A visit to Duntroon's original Victorian-era blacksmith shop is a visit back in time. Nicol's Blacksmith Shop has been around for 125 years and, while these days it is a tourist attraction, it is still a hub for the Duntroon community of 100 or so residents.Rather than making horseshoes, today it makes metal knick knacks, pokers for outdoor fires and key rings for children's school bags.The ramshackle wooden structure includes the original earthen floor. There is no need for a wooden floor because that could catch fire.Master saddler and farrier Steve Smith shoeing Brook the gig horse at Nicol's Blacksmith Shop in Duntroon Photo: Karan LawrenceChairperson of the Nicol's Blacksmith Historic Trust, Jan Keeling, said the shop had been lovingly restored and rescued.She said the community had a dozen or so volunteers who kept the tourism industry going in the town and made sure the local businesses survived.The pay off was locals were able to have a coffee and scone all year round.She said there was much pride among locals at managing to keep the blacksmiths, built in 1900 featuring hand-pumped bellows, in working order."Prior to this building, a lot of the farms had their own forge, and the blacksmith would travel around working, shoeing horses or repairing or sharpening implements."Keeling remembers when Duntroon was well off the beaten track, but that all changed about a dozen years ago.Cyclists started arriving as the Alps To Ocean Cycle Trail added Duntroon to its list of stops.She said the cycle trail had been a game-changer and amazing for the community."We have volunteers working here, creating things to sell in our little shop because the shop still runs on the smell of coal dust."Duntroon's Master Sadler Steve Smith Photo: Jo RaymondThe Duntroon Heritage Trail was created to honour the 150th anniversary of Duntroon last year.Keeling said the smithy's recent history was as important as its original history, with four local farmers getting together to buy it in the 1960s when they realised the building might be demolished.With its forge, anvil and bellows, everything was in place and ready to go, but it sat there until 2005 when newcomer Mike Gray saw the potential and formed a trust.It found a well-known restoration builder, Dave Barkman, who offered to come and live in Duntroon for a year. He literally pulled it to bits and rebuilt it like a jigsaw puzzle.Judy Waterstone was the present-day chief blacksmith at Nicol's shop with 25 years experience.As "bellows boy" Colin Martin pointed out, the blacksmiths was predominantly run by women."This is quite a unique blacksmith shop. When you look around, we've got two lady blacksmiths with Mary an apprentice, and I'm just a bellows boy," he said."And there's a reason for that old saying about too many irons in the fire," Waterstone added."Many a time I'll try and do two pieces at once, and it's fine as long as you keep that momentum up, but the moment you don't, one burns, and is ruined because there's too many irons."Leaving the huff and puff of the blacksmith shop, I headed over the back fence to meet Steve Smith, who, at 74 is a Master Saddler, one of only six in New Zealand.The former freezing worker loves Clydesdale horses and decided, after having trouble finding suitable riding tack, he would try and make the harnesses and saddles himself.So he travelled to Salisbury in the United Kingdom and learned from the best saddlers in the business.Just like a Savile Row suit-maker, Smith made each saddle to measure and it all started with a wooden tree or frame.It was covered with heavy, bovine skirting leather, sheepskin padding and more softer leathers for the seat, skirts, and fenders or flaps.Rather than using a sewing machine, Smith hand sews the leather onto the tree, finally stamping or carving designs into the leather and adding silver trim and stencilling his name on the flap.Each saddle was worth around $3000 and took 50 hours to create.Smith would like to retire."I'd love to be able to teach somebody, but nobody seems to be interested. For a young fellow or woman who had a bit of skill with their hands and motivation, it would be a pretty good sort of career."

The real estate industry has undergone a dramatic shift in how property is marketed, moving from traditional, print-heavy campaigns to a highly targeted, digital-first strategy.The Traditional EraNot long ago, selling property meant newspaper ads, glossy brochures, window cards, signboards, and weekend open homes.In New Zealand, publications like the Property Press and local newspapers were central to any campaign.Success often depended on the size of the advertisement and the circulation of the paper.Agents relied heavily on their personal databases, phone calls, and physical mail drops. Marketing was largely local, and reach was limited to geographic boundaries.While this approach built strong community connections, it lacked measurable data. Vendors had little visibility on how many buyers were engaging with their property beyond open home attendance and enquiry numbers.The Rise of Online PortalsThe early 2000s marked a turning point with the emergence of online platforms such as Trade Me and later realestate.co.nz., and OneRoof. These platforms transformed property exposure from local to national, and even international.Suddenly, buyers could search 24/7, filter by price, location, and features, and compare properties instantly.Vendors gained broader reach, while agents gained data: views, watchlists, click-through rates. This allowed campaigns to be adjusted in real time.The Social Media ShiftToday, marketing extends far beyond listing portals. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow agents to micro-target audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviour.Paid campaigns can place a property in front of buyers who may not even be actively searching yet.Video content, virtual walkthroughs, drone photography, and short-form reels now play a major role. Buyers expect immersive experiences before they ever step foot inside a home.Data-Driven and Performance MeasuredModern campaigns are no longer “set and forget.” Every click, enquiry, and viewing can be tracked.Agents can report detailed analytics back to vendors, offering transparency that was impossible in the print era.Marketing budgets can be shifted mid-campaign to maximise exposure where engagement is strongest.What Hasn’t ChangedDespite the digital revolution, one thing remains constant: trust and relationships still sell property. Technology enhances reach, but strategy, negotiation skill, and local knowledge remain critical.ConclusionThe transition from traditional print advertising to digital marketing has reshaped real estate entirely.What was once a locally driven, print-based industry is now a data-rich, globally connected marketplace.For vendors, understanding this evolution is crucial.Choosing an agent today is less about who has the biggest newspaper ad, and more about who understands digital reach, analytics, negotiation techniques and strategic online positioning.Sponsored Content: This article has been submitted by a contributing local expert as part of The Central App’s sponsored advisor programme.

