Our oldest surviving observatory is only held up by a tree
One of New Zealand’s most important pieces of astronomical history was only a few seasons of cattle grazing away from being lost forever.
Held up by a walnut tree growing up through the middle, the old totara building near Featherston is one of the last of its kind in the world.
Having recently achieved category 1 historic place status on the New Zealand Heritage List, the building is now fenced off and protected from further degradation. The observatory was built in 1867 by civil servant and amateur astronomer Stephen Carkeek.
The Wairarapa Dark Skies Association was preparing at application for the region to be designated an International Dark Sky Reserve, and they see this historic site as yet another drawcard for stargazers. Chairwoman Viv Napier said the observatory brings in the heritage aspect of what they were trying to preserve.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.8% Human-centred experience and communication
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16.7% Critical thinking
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25% Resilience and adaptability
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5.6% Other - I will share below!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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59.8% Yes, supporting people is important!
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26.1% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.2% ... It is complicated
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