Central Otago District, Alexandra

1504 days ago

Throwback Thursday

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

Firefighters battle a blaze at the Night & Day store in central Queenstown in November 2007.

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1505 days ago

New owner of Central Otago hotel not spooked by ghost encounter

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

The new owner of Central Otago’s famous haunted Vulcan Hotel has first-hand experience of the ghost.

Royce Clark has been visiting St Bathans for duck shooting and rugby with mates for more than 40 years, and has been a regular at the hotel.

However, doors were closed for the first time in 140 … View more
The new owner of Central Otago’s famous haunted Vulcan Hotel has first-hand experience of the ghost.

Royce Clark has been visiting St Bathans for duck shooting and rugby with mates for more than 40 years, and has been a regular at the hotel.

However, doors were closed for the first time in 140 years earlier this month when one of the proprietors became seriously ill and a sale deal failed.

“I thought ‘stuff it. Let’s get down there and getting it cranked up again’.”

Read more - including about Clark's experience with the ghost - here.

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1505 days ago

Win a Vegepod worth over $500.

Reporter Sunday Star Times

Until the 11th of October, purchase a regional newspaper or the Sunday Star-Times, find the daily code and go into win 1 of 100 medium vegepod and trolley stands. Find out more

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1506 days ago

Super gran out-planks community gym youngsters at 78

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

Jan Wood had never heard of a plank when she joined her local gym 10 years ago. Now she’s smashing records.

The 78-year-old grandmother of 10 surprised her friends at Cromwell’s NRG Health and Fitness by holding a plank – essentially holding a push-position at full stretch – for 21 minutes… View more
Jan Wood had never heard of a plank when she joined her local gym 10 years ago. Now she’s smashing records.

The 78-year-old grandmother of 10 surprised her friends at Cromwell’s NRG Health and Fitness by holding a plank – essentially holding a push-position at full stretch – for 21 minutes as part of a September challenge.

She held the gym’s longest plank title for a few days before 66-year-old friend and rival super gran Lesley Garrett “trounced” her by holding a plank for 40 minutes.

After someone topped their time by 45 seconds, they took on the challenge with competitive determination. Read the full story here.

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1507 days ago

Queenstown man snowboards into town from home after 'weather bomb' hits

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

A Queenstown man stepped out of his house, jumped on his snowboard and headed into town after snow "belted down” on Monday.

The snow came from a “weather bomb” or “bomb cyclone”, which brought spring snow to parts of the South Island.

Queenstown man Tom Woodward, who lives in the … View more
A Queenstown man stepped out of his house, jumped on his snowboard and headed into town after snow "belted down” on Monday.

The snow came from a “weather bomb” or “bomb cyclone”, which brought spring snow to parts of the South Island.

Queenstown man Tom Woodward, who lives in the elevated suburb of Fernhill, said people were cheering as he snowboarded past buses and stuck cars this morning.

How's the weather at your place? Tell us in the comments below.

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1507 days ago

Get inspired with the Southland Home Show!

Resene

The Southland Home Show is on from 3-4 October at ILT Stadium. A visit to the show can help you make qualified decisions, everything to make your house into a home.

Come and see the Resene team on the Resene stand for the latest colour and wallpaper ideas and inspiration. We look forward to … View more
The Southland Home Show is on from 3-4 October at ILT Stadium. A visit to the show can help you make qualified decisions, everything to make your house into a home.

Come and see the Resene team on the Resene stand for the latest colour and wallpaper ideas and inspiration. We look forward to seeing you there!
Visit the show!

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1508 days ago

The regions hardest hit by Covid-19 are among New Zealand's most beautiful

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

The lengthening lines outside Fergburger might suggest otherwise, but New Zealand’s tourism sector is still in fight-for-survival mode.

The hardest hit regions of Fiordland, the West Coast, Queenstown and Dunedin – where spend was down 22 per cent, 20 per cent, 18 per cent and 17 per cent … View more
The lengthening lines outside Fergburger might suggest otherwise, but New Zealand’s tourism sector is still in fight-for-survival mode.

The hardest hit regions of Fiordland, the West Coast, Queenstown and Dunedin – where spend was down 22 per cent, 20 per cent, 18 per cent and 17 per cent respectively (according to MBIE data) – are also among our most beautiful.

The problem is not that no-one wants to visit them, but that they relied heavily on overseas visitors or tourism in general before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Even with the domestic tourists they’ve welcomed since the nationwide lockdown ended, they’re still in dire straits.

Pay them a visit on your next break and you’ll be doing them a favour they’ll repay you for many times over in terms of the adventures they offer. Of course it helps that they are all offering some pretty exceptional deals.

1511 days ago

Why 2021 will be the year of the long weekend

The Team Reporter from Stuff

Hey neighbours,

Good news – 2021 is set to be the year of the long weekend.

Five out of 10 public holidays will be Mondayised (or Tuesdayised in one case) next year, which means if you work a standard Monday to Friday week, you can look forward to some extended breaks.