Business owners questioned Vincent ward by-election candidates on infrastructure funding, council advocacy and decision-making at a breakfast forum in Alexandra on Friday (February 27). Close to 40 people attended the event, hosted by Elevate Central, where candidates Nat Jamieson, Louise Van der Voort and Andrew Dowling each gave short introductions before taking part in a moderated question-and-answer session.Opening the forum, meeting chair Dewald de Beer encouraged participants to make use of the anonymous question system, telling the room it would be “a little bit weird to moderate questions if there’s no questions to moderate”.Nat kicked things off telling the audience his background was in business rather than local government, outlining a career that included dairy farming in Southland, a long period in sales, and more recently owning a delivery company and a motel in Alexandra.He said those experiences had given him an understanding of risk, investment and operating through economic uncertainty.He told attendees he did not consider himself “a local yet”, but said he was committed to engaging with the community if elected.Louise said her candidacy was shaped by more than two decades working inside Central Otago District Council, including roles in planning, infrastructure, emergency management and economic development.She said major reforms facing local government risked shifting decision-making away from local communities, and they were a key motivator for her standing.“All of those changes bring regional focus to decision-making, which takes it out of the hands of local people more,” she said, adding smaller rural districts like Central Otago could be disproportionately affected.Andrew said his work advising farmers on whole-farm systems through his role with PGG Wrightson had shaped his view of governance.He said the councillor role was not about day-to-day operations, but oversight, “casting an eye over the business and seeing are we doing the things we should be doing”.One of the first questions from the floor asked candidates for their views on Local Government New Zealand and whether council membership represented value for money.Lousie said LGNZ played an important advocacy role, particularly at a time when councils were facing wide-ranging reform.While she acknowledged the cost, she said collective representation was critical if local government was to influence central government decisions.Nat said he saw councillors as the link between communities and higher-level decision-making, while Andrew said councils needed to be careful to “cut fat, not muscle” when reviewing spending, arguing LGNZ’s advocacy justified the cost.Infrastructure funding was another key focus.Elevate business group president Dewald de Beer, left, with Vincent ward candidates Andrew Dowling, Louise van der Voort and Nat Jamieson. Image: The Central AppAndrew said the council’s existing Long Term Plan provided the framework for prioritising projects and funding, and the task for elected members was to ensure money was used efficiently.Nat said the Vincent ward faced major infrastructure challenges, including ageing bridges and water assets.He said growth in Alexandra through subdivision and building activity raised questions about how development could contribute more toward funding local infrastructure.Louise said infrastructure was funded through rates, debt and development contributions, noting upcoming legislative changes aimed at ensuring growth paid for growth.She said a core problem was that increasing responsibilities were being placed on councils without changes to how they were funded, placing pressure on ratepayers.Asked how they would balance community expectations with the legal, commercial and risk realities of running a large organisation, Nat said councillors needed to find a middle ground between what communities wanted and what they needed, through ongoing engagement.The candidates agreed to respond in writing to further questions submitted through the forum’s QR code system, with responses to be circulated to the wider business network before voting closes at midday on Tuesday, March 3.Voting papers can be returned via one of the council’s branded orange voting bins – it is now too late to post them.Those bins are located at the Alexandra Service Centre on Dunorling Street, the council-owned Alexandra Library, Alexandra New World, Alexandra Woolworths, Clyde Night ’n Day and the Omakau supermarket.As of Friday, 2,602 people had voted – 31.29 per cent of those eligible.Read more: Catch up on The Central App’s Q and A with all three candidates and One in four votes ahead of candidate meet-and-greet Watch here: Candidate videos Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

A $2500 arts scholarship awarded to Dunstan High School band ‘The Stolen Rings,’ will see the group recording songs in the world famous Roundhead Studios.The group received the award from the Alexandra Community Arts Council last Friday, and has been making a name for themselves over the past year.The Stolen Rings was placed second in the regional Smokefree Rockquest event in 2025, and later in the year impressed judges at the Central Sound Waves event in Queenstown.The band’s original music gained them an 8-hour professional studio recording session in Queenstown, but now they are heading north to record in the same studio where it all started for Neil Finn.The Stolen Rings have big plans for 2026. The talented group of 16-year-olds competed against 17 other bands in the rockquest in their first ever performance, where they had to perform two fully original songs that they wrote themselves. Influenced by Led Zeppelin, ACDC and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, the group writes songs about issues such as cyber bullying, and most recently the floods up north.Mother Tracey Mcfadyen said the band invested countless hours writing lyrics and composing music, proving their dedication and originality.She said the boys were driven by a genuine passion for music, and dedicated themselves to practicing 2–3 times a week outside of school, continually pushing their creativity and performance skills.They also played several local gigs during 2025 and will continue to raise their profile again this year.The Alexandra Community Arts Trust runs the annual ‘Art in the Garden’ event in January, and the profits from that are put back into providing scholarships for individuals to improve their skills.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

