West Coast
'Don't be an idiot' says mayor, as dry continues
More deliberately lit beach fires kept Greymouth firefighters busy again yesterday and last night - the Volunteer Fire Brigade has now fielded 29 calls over 27 days this month.
February dry spell arrives early for West Coast farmers
Some farmers are already buying extra feed and offloading stock. Audio
West Coast kelp decline and marine heatwave under examination
The Department of Conservation is looking at the decline of 'old growth' kelp beds along the Coast Road and the effects of the marine heatwave on its five marine reserves on the West Coast.
SH65 near Murchison partially reopens after scrub fire
Fire forced the closure of the main inland road from Nelson to Christchurch for several hours today, though one lane has now been reopened.
Toxic algal bloom, lethal to dogs, spreading in on the West Coast
Extraordinarily warm weather and no real rain is creating conditions for algal blooms in West Coast waterways.
Water conservation urged as dry weather continues
Residents of the Grey district are being asked to keep conserving water, because no significant rain is forecast for the coming weeks.
Firefighters watch for hotspots at Coronet Peak vegetation fire
Firefighters say an aerial reconnaissance of Coronet Peak this morning has found no visible smoke from a large vegetation fire on the Skippers Road.
Water stoppages mooted as Grey District grapples with potential drought
Despite the West Coast's reputation as one of the country's wettest spots, parts of the region are now grappling with a potential drought. Audio
Museum stop - Coaltown Museum Westport
Our museum stop today is in Buller in the heart of coal country. The Coaltown museum tracks the challenging history and development of coal mining and export on the coast. It includes the Q wagon… Audio
Summer Walking
Summer walking Walker and photographer Shaun Barnett is back to talk about another four of his favourite day walks from different parts of the country. Today it's Te Henga Walkway in Auckland's… Audio
Marine heatwave: Fiordland set to reach record sea temperature
MetService says the waters around Fiordland may reach the highest temperature ever recorded.
La Niña brings record-high temperatures for Greymouth
Parts of the South Island are seeing record high temperatures, while the North braces for the impacts of Cyclone Hale. Audio
Loretta Paterson: Pastry Perfection
Nothing beats a pit stop for a hot pie on a summer road trip, and no one knows that better than Loretta Paterson. After 20 years of early starts and millions of pies, Loretta and her husband Shane are… Audio
Property developer exploring mining possibilities at seaside beauty spot
A prominent 16ha block bordering the seaside settlement of Rapahoe and State Highway 6 could be subdivided into lifestyle-size residential blocks.
Authority for new Pike River bore holes delegated to DOC
The authority for police to drill further new bore holes inside Paparoa National Park, for the continuing investigation into the Pike River Mine disaster, has been delegated to the Department of…
Pricing farm emissions can't lead to production cuts - council
The West Coast Regional Council has given "partial support" to some of the government's proposals - but has concerns.
Māori sites of significance maps to be fixed after errors found
Relief is in sight for a number of West Coast property owners who found their land had been mistakenly captured in mapping errors for sites of significance to Māori in the proposed Te Tai o Poutini…
Gloriavale says it can't afford lawyers in ongoing court case
The Gloriavale community has applied to the Employment Court to represent itself.
Main highway between Nelson and Blenheim set to finally reopen
The main road between Nelson and Blenheim is due to finally this evening, seven weeks after it was closed for emergency flood repairs.
