Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group chairman Hoani Langsbury (left) and Predator Free Dunedin project leader Rhys Millar celebrate the peninsula being possum free while holding a trap. Photo: Gerard O'BrienPossums have had their final termination on the Otago Peninsula. It makes the peninsula one of the first inhabited landscape-scale areas in New Zealand to eliminate possums. It cemented Dunedin’s place as the wildlife capital of New Zealand and was a defining moment for conservation in New Zealand, chairwoman of Predator Free Dunedin’s Sally Peart said. The achievement came from 15 years of determined community effort led by the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group (OPBG) and Predator Free Dunedin (PFD).

Very dry conditions including in Wānaka have prompted a total ban on outdoor fires. Photo: Fire and Emergency NZFire and Emergency NZ has declared a prohibited fire season for the Queenstown Lakes District. Map of the Lakes Zone. Image: Fire and Emergency NZVegetation in inland Otago was very dry and would burn easily, and March was predicted to be drier than normal. "The vegetation across the Lakes Zone is primed and ready to burn.

Photo: RNZThe latest wave of Covid-19 is being driven by low vaccination rates, a health expert says. As winter came closer, Betty believed the Covid booster would be promoted alongside the annual flu vaccination. He would like to see people getting a Covid booster once a year, especially if they were aged over 65, or over 50 if of Māori descent. "The booster vaccination is important to protect yourself against these very irregular waves of Covid that can occur." "Since the arrival of Covid in our communities, we have been seeing both summer and winter Covid-19 increases.

Two people died at the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Southland yesterday. Emergency services were notified about 8.40am of the crash at the intersection of Fairfax-Isla Bank Rd and Isla Bank-Flints Bush Rd, in Isla Bank, near Otautau. The road was closed for much of the day but reopened following a scene examination by the serious crash unit. — Allied Media

An accused Christchurch sex offender declared too sick to stand trial in New Zealand because he had “months to live” has been found residing on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. The A Current Affair show in Australia tracked Ronald Thompson down walking unaided up a stairwell at his Queensland waterfront home. “I haven’t made any recovery,” Thompson said when a A Current Affair reporter approached him outside an apartment block. One of Thompson’s alleged victims told A Current Affair he was “obviously not dying”. He needs to answer to it.”Australian Federal MP Andrew Wallace, who lives on the Sunshine Coast, said Thompson’s visa should be cancelled.

Top Kiwi chef Peter Gordon judging for the OFPA awards. Photo: suppliedIn its 10th year the Outstanding Food Producer Awards (OFPA) is attracting record entries. "Every entry represents someone who truly cares about our current and evolving food culture. Awards co-founder Kathie Sammons says the record entries are testament to the resilience and creativity of the New Zealand food industry. The awards’ medal winners will be named on April 14, with the category winners announced at the Champions Party on May 19 in Auckland.

By Bridget Tunnicliffe of RNZFormer Black Cap Luke Woodcock knew something was seriously wrong late last year when he had trouble catching a cricket ball. By December his balance and co-ordination went awry, his vision became blurry, and he had a couple of bad falls. And while doing some coaching at a college cricket tournament he had trouble simply throwing and catching a ball. "You'd think that I had never played cricket before," Woodcock said. Luke Woodcock played seven white ball games for the Black Caps between 2010 and 2011 and enjoyed a first-class career for Wellington that spanned 17 years.

Air New Zealand raised its fare prices yesterday, adding it could be forced to raise them again and review routes. Air New Zealand has not said whether its potential changes to its network and schedule would be on domestic or international routes. $20 fuel charge for Air Chathams faresRegional airline Air Chathams has announced it is introducing a $20 fuel surcharge on all flights due to increased aviation fuel prices. In a statement, Air Chathams said aviation fuel prices in New Zealand "have risen significantly" due to the war in the Middle East. "This surcharge will be reviewed regularly and will be removed once fuel prices return to more normal levels," the airline said.

Queenstown Lakes District Council introduced new freedom camping rules in December, restricting campers to designated sites. Photo: SuppliedFreedom campers are falling foul of new Queenstown Lakes District Council rules, with about 18 people per day stung with $400 fines. Freedom Camping Act infringements carried $400 fines, while Reserves Act breaches carried $800 fines, the council said. She said the system was working well overall and people were pleased to have a regulated freedom camping system again. A group called Save Clean New Zealand has also been petitioning for the removal of three freedom camping spaces at Beacon Point.

Photo: Contact EnergyThe Slopedown wind farm in Southland has been given draft approval, national and regional benefits winning out over the impact on the local environment. Contact Energy has applied under fast-track legislation for the 55-turbine wind farm, seeking a consent for 30 years. During the operation of the project, Contact Energy must implement acoustically based live curtailment at nine different turbines. The bat detection system installed on the wind turbine must be connected to the wind turbine control system in order to feather and curtail the operation of the wind turbine when the bat detection system detected a long-tailed bat. After interested parties sent in their views, Contact Energy would then comment, and a final decision was expected in the middle of next month.

Te Unua Museum of Southland senior curator Sarah Robinson and team leader experience David Dudfield check the figurehead from the barque England’s Glory. Photo: Invercargill City CouncilA pair of beloved artefacts from the old Southland Museum will soon have new homes in displays that will tell their stories in new ways. Museum team leader experience David Dudfield said both displays’ stories would be told in a new way, as would those of many other items in the museum’s collection. Museum director Eloise Wallace said it made sense to be working with Gibson on the build phase to ensure continuity of the project. "The opportunity to create an entire museum experience from scratch is incredibly rare — especially in New Zealand.

Dunedin pensioner Rob Donaldson holds his SuperGold Card outside Woolworths Dunedin South. Dunedin pensioner Rob Donaldson said he used his SuperGold Card every Tuesday at Woolworths Andersons Bay to get a 5% discount on frozen meals. The card, however, was not accepted at Woolworths Dunedin South, a source of annoyance for many SuperGold Card holders. "A lot of people give the staff flack over not getting the gold card discount," Mr Donaldson said. "Whilst we may not offer the discount in all Dunedin stores, we do offer it broadly across the country."

Craig Watson. Photo: suppliedThe loss of permanent urology clinicians has put Southland in a "crisis situation" and will add to pressure on Dunedin Hospital, the Cancer Society Southern’s leader says. This included two permanent clinicians indicate they would be moving elsewhere, leaving Southland without a permanent urology department. HNZ was unable to give details yesterday about when they were hoping to re-staff the urology department at Southland Hospital in Invercargill. "Southland Hospital will continue to have a urology service in place following the recent resignations.

Photo: Rob KiddA woman who was raped by a stranger who broke into her Dunedin flat says she now lives in "constant fear". Justice Melanie Harland imposed a term of seven years three months before the defendant could apply for parole. The court heard Wicks-Cairns had been jailed in 2013 for the sexual abuse of two young girls and the judge said his crimes were escalating in seriousness. The victim of his latest attack was left suffering "anxiety that appears out of nowhere, leaving me shaking or unable to breathe". He was originally jailed for 15 years but that was overturned by the Court of Appeal in favour of preventive detention.

‘Gripping’ child’s limbsPurches claimed she saw the mother gripping her young child’s limbs under a blanket, leaving red marks. She alleged that as soon as she removed the blanket, the mother removed her hands. When challenged by the defence over the possible cause of the red marks, Purches said she believed they were caused by the mother pinching the child. At the time Purches alleged the harm was intentional, she said the mother had also called for help. Goodison was assisting the prosecution in a trial in which a mother was alleged to have medically abused her child.