A community of volunteer fruit pickers has helped deliver roughly 300 kilograms of choice Central Otago apricots straight from the tree to those in need.More than 20 crates of apricots that otherwise may have gone to waste were plucked from an orchard in Pisa on Tuesday (February 24).The orchard owners, who asked not to be named, have opened the trees to volunteers for the past three seasons, with the fruit collected and redistributed by food charity KiwiHarvest.Patricia Johnston, who coordinated Tuesday’s pick, said the aim was simple: make sure good food did not go to waste.“It’s really about rescuing the food,” she said.“It’s my thing - just not seeing the fruit go to waste.”Ten or so people responded to a Facebook invitation to help the day prior to the pick, some staying for hours, others popping in briefly to fill a crate or two.Volunteers were also encouraged to take fruit home for themselves to eat, preserve, or share with neighbours.Apricots ripe for picking at a once commercial orchard block near Cromwell. Image: SuppliedPatricia said several of the pickers were new to Cromwell, including one man who had only arrived a month earlier.“I said, ‘Have you picked apricots before?’, and he said, ‘No, just mangos!’,” she said.“They just wanted to do something for the community.”Patricia said some of the fruit would be shared fresh, while other batches were likely to be preserved through church and community groups and redistributed through food banks.A spokesperson for KiwiHarvest said 16 charities in the region were likely to benefit from the donation from these “local legends”, including Cromwell Food Bank, Cromwell Youth Trust, Ūrūru Whenua in Alexandra and Alexandra Youth Trust.The spokesperson said Patricia's community pick was unique but seven other orchards in the area also regularly donated excess stock, meaning the charity could “almost guarantee some form of fruit to those who need it most for most of the year”.“It’s amazing to see this fruit do what it’s intended to do and strengthen the community and our region.”They said the donated fruit also helped offset a local shortfall in vegetable supply, with some produce swapped with KiwiHarvest’s Invercargill branch in return for Southland-grown vegetables.Another apricot pick is likely next week, depending on ripening conditions and confirmation from the orchard owners.Patricia said details would be shared locally once confirmed, with the timing designed to align with KiwiHarvest’s collection schedule.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Central Otago District Council is cracking down on storage containers on public land, adopting a policy to force community groups to pay a bond to ensure containers don’t end up “dumped”.Exactly how much the bond will be is yet undecided, but staff have indicated the intent is to cover the cost of a container’s removal.The ‘Containers on Reserves Policy’ was adopted by elected members of the council at a meeting in Cromwell on Wednesday.They opted for the bond to be refundable, as recommended by council staff.Parks officer Maria Burnett said staff workshopped the draft policy with community boards in November and February.However there was no public consultation prior to the policy being adopted.Maria told the meeting the council was seeing an increasing demand for shipping containers and similar storage structures on council parks and reserves.She said in the past approvals had been granted on an ad hoc basis.“This has created inconsistency across the district, visual and amenity impacts on reserves and limited ability for council to enforce conditions or require removal if a group folds or moves on,” she said.The policy includes rules, such as requiring screening, planting or recessive colours, to reduce the “visual impact” of a container.It also dictates a time limit - “typically up to two years” with “clear expectations around renewal, maintenance and removal”, Maria said.“Importantly, the policy signals a clear long-term transition away from individual containers and towards a shared or integrated storage solution,” she said.“Containers are generally discouraged and will only be permitted when no practical alternative exists and shared options have been explored.”Teviot Valley councillor Curtis Pannett queried the two-year time limit, noting the cost to community groups of upgrading containers and landscaping to help them blend in.Staff said there would be ongoing dialogue with groups around extensions, “but it’s not guaranteed”.Vincent councillor and deputy mayor Tracy Paterson challenged some of the language from staff suggesting containers were ‘private use’ at the expense of ‘public space’.She asked for confirmation none of the containers in question actually belonged to individuals - and received it.“Okay, so it is all actually community groups, clubs, etc,” she said.Tracy wondered how the policy would be received considering “some of those containers have been on reserves for a very, very long time”.Staff said they will be contacting groups that have containers on public land as a next step and telling them about the policy change.The policy covers shipping containers as well as prefabricated and portable buildings used for storage on council reserves.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Submissions on the Simplifying Local Government proposals continue to share similar messages that the reforms place too much pressure on Mayors.The Government has proposed replacing regional councillors with Combined Territories Boards (CTBs) comprised of local Mayors. The boards will develop reorganisation plans while simultaneously taking on regional council governance functions.  Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) said in its submission, that developing reorganisation plans will require a significant amount of extra work for most Mayors. LGNZ’s regional sector chair Dr Deon Swiggs said taking on the governance of regional councils will further add to the workload and could jeopardise the speed and quality of the reorganisation plans and the implementation of resource management reform. He said one pragmatic suggestion is to retain regional councillors until either the end of this triennium, or when reorganisation plans are finalised. “This flexibility would allow CTBs to concentrate on reorganisation and get the job done more efficiently.” LGNZ supports a reset of local government structure, with members at its 2025 annual general meeting passing a remit calling for change. But the organisation said the proposed boards should have a single focus so that reform can be delivered quickly and is enduring.LGNZ chair Dr Deon Swiggs. Image: suppliedThe Central Otago District Council also made its submission public this week, which reflects the district’s experience as a small, rural council managing growing responsibilities alongside rising costs, and stresses the importance of reforms being practical, clearly funded, and designed with rural districts in mind.Mayor Tamah Alley said CODC is not resistant to reform, but the proposed changes do not yet strike the right balance.