read more