The Timaru Herald
Steaming ahead for a good cause
Undeterred by heavy rain and snow, a Timaru man is pushing on toward Aoraki Mt Cook on a 13-tonne traction engine to raise funds for charity and honour his late father. Thomas Kyle, 20, is driving his family’s 1910 Burrell traction engine from Timaru...
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Port has 47% jump in profit
There is much more to PrimePort Timaru’s performance in 2025-26 than a significant improvement in earnings, according to its chief executive. Phil Melhopt said the 47% increase in before tax, and after tax, profit levels came with strong demand across...
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A ‘disproportionate focus’
A recent restructure of Venture Timaru aimed to tackle the organisation’s “disproportionate focus on tourism” and “insufficient investment in economic development”, according to documents released to The Timaru Herald. The council-controlled...
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Slippery tiles under fire
It has only been through sheer luck that no-one has fallen on tiles in the district’s CBDs and died, a Geraldine man has told councillors. Speaking in the public forum of yesterday morning’s Timaru District Council meeting ahead of a decision around a...
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Record cruise season ahead
Investment in infrastructure at Timaru’s port and strong relationships with senior executives from international cruise lines has been attributed to a record scheduled cruise season. PrimePort Timaru will also be the home port for a second ship for...
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Son sets fire to family home
A lack of lunch and a previous night’s argument appear to have been the spark that led to a man attacking his parents with an axe, critically injuring his mother, and causing extensive fire damage to their 159-year-old homestead, Belvoir House. The...
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Trees up for chop along main route
More than 30 trees along a high-profile arterial route in Timaru could be in line for the chop as council staff seek approval from councillors to remove them. In a report, Timaru District Council’s roading network team leader Adam Ward and transport...
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Drink-driver chased vehicle
An intoxicated motorist dangerously chased another vehicle across Timaru because he believed the occupants did not like his ute. Judge Campbell Savage described the 41-year-old man’s driving on May 11 this year as appalling after he had pleaded guilty...
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Conduct probe cost $29,000
An investigation into whether a Mackenzie councillor pushed one council staff member and slammed the door in another’s face has cost ratepayers more than $29,000. The code of conduct investigation was launched in May after a confrontation between...
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Out-of-this-world work
A Timaru engineering company’s work on specialist components for scientific hardware is destined for the International Space Station, and it’s hoped there will be more opportunities for other South Canterbury businesses to get involved. Contracted by...
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Ship forced to wait at sea
A specialised heavy-lift ship carrying six new locomotives for South Island rail routes is expected to finally dock in PrimePort Timaru this morning. The 144.7m-long Bruce had, last week, been listed to dock in Timaru on Friday or Saturday, but it was...
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Thomas goes full steam ahead
It is expected to be a slow and testing journey, but a young Timaru man is determined to travel 400 kilometres on a traction engine to honour his late father and raise funds for charity. Thomas Kyle, 20, will drive his family’s 1910 Burrell traction...
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Friends of Aigantighe to mark 50 years
It began with a simple purpose – to foster interest in the district’s public art gallery, support exhibitions, bring people together, and help with buying works for the public collection. Formed in August 1976, the Friends of the Aigantighe Art...
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Plan to grow New Zealand from the South
An ambitious plan to grow the South Island’s economic output from $79,400 per person to $130,000 by 2035 has been set out by the island’s Chambers of Commerce. Released yesterday, a day ahead of the South Island Election Conference in Christchurch,...
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Hampton House demolished after 102 years
The demolition of the 102-year-old Hampton House in central Timaru started yesterday, as its new owners prepare the site for development. Ahead of the demolition starting, owner Raymond Bowan told The Timaru Herald he did not like pulling down old...
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Will Theatre Royal be home to new cafe?
A cafe at Timaru’s Theatre Royal has not been ruled out, with a senior member of council staff saying it would look at “all opportunities” for the facility once it reopened. The possibility of a cafe was raised at yesterday’s Timaru District Council...
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Local ingredients key to gelato shop’s business
Ten months ago, Nicolette Garner knew nothing about gelato let alone anything about running a business. With a background in vet nursing, Garner moved to the South Canterbury town of Geraldine, from north of Auckland, in 2021, following other family...
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Historic flats beyond repair
A 102-year-old Timaru building once hailed as the first block of flats to be erected in Canterbury will come down tomorrow, with its owners working to salvage as much as they can before it is demolished. Potato farmers Raymond and Adrienne Bowan...
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It’s full steam ahead for Frank
It has been a challenging few months for 89-year-old Mackenzie councillor Frank Hocken as he found himself at the centre of a council investigation. But with that business behind him, Hocken has no plans to slow down. Over the past 40 years, Hocken...