“Local government knows the system needs to evolve, but this proposal can’t come at the expense of local accountability.”“The current proposal raises real concerns for smaller and rural councils like ours, particularly around local accountability and who ultimately makes decisions for our communities. People need to know that decisions affecting their towns, services, and rates are still being made locally, by people who understand Central Otago.”Despite its concerns, CODC signalled it wants to continue engaging constructively with the Government to help shape a better outcome with well-designed, practical change.“Instead of forcing a rushed, one-size-fits-all structure, we want a genuine partnership where local communities keep their voice and get the financial support they need to build infrastructure and prepare for the future,” Mayor Tamah said.“Our submission is about improving this proposal – not rejecting reform altogether.”CODC has requested the opportunity to speak on its submission and will continue advocating for changes that strengthen, rather than weaken, local democracy and service delivery for Central Otago communities. Submissions - Central Otago District Council. LGNZ acknowledges the Government may be committed to removing regional Councillors immediately.  If that’s the case, one option LGNZ suggests is keeping current regional council chairs as the chair or member of a CTB.   Another option is to appoint outgoing regional councillors to a CTB committee in the same way non-elected members can be appointed to council committees.  LGNZ president Rehette Stoltz said regional councillors have important insights to contribute to the development of these plans, “which would be lost if they are completely removed from the process”, he said. “We want the right expertise in the room so that the most significant changes to local government since 1989 are successful and enduring.”   LGNZ also wants to ensure reorganisation plans already underway, like in the Southland region, can continue at pace.  “It’s important that councils who have already started a reorganisation process before these Government proposals come into effect can press ahead.   “We don’t want them to be unnecessarily slowed down or made to redo processes,” Rehette said.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

The Otago Regional Council is confident that the budgets allowing proposed zero rates increases are not setting them up for substantial rises in the future.“But I would put a caveat on that, that the implementation of the new resource management system is a total unknown, in terms of scale of resource required and the cost to this organisation fulfilling our part of that function,” chief executive Richard Saunders told the meeting this week.Dunstan ward councillor Gary Kelliher questioned how the 0% rates rise has been achieved, whether it was through meeting efficiencies, “or an opportunistic situation which arose through delaying work… because that will come back to us and be a cost.”Richard said there have been some savings, including reducing consultants on specific projects, as well as an element of underspends (including the $600,00 from the Regional Air Plan, now on hold).Cr Kelliher said he he wanted to give confidence to ratepayers, and not have the regional council set itself up for a shock, “that will return of a substantial scale, that will move everyone back to double digits rate increase again, like what had happened in the past,” following the pandemic.But Richard assured the meeting that the organisation understood that expectation, to be diligent in its financial planning.The draft position in its Annual Plan includes an operating expenditure of $146.09 million which is a reduction of $8.62 million compared to the adopted Long Term Plan year three (2026-27).This will result in a total rates requirement of 68.47 million, which is the same as the 2025-26 rates take (0% increase), and a decrease of $11.80 million compared to adopted LTP year three (2026-27).The Otago Regional Council approved its draft annual plan for 2026/27, which will be completed and presented to council for adoption at its April 29 meeting.Following adoption of the Annual Plan 2026-27, the regional council rates resolution will be provided to the June 2026 council meeting for approval.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Commercial and Rural Insurance BrokersFor over 30 years C&R along with the Smith family have been a strong supporter of many sporting groups throughout Central Otago and the Dunstan Arm RC rowing program.Paul and Maree Piebenga from Southern Lakes ITMLong-time supporters of the Central Otago community, Paul and Maree have contributed to many local sports and events, including rowing, hockey, rugby, and mountain biking. They also have a special connection to rowing, with their daughter Olivia Piebenga being a member of the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club for the past three years, competing at both national and international levels. Vincent HoldingsAlbie and the Vincent Holdings team have helped Dunstan keep its boats in fantastic race condition. Their quick repairs and refurbishments have been critical in keeping our rowers on the water. DARC greatly appreciates their support and top-quality craftsmanship.BREEN ConstructionBREEN Construction has had a strong presence in the club, with numerous Breen athletes competing over the last five seasons. They have supported the club with financial and logistics assistance, and remain key supporters of DARC and many other groups throughout the Otago and Southland regions.Thanks to all our additional sponsors including Dunedin City Ford, Caltex, Two Wheels Unlimited, Junction Autos, B Design, Olivers Café, Hydro Marine and many others. We really appreciate the help from our local community that has supported and employed our athletes over the seasons.

