Central Otago District, Alexandra

Explore more, worry less at Ryman

Explore more, worry less at Ryman

With Ryman’s lock-and-leave-style living, you’re free to explore without worrying about home maintenance or security.

894 days ago

Concrete pad

The Team from Resene ColorShop Dunedin

Transform a dull concrete pad into an attractive seating area with a little bit of help from Resene Walk-on flooring and paving paint.

Find out how to create your own.

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895 days ago

Do you know a greenfingered hero in your community?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Dear neighbours,

NZ Gardener together with Ryman Healthcare is once again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who use their gardening skills to help others. Tell us about the great gardeners doing right by your community, and they could be one of five finalists who will… View more
Dear neighbours,

NZ Gardener together with Ryman Healthcare is once again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who use their gardening skills to help others. Tell us about the great gardeners doing right by your community, and they could be one of five finalists who will feature in the October magazine!

There are some amazing prizes up for grabs, so if you know a homegrown hero who is using their gardening skills for the greater good, nominate them now for Ryman Healthcare 2022 Gardener of the Year!

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896 days ago

Reduce rising living costs

Enjoy the flexibility to do what you want and be more in control of your finances. Our fixed base weekly fee means Ryman residents can relax and make confident financial choices. And as living costs continue to rise, our fixed fee guarantee is more important than ever.

Ryman residents say that … View more
Enjoy the flexibility to do what you want and be more in control of your finances. Our fixed base weekly fee means Ryman residents can relax and make confident financial choices. And as living costs continue to rise, our fixed fee guarantee is more important than ever.

Ryman residents say that this financial security helps them plan ahead for large expenses like holidays while still enjoying themselves today. Because fewer responsibilities mean that you can live on your own terms. It’s one of the ways we’re pioneering retirement living – so you can embrace life and blaze a new trail in retirement.
Learn more

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896 days ago

Time to escape your neighbourhood?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.

To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View more
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.

To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Share now

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898 days ago

Popular ice cream product recalled

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Popular ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs has recalled a specific batch of their product due to a low level chemical (ethylene oxide) contamination

The ice cream product is the Häagen-Dazs brand Classic Collection Mini Cups (4x95mL) with the Best Before dates from the 04.07.2022 up to and including … View more
Popular ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs has recalled a specific batch of their product due to a low level chemical (ethylene oxide) contamination

The ice cream product is the Häagen-Dazs brand Classic Collection Mini Cups (4x95mL) with the Best Before dates from the 04.07.2022 up to and including 21.07.2023.

Ethylene Oxide has been found in the vanilla cup. This chemical is normally used as a fumigant for controlling post-harvest insects, moulds, and pathogens in a variety of food however there is low risk from ingesting this amount.

This product is sold in Pak'n Save, New World, Four Square, and Gilmours stores throughout the North Island and can be returned to these stores for a full refund.

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899 days ago

Re-energise your morning with the Sunday Star-Times

mags4gifts.co.nz

Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52. Subscribe now by clicking here!

Terms and conditions apply.
Subscribe now

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901 days ago

Terracotta planter

The Team from Resene ColorShop Dunedin

It’s easy to create this simple planter using a couple of terracotta pots and some Resene testpots.

Find out how to create your own.

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902 days ago

Queenstown's big weekend party to celebrate winter, snow and visitors

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

The people of Queenstown will celebrate the winter they hope will turn the tourist destination’s fortunes around after a lamentable two years of Covid-19.

The Welcome to Winter 2022 celebration will take place over four days starting on Thursday and include fireworks, live music, night skiing … View more
The people of Queenstown will celebrate the winter they hope will turn the tourist destination’s fortunes around after a lamentable two years of Covid-19.

The Welcome to Winter 2022 celebration will take place over four days starting on Thursday and include fireworks, live music, night skiing and swimming in Lake Wakatipu for the enthusiastic.

Headline act Mitch James would play on the central Queenstown outdoor stage on Friday, followed by Stellar on Saturday.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods said the celebration would be happening on one of the busiest weekends of winter when the Australian and New Zealand school holidays overlap.

