The Timaru Herald
$3m for ship upgrade
The Timaru-based coastal bulk carrier MV Rangitata will be upgraded with a deck-mounted handler for loading cargo so it can better support communities following natural disasters and other emergencies. Associate Transport Minister James Meager...
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Black Falcons put on show over Timaru
Residents and visitors were treated to an aerial display by the Air Force’s Black Falcons yesterday about midday, as part of the Flying New Zealand 2026 National Championships being held at Richard Pearse Airport this week. The Falcons will return next...
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Barker’s application ‘deceptive’ TIMARU
Barker’s claimed that a nearby pine forest would put an end to its long-running wastewater issues three months ago. Then the fruit and jam processor applied to empty its wastewater ponds on to 6.3ha of Department of Conservation (DOC) land. Multiple...
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New business prepares to open in CBD
With changes afoot in Timaru’s Stafford St, a new business preparing to open next month hopes to create a “buzz’’ in the CBD. Hobby Lords, which opened its first store in Dunedin in 2022, will open on March 27 in the building formerly occupied by...
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Kites flying high on the Bay
Timaru’s Seaside Festival wrapped up for 2026 with the Caroline Bay Kite Day event on Sunday. Timaru Herald visual journalist Aiman Amerul Muner went along and captured these images.
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‘No lying down and wimping’
Fred Jackson is undecided on whether he considers himself fortunate to reach 103 years old but he is already focused on the challenge of reaching 105. “Old age isn’t what it is cracked up to be,” he said, a few days ahead of today’s milestone...
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Parents turn to Turkey
A Timaru couple battling to get an accurate diagnosis for their 5-year-old son’s ailments have turned their attention to the other side of the world. Josh Docos and Nesa Morey are frustrated with a health system they say seems to place too much...
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A life of duty and service
One of New Zealand’s longest-serving local body politicians and a man who was deeply involved in the Timaru community has died. Ray Bennett was a former mayor of the town he lived his entire life in, a lay minister, accountant, Justice of the Peace,...
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Project end date now March
An update on the Strathallan Corner redevelopment was made public at a council meeting on Tuesday, with Timaru’s mayor saying it was “quite obvious’’ it should not have been discussed behind closed doors. The report, which was moved from the public...
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First panels delivered to Aorangi Park project
It was an exciting moment, tinged with a small amount of nerves, as the first concrete panels from a new Washdyke plant were wheeled out and transported to the Aorangi Stadium redevelopment project. Yesterday morning, five panels – the heaviest...
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Finding “THE ONE” for your skin
Meet the suitors The Palmer’s body oil trio Each Palmer’s body oil brings its own unique personality, charm and skin-loving strengths: the key is finding ‘the one’ that feels right for you and your skin’s needs. • Cocoa Butter Body Oil – the...
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TIMARU
With the main construction phase of Timaru’s $47.2 million Theatre Royal and Museum project under way, a job offer has been made for the role of theatre manager. A status report on the project would be provided to Timaru’s councillors at a meeting...
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Medal-winning carriage features at NZ’s new ‘national’ museum
Peter Lyttle wanted a place to store, preserve, and show the originality of his rare and historic horse-drawn carriage collection, so he funded and built a new start-of-the-art museum. The 74-year-old’s “vision” becomes a reality today with the...
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Waitangi Day 2026
Today marks the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840, a time for all New Zealanders to reflect on our history, partnerships and shared future.
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Foul odour probed at Barker’s
A new ECan investigation has been triggered by a putrid smell coming from two storage ponds at the Barker’s factory near Geraldine. Residents of the town neighbouring the South Canterbury fruit and vegetable processor have complained about the acrid...
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Drink-driver dices with jail
A “belligerent” repeat drink-driver has avoided having her home detention sentence changed to jail after promising a judge she would pull her head in. The 58-year-old Timaru woman, who was sentenced to five months’ home detention on December 17, was...
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Cruise ship’s new home
An investment of at least $1.5 million in cruise ship infrastructure is paying off with an international ship making Timaru’s PrimePort its home for New Zealand voyages. The luxurious Scenic Eclipse II’s overnight stay on Wednesday last week was a...
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BUSINESS Timaru store expanding into Ōamaru
After 45 years in Timaru’s CBD, Andrew Milliken has expanded his business, opening a store more than 85km south in neighbouring Ōamaru. Today, the owner of Milliken’s Furniture and Beds and Beds R Us Timaru will open Beds R Us Ōamaru, at 137 Thames...