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Vandal keeps his licence by ‘fine margin’
A District Court judge was “sorely tempted” to disqualify a 20-year-old man from driving for damaging a Timaru reserve, but ultimately decided not to on Tuesday because of the effect it could have on his job. The man pleaded guilty to a charge of...
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Fundraising wheels turning for school
In a bid to co-ordinate transport for sports, trips and school activities, the Friends of St Joseph’s School Temuka have undertaken a fundraising drive. With both parents in many families working, the group’s president said there is a lot of extra...
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Little penguins inspiration for new book
The little penguins on Caroline Bay have been capturing the hearts of many since they began nesting off Marine Parade, and now they are the subject of a book to be released during an inaugural week celebrating children’s literature. Kahu’s Busy Day in...
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Transform WINTER SKIN
That feeling of tightness after a shower? Blame it on the season. This is what experts mean when they talk about a ‘compromised skin barrier’, and it’s something many of us are experiencing right now. Dryness is caused by both external and internal...
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New art gallery exhibition celebrates water
A new exhibition at a Timaru art gallery celebrates the power of water. Mike Glover’s Tangled Up In Blue opened at the York Street Gallery of Fine Art on Friday evening and included 11, most of them new, works painted around the theme of water. “I...
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Historic immigrant settlement recognised with name and sign
It was occupied for only nine years but the importance of a historic immigrant settlement located at Timaru’s Pātītī Point has been officially signposted, much to the delight of a descendant whose family were residents there. Peeress Town was a small...
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Timaru man continues fight to save dog
A Timaru man says he feels let down by the legal system after his High Court appeal to save his dog was dismissed, but he remains determined to keep fighting. Craig Edgar’s dog Beau has been in the Timaru District Council pound since he was seized in...
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Raceway shaping as winner
The future of racing at Timaru’s Phar Lap Raceway has received a major boost with support from New Zealand’s harness and thoroughbred racing organisations. The positive news comes as the industry looks at how major infrastructure changes should be...
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Mayor clarifies comments
Timaru’s mayor says he was not taking aim at any particular councillor when he called out elected members not picking up their fair share of the workload. Nigel Bowen’s comments at last week’s Timaru District Council meeting came after councillor...
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Harlequins rugby thriller in extra-time win
Harlequins showed its championship winning qualities in an upset extra-time South Canterbury senior club rugby title win over Temuka on Saturday. It was Harlequins’ third straight Hamersley Cup win, and the 24-19 victory was achieved after finishing...
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Exhibition brings two potters together
Creating with clay has linked them with their community, and one another, and it is connection that forms the basis of Sue Inkster and Marita Bool’s latest exhibition in Timaru. Connections, which opened at the York Street Gallery of Fine Art on...
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Seafarers bench seat honours late long-serving committee member
Fay Bailey never got to see the new centre built by the organisation she dedicated 45 years of her life to in Timaru, but her memory lives on in a new bench seat in her honour outside the building. Bailey was a volunteer at the South Canterbury...
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Plunket Art Show expected to be a sellout
It is opening on a different day of the week and will be held at a different time of the year, but organisers of a popular annual art auction and show raising funds for Plunket services in South Canterbury say its popularity remains. The RSM Law...
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Gumdrop Block prompts new creations
Timaru businesses are joining the frenzied reaction throughout New Zealand to a limited edition white chocolate with a nostalgic twist, creating tempting treats that are proving just as popular. The latest novelty flavour from Whittaker’s, Gumdrop...
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NZ’s longest suspension bridge to open
New Zealand’s longest suspension bridge will officially open in the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park next week. The $4.85 million bridge replaces the former bridge across the Hooker River, which was much smaller and closed last April after rainfall and...
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Rescue flight fundraiser hits close to home
After fundraising for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in 2024, a Timaru woman never expected the service would save her partner’s life just a year later. When Kirsty Shefford’s partner, Mike Wentworth-Smith, mentioned he had a “funny chest” when the...
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Agency options considered
Timaru’s council considered a range of options for the future of its business development and tourism promotions agency, which has been under mounting pressure to perform. Those options included bringing Venture Timaru’s service in-house, combining it...
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Bird advocates prepare for bird flu
Bird advocates in South Canterbury and North Otago are putting measures in place to protect their charges from the deadly bird flu, with one organisation aiming to add a protective roof to its new breeding facility. On Wednesday, the country’s first...
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First $100 pledged towards landmark move
David Darling likes the idea of moving Blackett’s Lighthouse so much, he has pledged $100 to help fund an idea to shift it to Timaru’s Caroline Bay Piazza. The Timaru man said the historic building, which has sat opposite the end of Benvenue Ave since...