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Understanding the Upcoming Changes and Their Impact on Retirement SavingsNew Zealanders will soon see changes to KiwiSaver contribution rates, affecting both employees and employers.With the country’s population structure evolving, these adjustments aim to encourage greater personal savings for retirement.Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming increases and their implications.Key Changes to KiwiSaver Contribution RatesThe minimum KiwiSaver contribution rates are set to rise in two stages:From 1 April 2026: Minimum employee and employer contributions will increase to 3.5% each.From 1 April 2028: Minimum employee and employer contributions will further increase to 4% each.These adjustments apply to all employees and employers currently making compulsory minimum contributions. For official details, visit Inland Revenue or MBIE.Why the Changes Are ImportantNew Zealand is experiencing significant demographic shifts. Research by Professor Paul Spoonley highlights a rapidly growing population aged 65 and older, declining birth rates, and a decreasing ratio of working-age people to retirees.These factors put pressure on public retirement systems and make personal savings more crucial than ever.What Employees and Employers Should ExpectEmployees contributing at the minimum rate will see their KiwiSaver deductions increase in 2026 and again in 2028, boosting their long-term savings.Employers will need to update payroll systems and adjust budgets to meet the new contribution requirements.Illustrative Impact: Comparing Contribution RatesConsider a 35‑year‑old earning $100,000 per year and starting with a KiwiSaver balance of $20,000. Contributing at the current minimum of 3% (employee) and 3% (employer) could see their balance grow significantly over time, assuming steady contributions and long‑term investment returns. Increasing contributions to 4% each could boost the projected retirement balance by around 25–30% over the same period. These figures are indicative only; actual outcomes depend on investment returns, fees, taxes, salary growth, fund selection, and time in the market.The Power of Small IncreasesEven modest increases in contribution rates can significantly impact retirement savings due to the effect of compounding.As employer contributions rise, additional savings accumulate over decades, becoming especially important amid New Zealand’s demographic challenges.Need Personalised Advice?If you’re unsure how these changes may affect your retirement plans, Central Financial Planning’s experienced team can help. They offer guidance on contribution options, model retirement scenarios, and support informed decision-making.Contact Central Financial Planning:📞 Phone: 03 448 8613📧 Email: admin@centralfp.co.nz🌐 Website: www.centralfp.co.nzSponsored Content: This article has been submitted by a contributing local expert as part of The Central App’s sponsored advisor programme.