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Govt to give $2.84m to upgrade SH1
A stretch of State Highway 1 through Timaru, described as a “disgrace” by the local MP, could be fixed as soon as winter, with the Government announcing it will contribute $2.84 million to get the job done. The funding, which will come from the...
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‘Hudson’s Hill’ on move, machinery rolls in
A large stockpile of dirt which has sat amassed on the site of a large retail development on the outskirts of Timaru is finally on the move. Contractors and heavy machinery could be seen working to move the dirt from the pile at The Showgrounds on...
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Prominent Timaru tree saved COUNCIL
A high-profile cottonwood tree in a prominent Timaru location has been saved from the chop, but will need to come down within five years. Trees in the district were a hot topic at the first full council meeting of the year on Tuesday, as councillors...
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Dog owner plans to fight court order
A Timaru dog owner plans to fight a court order for his dog to be put down almost three years after it was seized following an incident in Timaru. On January 16, a judge ordered the destruction of Craig Edgar’s dog Beau after it bit a Roncalli College...
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Hope all Cossie club creditors will be paid
All former Timaru South Cosmopolitan Club staff members have been paid as the liquidation of the troubled organisation continues, and it is hoped all creditors will be paid in full and a surplus distributed to charities. In his latest six-monthly...
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Little Indie’s journey to US
After a challenging journey, Indie Todd and her family have travelled 13,300km as the 3-year-old undergoes proton therapy. The Timaru girl, her parents Shaun and Haylee Todd, little brother Hudson and grandmother Ainslie Peck left New Zealand on...
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Pedal power pushes expansion of Mackenzie District tourism business
Fuelled by pedal power encapsulated in a 91% surge in cyclists using the Alps 2 Ocean Trail over the past four years, a Twizel tourism operator with humble beginnings has moved into a bigger space to meet demand. Cycle Journeys’ new depot, thought to...
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‘There’s nothing sad about sunflowers’
A Raincliff couple is hoping for second-time lucky with the weather as they prepare to open their 1-hectare sunflower paddock to the public to raise money for a neighbouring community camp. For the second year in a row, Kylie and Brychan Morgan are...
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EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Several years of “scrimping and saving” has enabled a Timaru early learning centre to fundraise around $250,000 for the design and construction of a new playground for its children. Creative Corner Early Learning Centre will officially open the...
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Timaru stop for new train
There was time for photographs, refreshments and a stretch when The Mainlander passenger train made a stop at Timaru on its inaugural journey to Invercargill. Those onboard included Christchurch residents Manju Shaji, Monash Mohanan and their son,...
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EB Games to close NZ stores
New Zealand’s hobby and gaming communities swamped EB Games stores across the country as the company prepares to close all 38 stores by the end of the month. The company’s announcement on Wednesday follows a consultation period earlier this month,...
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Fire station rebuild on track for June finish
A $3.5 million rebuild of the Twizel fire station is on track for completion by the end of June, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Work on the 55-year-old building, dubbed a “half-life refurbishment” by the fire service, began in May last...
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Here’s the most popular reads of 2025
The Timaru District’s libraries’ boss was heartened to see some Kiwi titles crack their top 10 issued list in 2025. Michael Priest, the Timaru District Council’s general manager gallery, libraries, archives and museum said the popularity of A...
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Heritage Precinct display grows
Vintage earthmoving machinery used in the construction of the Upper Waitaki power development is now part of a growing display that aims to showcase Twizel’s history. The latest additions are a 988 loader that worked on Mt Cook Rd, gravel pits and...
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Court cuts through lease fight
Both sides involved in a dispute over the lease of pastoral grazing land in South Canterbury have copped criticism in a recent High Court decision. Justice Robert Osborne’s decision, released publicly in late December, said neither the lessors (Dave...
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Baby’s death not preventable CORONER
The death of a three-month-old baby in state care almost a decade ago has been put down to Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy and was not preventable, a coroner has found. Chloe Vera Nicholson died on June 6, 2016 in Palmerston North in the care of...
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Local firms exit, stage left
Local building firms have withdrawn their interest in the construction contract for one of the Timaru district’s largest building projects. The revelation came in the Friends of the Theatre Royal’s December and January newsletter, which says members...
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A dedicated follower of harness racing
Harness racing is about much more than just the horses for Elizabeth Shand. While racing remains a “real social day” and more, the long-serving Timaru Harness Racing Club member has plenty of jobs on her plate for the club’s twilight meeting on...
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‘A roller coaster’ ride
An international shipping company advertised seafaring roles soon after the Government declined its application for an exemption to operate a foreign-flagged vessel in New Zealand’s domestic waters, but says that was an accident. An Employment...