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Man continues legal fight to save dog
The Court of Appeal is the next step for a Timaru man who has not given up his legal battle to save his dog from being destroyed, despite losing a High Court appeal. Craig Edgar’s dog, Beau, an American bulldog/huntaway cross, has been in the Timaru...
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Call to move lighthouse
An idea to relocate a special piece of Timaru’s maritime history to a more prominent position has been floated as an “untapped tourism opportunity” for the town. Timaru resident Fred Fruisen has suggested moving Blackett’s Lighthouse from its spot...
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Safety concerns over SH1
Motorists are being warned away from certain types of wheels in South Canterbury by one tyre retailer who says the region’s highways “just aren’t fit for purpose”. Carl Vaughan, co-owner of Goodyear Autocare Timaru, told The Timaru Herald that...
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Speed cameras to be turned on – later this year
Four cameras which will be used to target motorists who exceed the average speed limit through part of the Mackenzie Basin have been installed, but won’t be working until later in the year. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi announced the plan to install...
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Councillors to consider future of Timaru’s oldest watering hole
A report laying out options for retaining, removing or selling Timaru’s oldest watering hole, and the building adjacent to it, is being prepared by council staff. The site of the former Criterion Hotel/ Excelsior Hotel, at 132 Stafford St, housed the...
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What’s on in South Canterbury
Today Matariki Observation Event: 5.30am to 7am at 8 Simpson Lane, Lake Tekapo, hosted by Chameleon Stargazing. Telescope viewing and hot drinks. Clay and Sip Pottery Classes: 6pm to 9pm at the Academy of Performance and Arts Geraldine. Future...
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Region prepares for big Matariki weekend
Organisers are determined not to let the weather spoil plans as South Canterbury prepares for a bumper Matariki weekend. A range of events will take place across the region to mark the Māori New Year, tying in with the public holiday tomorrow, but...
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Children’s books and ice cream a top combo
Emma Heppell used to feel like she was constantly searching for a place to call home. Now, she hopes her latest venture will be a space where others feel they belong. On Sunday, the Waimate woman will relaunch her children’s book Walter and Wilma the...
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Stop hoping for a
Every great makeup look needs a finishing touch, and your smile is no exception. If you have a special event or a big night out, reach for Colgate Optic White Purple Serum. Think of this as a purple toner for your teeth. Drawing on the principles of...
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Hotel ‘adventure’ for couple
Ronnie Edwards and “Calamity” Jane Campbell are newlyweds at 70 and 65, respectively, who have no regrets about taking on a huge restoration challenge with a rundown landmark South Island hotel. The couple decided to buy the art deco Masonic Hotel on...
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Ukefest returns after three-year hiatus
After a three-year break, the Geraldine Ukefest has returned and drawn enthusiasts from across the country with its organisers hoping to keep the momentum going. The festival’s co-director, Hugh McCafferty, said the three-year break had been due to...
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143yo building gets a fresh coat of paint
From bringing back its 1960s glory to honouring his Irish roots, Thomas Sullivan has poured his heart into rescuing a 143-year-old building in Waimate from decay. The building on Queen St, which previously housed the Empire Tavern, originally opened...
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Delay to completion of SH1 upgrade
Following weather delays, work to upgrade a key State Highway 1 intersection in Timaru is now expected to finish by September. Work to upgrade the intersection at SH1/ Evans St and Grants Rd, at the entrance to The Showgrounds retail centre, started...
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Council votes to sell shares
Timaru’s councillors have voted to support a proposal to sell the district’s shares in South Canterbury lines company Alpine Energy. After a 40-minute discussion, which canvassed the benefits of selling a minority stake, if ringfencing any potential...
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Hospitality operators optimistic about summer
Operators in South Canterbury’s hospitality sector are looking ahead to the coming summer with high hopes, after a tough autumn and start to winter. Timaru businessman Gordon Collister said the past two months had been tough in business due to a...
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Opposition to share sale
More than 70% of respondents who shared feedback on a Timaru District Council proposal to sell its shares in Alpine Energy oppose the idea. Councillors will vote tomorrow on the proposal for Timaru District Holdings Limited (TDHL), to sell the shares...
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Sale of strategic assets needs careful thought
A former Wellington city councillor is urging those involved in deciding the fate of the Timaru community’s shares in Alpine Energy to carefully consider any support to sell. Timaru District councillors are to vote on a proposal to sell the district’s...
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Stadium fundraiser breaks $1m mark
A major Trust Aoraki contribution has pushed the fundraising campaign for Timaru’s Aorangi Stadium redevelopment past the $1 million mark. The fundraiser, launched just three months ago, aimed to raise $2.4m, or 10% of the $24.2m cost of the project...