Residents have taken to social media to thank emergency crews after a fast-moving fire threatened properties and prompted evacuations between Clyde and Alexandra on Wednesday afternoon. Firefighting crews have been stood down at the site of the large vegetation fire near Springvale Road.A spokesperson for Fire and Emergency New Zealand said one crew had remained on site overnight on Wednesday, but no teams were needed on the ground today (Thursday February 26).“We have had a bit of rain in the area, which has assisted us,” the spokesperson said.A fire investigator has been at the site, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.Video: FENZAll residents who were evacuated during the incident have since returned home.The fire, reported just after 3.25pm on Wednesday, burned roughly 20 hectares of dry grassland and pine trees, destroying a shed and damaging the exterior of a house.Helicopters and crews from across Otago responded.Fire crews respond to a fast-moving blaze near Springvale Road on Wednesday afternoon. Image: Susan HealSpringvale Road was closed during the incident.Central Otago District Council took to Facebook to express its gratitude to first responders.“A huge thank you to Otago - Fire and Emergency Otago Civil Defence and Emergency Management and all crews who worked tirelessly yesterday afternoon to successfully contain the fire near Springvale,” it said in a post."Their swift response and coordinated efforts were critical in protecting our community and bringing the situation under control.”Local business owner Crystal Currie said she had closed her doggy daycare for the day by the time the fire broke out.“We could see the smoke, and we were definitely having conversations around evacuation plans,” she told The Central App.Crystal said she later reached out to another nearby dog care business, offering support if animals needed to be moved in an emergency.“It’s a real reminder of how many people and situations a fire like that can affect,” she said.Helicopters fighting the fire from the air were stood down at 8pm on Wednesday. Images: Susan HealDown the road at Tree Range Farms, the team also had a message for fire crews.“Seeing such big clouds or smelling smoke so close to home is a real eye opener, I’m sure I speak for many when I say how grateful we are for the people and crews who run toward it when that siren goes,” they said on a post to a local community Facebook page.“And to the families holding down the fort at home when the other half disappears at the ring of a siren, thank you. Feeling very grateful tonight as it could have looked a lot different for many without you guys.”On the morning of the blaze, FENZ had issued a warning to residents about dangerous fire conditions."Wednesday will be hot and windy in parts of inland Otago, which will push up the fire risk," it said."Please don't light any outdoor fires on Wednesday, even if where you live is not already covered by a total fire ban."The district entered a prohibited fire season over the weekend.Read more: Fire near Clyde contained after helicopters, 21 crews battle blazeHave a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Waitaki District Council looks set to rejoin the Southern Waters water services group, a move member mayors say will strengthen the proposed entity.At a meeting on Tuesday (February 25), the council voted to join Central Otago, Clutha and Gore district councils to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services from mid next year.However, it remains unclear whether two other South Island councils - Timaru and Mackenzie - will sign up.Waitaki had previously withdrawn from the joint approach to pursue an in-house water services model, a proposal which was later rejected by the Department of Internal Affairs.In a statement following Tuesday's decision, Waitaki mayor Mel Tavendale said a larger organisation would deliver benefits “in both efficiency and cost savings”.However, councillor Sven Thelning said under either an in-house model or a joint council-controlled organisation ratepayers should expect “massive price rises” that were "going to hurt".It was a sentiment echoed by council chief executive Alex Parmley, who said there had been “historic underinvestment” in three waters infrastructure nationally, including in Waitaki District.He said, “the bill has now arrived”, estimating the district would need close to “a quarter of billion dollars worth of investment” over the next decade.Waitaki’s proposed inclusion will now be considered by each of the existing member councils, with Central Otago scheduled to make its decision at a meeting on March 25.At that meeting, elected members will also consider foundational documents for Southern Waters, including a shareholders’ agreement and constitution.The potentially five-council entity could later expand further, with Timaru and Mackenzie district councils still working through their options.“We respect that Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils must make decisions they believe are in the best interests of their communities,” a joint statement from the three confirmed Southern Waters mayors said.“These are significant, long-term choices, and each council must weigh its options carefully.”Southern Waters programme director Fiona Smith (middle) with Clutha District Council staff on a site visit. Image: SuppliedIf all three councils agree to Waitaki’s re-entry, further work would be undertaken to finalise documentation and transition planning, the statement said.In a report to council, Central Otago mayor Tamah Alley said she had “spent a substantial amount of time” over the past month working with Southern Waters and engaging with councils considering joining the entity.Southern Waters programme director Fiona Smith, who started in the role six weeks ago, has been visiting key water assets across Central Otago, Gore and Clutha districts as part of transition planning.“Seeing the systems first-hand and hearing directly from the people who operate them is essential,” she said in a statement earlier this month.“You can learn a lot from reports, but you gain a much deeper understanding by being on site and talking with the teams who manage these assets every day.”Fiona relocated from Sydney, where she was executive manager of strategy and performance at WaterNSW, one of Australia’s largest water utilities.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

