Otago Daily Times News Feed

East Ruggedy Beach, Rugged Islands and, in the distance, the Ruggedy Range on the West Coast of Stewart Island. Photos: Philip Somerville Mud, mud, glorious mud. Philip Somerville joins Dunedin friends Jeff Cleugh and Geoff Plunket to tackle the notorious Northwest Circuit of Stewart Island/Rakiura. 

This reptilian giant is a monkey puzzle tree growing at the corner of North Rd and Birchfield Ave in North East Valley. It's easy to imagine dinosaurs plodding through forests of such trees. Photo: Peter McIntosh It’s the Tyrannosaurus rex of trees. Who hasn’t felt a primal twinge of terror as they’ve looked up at a large monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) with its ferocious dark green "teeth"? We feel as though the lowest branches could swing round, pick us up, and devour us whole if we dare look away for a few seconds.

Nevis hotel proprietor Helen Miller Elliot (pictured wearing a white cap and black dress) took over its management after her husband William died in 1891. Photo: Supplied Life in the Nevis Valley was far from easy, writes Louise Joyce in this edited extract from Take me to the Nevis. 

road_cross.jpg Focus of the campaign is wearing a seatbelt, not driving drunk or taking drugs; paying close attention to the road and maintaining a safe speed within the limit. Photo: NZ Herald Five people have been killed in crashes this weekend - after the launch of a summer road safety campaign by emergency services and the Transport Agency.

Police investigating a freak accident that left a woman with serious facial injuries are looking for the driver of a black truck seen on the Luggate-Cromwell Road. 

Lisa Blakie was killed in February 2000. Photo: SUPPLIED / NZ Police A man who believes the wrong person was convicted of his daughter's murder is hoping the new Criminal Cases Review Commission will provide a last chance for justice for his daughter.

Lisa Blakie was killed in February 2000. Photo: SUPPLIED / NZ Police A man who believes the wrong person was convicted of his daughter's murder is hoping the new Criminal Cases Review Commission will provide a last chance for justice for his daughter.

Neil Wagner celebrates picking up the wicket of debutant Zak Crawley late on day 3 in Hamilton. Photo: Reuters It took them long enough, but England have finally produced a dominant day of test cricket in New Zealand.

The new bylaw will ban freedom camping at 11 areas from December 18. Photo: Getty Images Tough new freedom camping rules that ban camping at a number of areas are being praised by Kaikōura residents.

The new bylaw will ban freedom camping at 11 areas from December 18. Photo: Getty Images Tough new freedom camping rules that ban camping at a number of areas are being praised by Kaikōura residents.

chch_prison.jpg Prisoners have lost their jobs in a workshop, after a recent incident involving getting drunk and assaulting a prison guard. Photo: Supplied The Department of Corrections says five prisoners got drunk on home-brew and used a skip filled with water as a swimming pool, before one of them attacked a prison guard.

Prisoners have lost their jobs in a workshop, after a recent incident involving getting drunk and assaulting a prison guard. Photo: Supplied The Department of Corrections says five prisoners got drunk on home-brew and used a skip filled with water as a swimming pool, before one of them attacked a prison guard.

Photo: ODT files Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has unveiled a bumper $400 million infrastructure spending plan which she says will benefit almost every school in New Zealand.

A video posted on Instagram shows a couple of young men lighting fires on the Hokitika Rugby League grounds in Wadeson Island.

The Punakaiki end of the Paparoa Track. Photo: RNZ The Paparoa Track on the West Coast has opened to the public on Sunday morning with hundreds expected across it during the day.

Dutch police on Saturday said they had arrested a 35-year-old man suspected of stabbing three youths on a street in the centre of The Hague late on Friday.

Jesse Samuel's death is thought to be the first of its kind in New Zealand and has sparked safety warnings. Photo: Supplied via NZ Herald She doesn't want a family photo because he's not in it.

Jesse Samuel's death is thought to be the first of its kind in New Zealand and has sparked safety warnings. Photo: Supplied via NZ Herald She doesn't want a family photo because he's not in it.

The scene on London Bridge in the aftermath of the attack in London. Photo: Luke Poulton via Reuters Nine years before Usman Khan killed two people in a stabbing spree on London Bridge, he was overheard by British security services discussing how to use an al Qaeda manual he had memorised to build a pipe bomb.

Fergus McMahon leaves the Auckland District Court after being sentenced in May for stealing rabbits. Photo: NZ Herald A former finance executive has been caught stealing rabbits from Auckland's suburban backyards late at night.