Kiwi musician Mitch James will be performing in central Queenstown on Friday night.

Kiwi musician Mitch James will be performing in central Queenstown on Friday night.

While everyone would benefit, the celebrations would be focused on the local community, he said.

Since Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand in 2020 and borders closed, Queenstown’s tourism and hospitality businesses have been hit by a massive drop in customers.

Just in the year to January 2021 there was a 33% drop in visitor spending in the town, down to $610 million.

Even with borders open now, many businesses were running at less capacity due to critical staff shortages and staff being hit by winter illnesses and absences due to Covid-19.

However, the winter season had started with incredible snow, which attracted strong numbers of Australian visitors, Woods said.

Many direct trans-Tasman flights have been booked out and hotels were booked about 80%, the highest levels since 2019, Woods said.

“This is the boost we need. It’s great, but it’s going to be a long recovery.”

Future Hospitality Group co-owner Bert Haines said there were ten-fold more visitors in Queenstown in recent weeks compared to the last two years.

“We’re busy... we’re actually overwhelmed by the amount of people here combined with the lack of staff available to work.”

Like other businesses he was battling staff shortages and sickness across the company’s five central-Queenstown restaurants and bars.

Queenstown's latest boutique hotel is facing an unusual quandary as it prepares to welcome Australian tourists - it can't find any trained butlers.

“It’s been a very delicate line to navigate, trying to look after our team and look after our guests,” he said.

The company would not be able to continue operating all of its venues seven days a week, he said.

Woods said it would take some more time for the number of visitors to Queenstown to build up to 2019 levels and many hotels were restricting bookings due to the staff shortages.

Also, there were more beds in town than pre-Covid, including the 227-room Holiday Inn Express and Suites in central Queenstown and three new hotels with a total of about 340 rooms in the suburb of Frankton.

The Welcome to Winter celebration would also mark the return of large events to the district.

Paid for from the government’s $50 million Regional Events Fund, it marked the end of a horror run with events expected to generate $100 million cancelled in the first four months of the year.

“I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait,” Woods said.

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903 days ago

World-first electric jet boat revealed as Ngāi Tahu unveils climate change action plan

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

Shotover Jet has unveiled an electric jet boat it says is the first to be designed solely for tourism as owners Ngāi Tahu plans for a zero carbon future.

The iwi revealed its 88-point action plan to tackle the causes and effects of climate change and a host of other environmental issues at a … View more
Shotover Jet has unveiled an electric jet boat it says is the first to be designed solely for tourism as owners Ngāi Tahu plans for a zero carbon future.

The iwi revealed its 88-point action plan to tackle the causes and effects of climate change and a host of other environmental issues at a ceremony in Queenstown on Wednesday.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai said the escalating effects of climate change across the Ngāi Tahu takiwā (tribal area) were having a profound impact on the iwi’s interests, activities and whānau.

“We need to rapidly evolve if we are to adapt and thrive in this brave new world.”

The iwi would take major steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions, embrace renewable energy, optimise resource use, and reduce water and ecosystem impacts over nine years.

One vital element was protecting whānau by powering marae with solar energy to make them more resilient and self-sufficient, as well as identifying jobs for Ngāi Tahu whānau in the green economy.

“We don’t claim to have all the answers, but our size and influence gives us the freedom to innovate.

“This jetboat prototype is an exciting expression of what that innovation can achieve,” Tumahai said.

Ngāi Tahu Tourism general manager Jolanda Cave said that once the jetboat prototype was put into service, the experience would be quieter and more environmentally sound, running on rechargeable electric batteries rather than fossil fuels.

The prototype project began in 2019 when Ngāi Tahu Tourism entered a co-founding agreement with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and was awarded up to $200,000 to convert one of their petrol-powered jet boats to run on electricity.

It would take several years to confirm the commercialisation of the electric prototype, Cave said.

The tourism arm of the company aimed to make all its operations carbon-neutral by 2050.