A wood burner replacement trial to improve air quality and human health outcomes, using a $600,000 underspend, is one idea being considered by the Otago Regional Council.The proposal managed to gain the approval of the majority of regional councillors, using money that was originally budgeted for in the Regional Air Plan that is now on pause.The Government halted regional councils’ Regional Air Plans in mid-2025, but the ORC has been progressing to review and update its regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to managing air quality since 2023.Councillors were split 6-5 on whether to instruct staff to prepare a paper to consider options for the trial and other education actions, such as expansion of the air quality monitoring network.The surplus will remain in reserves while the report is being carried out by staff, and the next steps decided.A report to council said air quality is slowly improving in many of Otago’s monitored airsheds, however, Otago’s worst affected towns have some of the poorest winter-time air quality in New Zealand, and still fall short of compliance with the human health standards set out in the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality 2004 (NESAQ).That includes Clyde, where staff initially suggested that they could use the $600,000 to replace 80 wood burners in the town, reducing emissions by up to 40%.A blanket of smog sits over the Clyde basin. Image: fileLeader of the Otago Housing Alliance Aaron Hawkins also talked in the public forum supporting the initiative, but said the criteria for the funding should be based on the state of the heating appliance itself, rather than focusing on specific towns or airsheds.Cr Michael Laws called the proposal a “pet project for staff,” saying it was being utilised for a particular purpose to subsidise certain residents in Clyde, where he said the average house price in the town was now around $1 million.“Clyde is a wealthy community that can provide for its own upgrades.”Chief executive Richard Saunders defended the accusation it was a pet project, and said the proposal had always been part of earlier discussions in the Annual Plan (2026/27).He said staff assessments show spending the money on a particular area will lead to improved health outcomes, which is backed by science.Chair Hilary Calvert suggested that Milton would be a better preference for a town to trial, and pointed out that just because houses were high value in Clyde, didn’t mean those people living in them had high incomes.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

A massive subdivision planned for the site of a quarry on the outskirts of Cromwell has almost doubled in density, with developers using the government’s fast track legislation to bypass local planning hurdles they claim would cause significant delays. The proposed Parkburn project, led by Fulton Hogan Land Development, was officially referred to the government’s fast-track consenting process by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop last week.While the initial proposal that prompted Central Otago District Council’s Plan Change 21 included fewer than 600 new homes on the 118-hectare site, fast track documents show Fulton Hogan's revised plan includes closer to 1000 “across a range of densities”.Also proposed, spaces for shops, businesses, healthcare, a preschool and a primary school, as well as two “coves” extending into Lake Dunstan.An end-of-life quarry near Cromwell could become a new 1000-home neighbourhood in a proposed staged development. Image: The Central AppBriefing documents to the minister said the developer acknowledged its higher-density plan was technically non-complying and that was “likely to create significant delays if the project proceeds under normal RMA processes".They also said because the local plan was only recently made operative, the developer's ability to pursue another plan change locally was "limited”, while the government’s fast track process would "support and facilitate more timely and efficient delivery of the project”.The minister backed the referral, saying the project met the criteria because it would “increase the supply of housing" and "deliver significant economic benefits".Analysis showed the project would contribute $472M to New Zealand’s GDP and support 331 jobs over a 10-year delivery period.The minister was told Fulton Hogan believed the proposal would respond “to identified housing needs” in Cromwell and the wider district, including affordable housing and housing to “support the demands that are expected to arise from the proposed mining operations planned across Central Otago”.The project is not without early red flags, and Contact Energy has signalled all private land and roads in any new development on the site should be elevated to 197 metres to mitigate flooding risks associated with the Clyde Dam.Fulton Hogan now has a two-year deadline to lodge a "substantive application".Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Story updated 8.35pm: A large vegetation fire near Clyde that burned approximately 20 hectares - roughly the size of 20 rugby fields - has been contained, with firefighters remaining on site overnight to monitor for flare-ups.Most residents evacuated near Springvale Road have now been allowed home following the "fast-moving" blaze this afternoon (Wednesday February 25).Fire and Emergency New Zealand incident controller Nic McQuillan said only a small number of people from properties west of McArthur Road remained unable to return home.Twenty-one fire trucks and support vehicles responded to the incident.Nic said firefighters had worked hard to save homes in the fire’s path.Images: Susan HealOne shed was destroyed and the exterior of one house was scorched by flames.The fire burned on both sides of Springvale Road, which remains closed.Helicopters with monsoon buckets fighting the fire from the air were stood down at 8pm, and some ground crews were released.Multiple crews will continue working until dark, with one crew remaining on site overnight keep watch.