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Seafarers centre gifts whale tooth to museum
A “fascinating” piece of local and international maritime history has been gifted to the community. Yesterday, an item from the nowdemolished more than 100-year-old South Canterbury Seafarers Welfare Centre was handed over to the region’s museum by...
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Major sculpture trail fundraiser launched
A significant contribution from a long-time resident has kick-started a fundraising campaign for new additions to the Geraldine Sculpture Trail. The drive, which aims to raise $300,000 to bring three sculptures to the community’s Waihī River trail, is...
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Vote reasons revealed
Three councillors who voted against a decision to award a $30.5 million contract for the redevelopment of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and construction of a new museum say they did so because they didn’t think the project offered ratepayers the best...
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New artwork celebrates heritage buildings
Timaru’s streetscape has been celebrated for its heritage value, and now those buildings feature in an artwork that aims to educate the community. More than 60 buildings feature in Roselyn Fauth’s latest creation, Prominent Timaru Buildings, each...
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Theatre contract vote won 6-4
Four councillors voted against a move to award a $30.5 million contract for the redevelopment of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and construction of a new museum, and keep the details under wraps for six months. The Timaru District Council has revealed the...
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Gold sponsors confirmed for stadium project
As backing from South Canterbury’s business community continues to build, those behind gold sponsorships pledged for the Aorangi Stadium redevelopment fundraising campaign say the project is hugely important to the region. This week, the Aorangi...
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New roofing is installed on Theatre Royal
As new roofing is installed on Timaru’s Theatre Royal, the council is yet to lift the lid on how elected members voted to proceed with the project in January. Yesterday, contractors could be seen on the roof of the more than 100-year-old building...
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Alpine Energy option
A former Line Trust South Canterbury trustee and Alpine Energy board director says community ownership of shares in the company was never meant to be a money maker. Janya Lobb’s comments came after yesterday’s Timaru District Council public workshop...
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The Agency
Afriendship forged at Milford Sound a decade ago is now helping two actors deliver top-notch drama. Although they first appeared on screen together in the 2015 biopic Steve Jobs, it was when Michael Fassbender and Katherine Waterston came to New...
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Family to get back to 1950s-style basics
Jo Richards loves the 1950s and wanting to show her children how people lived in the past, the family of five will step back in time for a week. The Timaru mother said she had decided to undertake the challenge after her children had been fighting...
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Council maintains watching stance
Time continues to run out for Timaru’s historical Caledonian Ground sports facilities as nearby coastal erosion continues its inexorable advance at Pātītī Point. The ocean’s advancement has eaten through access roads to the area, plus two car parks,...
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High school choir achieves TikTok fame
A video featuring a Timaru school choir’s Big Sing entry has gone viral with the international artist behind the song weighing in on the praise. Timaru Girls’ High School’s Te Reo o Ngā Kōhine (The Voice of the Young Women) choir was one of three from...
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Financial literacy programme ‘special’
South Canterbury’s co-ordinated approach to financial literacy is setting a strong example nationally, the partnership lead of an educational platform says. Speaking at an Aoraki Foundation-hosted workshop, attended by 45 primary school teachers...
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TIMARU Answers and some hope
A Timaru mum says she feels 100% vindicated in taking her ailing 5-year-old son halfway around the world for specialised genetic testing not available in New Zealand. Frustrations with the health system in NZ led Nesa Morey and Armani Docos to head to...
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Report into housing commissioned
A closer look at the region’s housing needs and how to best support them, is the aim of a report commissioned by the Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury. The need for the study had been identified as housing was an issue throughout the region,...
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Shareholders react to proposal
A proposal by the largest shareholder of Alpine Energy to sell its stake in the company came as no surprise to the head of the second-largest shareholder, given financial pressures. Yesterday, Timaru District Council announced a proposal for its...
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Share sale back on table
One of the most controversial proposals put to Timaru ratepayers in decades is back on the table, but the mayor says this time the council has a clear plan. The Timaru District Council has put forward a proposal for its holdings company, Timaru...
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BUSINESS Confidence to consolidate
A move to bring key parts of a nationwide business together under the one roof is a signal to the wider Canterbury region that local people want to invest in South Canterbury, its managing director says. Anthony Brewerton’s comments came as Timaru’s...
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Singers inducted into Hands of Fame
From Gore ... to Nashville. Kaylee Bell flew to the US to begin working on a new album yesterday – but not before she paid a fleeting visit to Gore. Bell was inducted into the Hands of Fame, one of New Zealand country music’s highest honours,...
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