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Honour for services to theatre, community
For more than 50 years, Carol Angland has actively served the South Canterbury community. The 81-year-old Timaru woman, who also shares her time in Wānaka, has received a King’s Service Medal in the New Year honours for services to the community and...
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Graham Carr ‘over the moon’
A South Canterbury man whose deer farm is the world’s largest producer of velvet has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours 2026. Graham Carr, of Peel Forest Estate, is recognised for his “wide-ranging...
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Consent changes disappoint
There is “a lot of feeling in the community” about a decision to allow smaller shops at The Showgrounds and the impact it will have on Timaru’s town centre, a business owner says. Glen Patterson’s comments come after it was revealed last month that...
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What candidates spent on campaigns
One of the Timaru District’s new councillors spent the most in his campaign for a seat around the council table, while third-time Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen was the next biggest spender. Electoral donation and expense returns, following the local body...
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What’s on in South Canterbury
Friday (Boxing Day) Caroline Bay Carnival Opening: 2pm, the 115th annual carnival in Timaru, featuring family entertainment, carnival rides, sideshow games and competitions. Runs until January 11. Concerts at 2pm (Tomahawk Radio) and 7pm (Fleetwood...
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115th Caroline Bay Carnival swings into action
Preparations for the 115th Caroline Bay Carnival are in full swing ahead of opening day on Friday, with the president calling on the community to get behind the event. President Allen Martin said the association had been fielding numerous inquiries...
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Christmas spirit alive and well
South Canterbury is coming alive with Christmas spirit and activities, and The Timaru Herald’s photographers have been out and about capturing it.
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Collective plots growing competition
A Timaru group that hopes to grow vegetable gardens in green spaces throughout the district has plotted a competition that will benefit the community this Christmas. In October, 19 members of the Veggie Garden Collective were given a potato to grow in...
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Christmas Procession pokes un-PC fun
It might be the most politically incorrect parade in the country, but just who will turn out to participate in Pleasant Point’s annual procession this evening won’t be known until they show up. The town’s annual Christmas Procession began in 1959, and...
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Murderer ‘ashamed, sickened’
The men who exacted deadly “retribution” on a South Canterbury man whose body has never been found have been imprisoned for life. Anaru Moana was lured to a quiet reserve in Waimate on an early December morning in late 2021. There, he was chased, shot...
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Monument unveiled at Timaru’s cemetery
A monument has been unveiled at Timaru’s cemetery, honouring those who lie there with no formal headstone. The community-led project was officially celebrated on Sunday when members of the public, those behind the initiative, Timaru District mayor...
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Christmas in the Square marks major milestone
The organiser of Waimate’s annual Christmas in the Square credits the community’s support for helping keep the event going for 20 years. Organiser John Begg said the 2025 celebration at Seddon Square on Wednesday would offer an evening of fun and...
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Gloriavale leader Temple jailed Howard Temple has been jailed for crimes similar to those of founder Hopeful Christian, including indecently assaulting girls and women
Gloriavale’s former leader Howard Wendell Temple has been jailed for two years and two months for indecency offending against six girls and young women inside the secretive Christian community over two decades. Temple, 85, is the second “Overseeing...
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Good growing ahead of Strawberry Fare
A good berry-growing season ahead of Waimate’s 41st Strawberry Fare has been welcomed by growers and by organisers of the annual event. What started as a small community event with just a handful of stalls at Butler’s Berry Farm in 1984, now hosts...
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World Tennis Tour returning to Timaru
Timaru will host the World Tennis Tour again in 2026, having been selected as a host location for the first time in 2025. Tennis New Zealand commercial and marketing manager Gareth Archer, who described the town’s tennis facilities as the best in the...
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TIMARU $24.2m stadium redevelopment continues
Work continues on the $24.2 million redevelopment at Aorangi Park, where foundations for Timaru’s new stadium and link building are scheduled to be laid in January. As part of the project, which began in July, Aorangi Stadium in Morgans Rd will be...
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Barker’s battle for factory
Barker’s has been in tense discussions with ECan and the Department of Conservation over its factory wastewater practices for months, but new talks in the past week are hoped to spark solutions. Hundreds of emails, released under the Official...
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Recovering racer gets set to go again after crash
Gary Duncan thought his number was up when his race car crashed into a tyre wall at more than 220kph, but he’s already planning his comeback. The 65-year-old motor-racing stalwart from Temuka was competing in the OSCA (Open Saloon Car Association)...
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Shoppers spend $1.3m on Black Friday weekend
Tills in South Canterbury were ringing to the tune of $1.3 million in the three days of Black Friday weekend, rounding out a busy month of spending in the region. For the month of November, spending in South Canterbury increased by 1.4% on 2024 to...