“Additional crews will return tomorrow to extinguish some deep-seated areas of fire,” Nic said.Videos shared to social media showed the fire burning through dry grassland and pine trees along the road linking Clyde with Omakau.A FENZ spokesperson earlier told The Central App fire trucks had been deployed from Dunstan, Clyde, Alexandra, Cromwell, Dunedin, Omakau, Tarras, Blackstone and Millers Flat.No injuries were reported.Fire crews respond to a fast-moving blaze near Springvale Road on Wednesday afternoon. Image: Susan HealOn its own Facebook page, FENZ had warned nearby residents during the peak of the blaze of "a lot of smoke...drifting towards Alexandra"."If you are in the vicinity of the smoke, please stay inside with windows closed," it said on its Otago Facebook page."Please stay away from the area of the fire so firefighters can do their job to contain the fire."It asked people to "take extra care while undertaking any hot works in the area", such as welding, grinding and lawn mowing due to the number of resources responding to the blaze.The cause of the fire is not yet known.The fire was reported to FENZ at approximately 3.25pm.By 4pm, firefighters on the ground were reporting the blaze to be 400 metres by 400 metres in size.The district entered a prohibited fire season on Saturday.Read more: 'Surprise' fire ban for CentralHave a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Sixteen national rowing medals came home this week from Lake Karapiro for the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club, including four golds.A squad of 60 athletes represented the club at the New Zealand Rowing Championships.  The Men’s Senior Double Sculls, Women’s Senior Double Sculls, Women’s Senior Coxless Quad Sculls and Men’s Senior Coxless Quad Sculls were all first in their events.Dunstan High School student Bella Breen, at just 15, is one of youngest athletes the club has seen perform at senior level.Bella was also awarded a senior pin - a prestigious award presented to members of gold medal winning crews in Senior grade events at a national level.As well as her gold in the Senior Double Sculls with Madison Neale, Bella also won bronze as part of the Women’s Senior Coxless Quad Sculls - the same race that was won by her team mates Emma Spittle, Olivia Key, Olivia Piebenga and Millie Scott.DARC head coach Simon Smith with some of female medal winners at the nationals. Image: suppliedThe Men’s Senior Double Sculls was won by Henry Clatworthy and Matt O’Meara, who then teamed up with Charlie Manser and Harry Lightfoot to take out the Mens Senior Coxless Quad Sculls.Head coach Simon Smith said it was such a phenomenal thing to be performing at that level with the best in the country, “and it was fantastic seeing that happen.”The club also has four U-23 rowers trialling for New Zealand - Jack Pearson, Mathew King, Finn Allison and Madison Neale.“We’re constantly trying to evolve and grow,” he said.The focus is now on the 15 Dunstan High School rowers that will carry on training for the South Island Secondary Schools and the Maadi Cup in March.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz

Two Central Otago drivers had their licences suspended by police over the weekend.Alexandra Police Acting Senior Sergeant Regan Price said on February 21 a driver in the Omakau area had his licence suspended for driving through a road works zone, which at the time had a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. The driver’s speed was alleged to be over three times the temporary limit. This driver’s vehicle was also impounded for 28 days.On Thursday February 19, a 54-year-old man was stopped in the Ranfurly area after being seen driving over 50km/h over the speed limit.His licence was suspended for 28 days and his vehicle impounded. He is due to appear in the Alexandra District Court on March 19.Cromwell Police are also investigating the theft of a blue 2016 Ford Ranger from Pisa Moorings which occurred on February 17.Police would like to hear from anyone with CCTV, dash cam or other information that could assist its investigation.Anyone with information can contact Police via 105, either over the phone or online, referencing the file number 260218/0460.

It has a well-earned reputation for being brutal - and now the long-time race director of the Northburn 100 near Cromwell is about to get a taste of his own medicine.The tagline for the gruelling mountain running event is: “Where suffering is a prize and everyone’s a winner”.This March, race director Terry Davis will line up to suffer alongside the rest of the field, taking on the longest course on offer - the 100 Miler, a 161 kilometre route that has runners climbing and descending 10,000 metres over up to 48 hours.“It’s very hilly…and they’re quite relentless,” Terry said, describing the course.A Cromwell resident who has built a business around running events that get people out into the Central Otago hills, Terry said there was nothing else quite like the Northburn 100.“Ours is a long climb that goes on and on and on, with a lot of false summits, and it just wears you down,” he said.“Then when you get to the top you think, ‘Oh, great, downhill’, but the downhills go on and on and on and down can be more uncomfortable than going uphill."Year after year, competitors are drawn to the challenge, though that does not mean they enjoy it at the time.“It's very much type two fun,” Terry said.One section, dubbed “the death climb”, comes more than 100 kilometres into the race and involves a steep ascent from lake level to Leaning Rock.Checking the course in previous years, Terry has tackled it himself.“While I was going up there, I had vivid ideas of ‘I don't need to keep doing this. I could just lie down here and die in these tussocks, and I wouldn't have to keep going’. That seemed like a pretty attractive option.”At the inaugural event in 2012, Terry - already race director - recalled standing on the finish line.“The ones who did finish just had looks of anguish on their face. There were no smiles or relief or how happy they were that it was done, they just absolutely collapsed and looked like death warmed up, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Geez, it can't be that hard’.”Terry Davis: 'If I just jog around and make it look easy, they will be terribly disappointed'. Image: FacebookNews he has stepped away from directing duties to compete this year has spread, drawing some good-natured ribbing from fellow runners.“There are a lot of people that just can't wait to see me really suffer,” Terry said.“If I just jog around and make it look easy, they will be terribly disappointed.”So, what is the appeal?“For me, endurance events - and all the training that you need to do for them - are just absolutely fantastic for mental health, because you have to spend a lot of time outdoors, in the fresh air, in the mountains,” Terry said.Also high on the list of positives, he said, were the people.“The trail running community is the most fantastic, inclusive, embracing – just really friendly and welcoming – and they're just the best community of people that I know.”Glen Christiansen, the general manager of The Gate in Cromwell and another keen runner, will take over as race director for this year’s Northburn event.Marathon, half-marathon, night races and a kids adventure race are among the options available to entrants.Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact editor@centralapp.nz