“We all have a role to play in ensuring our world is healthier for future generations and while there is a long road to travel, the electrification of our jet boat fleet is an incredible step,” Cave said.

Tumahai said that as mana whenua the iwi were putting into action the core principles of kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga.

“We look after our whenua, we care for our whānau and we take ethical actions and decisions for the future of our mokopuna.”

Key targets:
- A 17% methane reduction from farm animals by 2035.
- By 2030, all marae and Papatipu Rūnanga facilities to be supported to upgrade to technologies that ensure long-term resilience in energy, water and resource optimisation.
- By 2030, agri-tech solutions to be in place in specific Ngāi Tahu Farming sites to reduce water use.
- From 2022, a year-on-year reduction in synthetic fertiliser with paddock by paddock soil testing.
- By 2030, Ngāi Tahu to be actively exercising rangatiratanga over freshwater.
- By 2030, all new developments to have ecosystem enhancement plans to protect wai and mahinga kai sites.

See all the targets here.

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903 days ago

Seniors Newsletter

The Team from Office for Seniors

Have you read our June Seniors newsletter? In this issue we discuss the Older Workers Employment Action Plan, Budget 2022 and hear from Equal Employment Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo. Read it here now: bit.ly...

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903 days ago

Give a little kindness this winter

Trade Me

Help Kiwis in need this winter by giving through the Trade Me Kindness Store. Trade Me has teamed up with three awesome Kiwi charities - KidsCan, RainbowYOUTH and Women’s Refuge. The Kindness Store’s virtual shelves are stocked with small things that make a big difference to the Kiwis these … View moreHelp Kiwis in need this winter by giving through the Trade Me Kindness Store. Trade Me has teamed up with three awesome Kiwi charities - KidsCan, RainbowYOUTH and Women’s Refuge. The Kindness Store’s virtual shelves are stocked with small things that make a big difference to the Kiwis these charities help.

Giving is easy – just pick, click and ‘Give Now’. Trade Me takes care of the rest. 100% of the donations go to the charities – Trade Me doesn’t take a cut.
Know more

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903 days ago

Why aren’t Kiwis switching power providers?

NZ Compare

The chilly, gum boot wearing, kettle on, soup season has moved into town! Don’t get stung by your winter power bill neighbours, start shopping around now - even if you’re on a contract.

We asked neighbours why they’re not switching power providers and found out for many it feels a bit … View more
The chilly, gum boot wearing, kettle on, soup season has moved into town! Don’t get stung by your winter power bill neighbours, start shopping around now - even if you’re on a contract.

We asked neighbours why they’re not switching power providers and found out for many it feels a bit baffling with so many options and not enough help. Read why Kiwis aren’t switching and the easy steps to get your power sorted before bill shock hits.

Need to keep it stress free? Call our NZ based team on 0508 226 672, it’s free!

We’re here to help you compare, save and smile!
Help me switch

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907 days ago

Time to escape your neighbourhood?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.

To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View more
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.

To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Share now

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908 days ago

Springtime craft

The Team from Resene ColorShop Dunedin

Brighten up your life and home with these fun party cup dolls, beads of joy and blooming plant pots with your favourite Resene testpot colours.

Find out how to create your own.

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908 days ago

Get Upcycling to win in 2022!

Resene

Unleash the artist within you, showcase your DIY creative skills and spruce up an old item or completely repurpose it! Resene and Neighbourly are challenging everyday Kiwis like YOU to take part in the Resene Upcycling Awards.

We want to see your amazing creations so don't be afraid to go … View more
Unleash the artist within you, showcase your DIY creative skills and spruce up an old item or completely repurpose it! Resene and Neighbourly are challenging everyday Kiwis like YOU to take part in the Resene Upcycling Awards.

We want to see your amazing creations so don't be afraid to go all out! Check out some of the previous entires here.

Take part in the 2022 Resene Upcycling Awards. There are four great prizes worth $500 up for grabs: a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
Find out more

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