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Rare albatross for Pleasant Point golfer
A little bit of anger went a long way for a South Canterbury golfer who is now celebrating a rare feat in the sport. When Brad Tegelaars holed his second shot on the 470m par five 18th hole at the Pleasant Point Golf Club on November 27 he joined an...
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Repair work begins on Timaru footbridge
More than two years after it was closed, repairs to a footbridge connecting Timaru’s port to the CBD have begun. The work was a significant step forward for the bridge which had been closed since November 2023, after an inspection identified the need...
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Aiming to finish upgrade by Christmas
Four months after the original deadline for completion of a controversial upgrade to a corner site in central Timaru, the council is still waiting on handrails to be made. Strathallan Corner has been undergoing a makeover since May. The work’s...
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Charities: Need for help ‘has never been greater’
Food banks supporting families in South Canterbury are reporting an increased demand as they prepare for the busiest time of the year. The increase in demand has been attributed to rent increases, unemployment and increasing food prices, with family...
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Veggie Garden Collective flourishes
A community initiative to help feed those in need continues to grow in Timaru, with its aim to fill green spaces across the region with vegetable gardens beginning to take shape. The Veggie Garden Collective’s community garden in Otipua Rd is looking...
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Latest exhibition most heartfelt for artist
As a prolific artist, Wayne Patrick has held many exhibitions over the years but his latest is his most heartfelt. The Timaru artist will open up his studio in the historic Royal Arcade from today until Sunday with a display of his work featuring new...
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Guide, client killed in Aoraki/Mt Cook fall
The two climbers who died after falling while attempting to ascend Aoraki/Mt Cook on Monday night were an internationally qualified mountain guide and their client. Canterbury Aoraki area commander Inspector Vicki Walker said that at about 11.20pm on...
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Campers hatch plan for family
Marshall and Andrina Stoddart are used to welcoming hordes of campers over the festive season, but even they were surprised when their latest visitors set up camp. And just where the happy campers have chosen to hang out with their new children...
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The miracle baby – that’s our Lamatau
When Taylor McDonald gave birth to her second child, Lamatau, she wondered how someone so small could survive. But eight months on, the Timaru baby continued to defy the odds, after he was born on March 11, at 24 weeks and six days, weighing 830...
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Busy cruise ship season scheduled for Timaru
Timaru is the only port in New Zealand with an increase in cruise ship visits this season, and it is expected to be the busiest schedule yet. Cruise tourism in New Zealand is entering a period of retreat and industry figures show port visits across...
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DOC confirms car park prices for Aoraki
The Department of Conservation is ploughing ahead with a paid parking trial at three busy tourist sites – despite most submitters saying they would rather not pay for parking. Locals will be able to park for $10 a year at Aoraki Mt Cook, Franz Josef...
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Death Valley
Detective Sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) has her sights set on being a detective inspector. Unfortunately, her boss, Detective Chief Inspector Barry Clarke (Steffan Rhodri), is somewhat sceptical of her skills, unnerved by her enthusiasm...
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Olympians on track to help athletes
Two of New Zealand’s top Olympic athletes are helping teammates clear one of their toughest hurdles — the cost of competing for their country. Christchurch athletes Tom Walsh and Hamish Kerr have co-founded the Aotearoa Athletics Trust to help fund...
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Waimate poet wins writing residency
After his beloved wife Chris died unexpectedly, John Russell-Hodge wrote poetry as a way of dealing with his grief. Emotional stuff was something the Waimate man said he would have usually outsourced to his wife, but thanks to his writing he found a...
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A&P show to include drone racing for first time
Organisers of this week’s A&P Show in Waimate have continued a theme of keeping things fresh to keep the crowds coming. Ahead of the Southern Canterbury Show at the Waimate A&P Showgrounds, show association manager Reto Oswald said the committee had...
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Save More opens Timaru discount grocery store
With twin aims of reducing food waste and bringing discount groceries to towns across the South Island, a New Zealand company has opened a new store in Timaru. Save More opened at 27 Theodosia St, on State Highway 1, on Saturday, giving residents in...
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Restoration of the ‘heart’ of Craighead
A building considered to be the heart of Timaru’s Craighead Diocesan School will be reopened next year after an extension restoration and redevelopment. Shand House, a category II heritage building, served as the school’s boarding house and...
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Council organisations under same roof
As the scaffolding came down around one of Timaru’s oldest buildings yesterday, the staff of the district’s tourism and economic development agency were settling into their new offices. Venture Timaru shifted to the former Union Bank of Australia...
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