In fact, once … View more
Hey neighbours,

Good news – 2021 is set to be the year of the long weekend.

Five out of 10 public holidays will be Mondayised (or Tuesdayised in one case) next year, which means if you work a standard Monday to Friday week, you can look forward to some extended breaks.

In fact, once you’ve tacked on the weekends, you’ll end up getting a whopping 25 days off out of those 10 stat days, plus your region’s anniversary day.

To find out how to get the most out of your annual leave next year, click here.

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1510 days ago

Do you get our free gardening ezine?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

In this week’s issue we say avocados are the fruit we all long to grow. It’s time to plant salad greens in containers, inspire junior gardeners, turn lawns into new garden beds and repot and feed hippeastrums.

We list 10 trees to plant to attract birds to your garden for shelter and a … View more
In this week’s issue we say avocados are the fruit we all long to grow. It’s time to plant salad greens in containers, inspire junior gardeners, turn lawns into new garden beds and repot and feed hippeastrums.

We list 10 trees to plant to attract birds to your garden for shelter and a year-round food supply. Plus go in the draw for fertiliser and soil enhancer from Fodda and there’s another chance to win Mr Fothergill’s ultimate garden pack.

Delivered every Friday to your email inbox, Get Growing digital magazine offers seasonal gardening advice from the NZ Gardener magazine's team of experts. Each week we answer all your burning questions on raising fruit and veges and tell you the top tasks to do in your backyard this weekend. Subscribe here:

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1510 days ago

What is double glazing?

RetroFit Double Glazing - Otago

What is double glazing? We’ve put together some information that might help you with your research if you're considering getting retrofit double glazing click here to read. If you’re interested, we offer a free no obligation quote click here or call us on 0800 658 658.

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1510 days ago

Paint a hat box

The Team from Resene ColorShop Dunedin

Turn a cardboard lidded hat box into a stylish piece of home décor using Resene testpots, with a tribal twist.

When painting with a tribal theme, throw perfection out the window and embrace crooked lines, texture, and less than perfect paint techniques to get a more organic result.

Make the most… View more
Turn a cardboard lidded hat box into a stylish piece of home décor using Resene testpots, with a tribal twist.

When painting with a tribal theme, throw perfection out the window and embrace crooked lines, texture, and less than perfect paint techniques to get a more organic result.

Make the most of this weekend with this easy step by step project idea from Resene. Find out how to create your own

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1511 days ago

Happy New Zealand Sign Language Week!

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

NZ Sign Language is unique to our country and is one of New Zealand's three official languages, so those are some great reasons to celebrate it!
Check out the Neighbourly team trying their hand at simple greetings that you could sign in your neighbourhood.

1512 days ago

Take part in Pots for Tots for Plunket with Resene!

Resene

Help us help Plunket support Kiwi kids and their families! Buy any Resene testpot with a colour name starting with P, O or T and Resene will donate $1 to Plunket.

The 10 most common birthdays all appear in the 13-day period from 22 September to 4 October! What better way to celebrate all these … View more
Help us help Plunket support Kiwi kids and their families! Buy any Resene testpot with a colour name starting with P, O or T and Resene will donate $1 to Plunket.

The 10 most common birthdays all appear in the 13-day period from 22 September to 4 October! What better way to celebrate all these new babies than supporting Plunket to support them.

Every qualifying testpot you buy = a $1 donation to Plunket!

Offer applies until 4 October 2020 at Resene owned ColorShops.
Learn more

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1512 days ago

Reverse Equity Mortgage gives you options.

SBS Bank

Make the most of your retirement with less stress, and a whole lot of fun with SBS Unwind, a Reverse Equity Mortgage loan. The idea is simple – homeowners aged over 60 stay in their house but free up some money from the property to live their life.

Use the money however you like, while the … View more
Make the most of your retirement with less stress, and a whole lot of fun with SBS Unwind, a Reverse Equity Mortgage loan. The idea is simple – homeowners aged over 60 stay in their house but free up some money from the property to live their life.

Use the money however you like, while the flexible loan means regular payments aren’t required and you can repay all or some of the loan at any time.

For more details visit our sbsbank.co.nz/, contact your local SBS branch or call 0800 727 2265.

Eligibility Criteria, Terms and Conditions, and fees apply.
Find out more

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1514 days ago

Pioneering retirement for a trailblazing generation

There is a new generation of New Zealander, seeking a new way to live in retirement. They are living their lives with passion and purpose, striving to push further, to create better, to go beyond the ordinary.

A new generation of Kiwis are not retiring from life; they’re finding a new way to … View more
There is a new generation of New Zealander, seeking a new way to live in retirement. They are living their lives with passion and purpose, striving to push further, to create better, to go beyond the ordinary.

A new generation of Kiwis are not retiring from life; they’re finding a new way to live. One with flexibility, certainty, and the ability to dial care up and down as you need it.
Learn more

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