When Brent Holder bought a block of industrial land 17 years ago he never would have guessed how it would cater for and adapt to his changing lifestyle.

Hollie Smith's beautiful new album Humour and The Misfortune Of Others, is released on Monday.

A former Green Party candidate has died while diving for shellfish to feed workers redeveloping a Hawkes Bay marae.

Geraldine Johns dives into the flavour-filled world of gourmet cheese, and discovers what it takes to impress judges.

Residents of two Hawkes Bay towns will be counting the cost of huge seas which ripped away parts of homes and eroded the road.

Hawkes Bay coastal residents are allowed to return home after high waves prompted evacuations.

The official warning over a tsunami that threatened the entire east coast of New Zealand today has been downgraded to an advisory, but there is still a threat from ocean surges.

Civil Defence authorities have downgraded the tsunami warning for New Zealand. However, New Zealand authorities are warning that there could be surges for up to 24 hours.

New Zealand east coastal areas aren't out of the woods yet, with Civil Defence authorities and scientists electing keep the tsunami warning in place.

Wave activity "appears to be stabilised" at previously-reported levels, Civil Defence Emergency Management says.

The first wave has reached the Chatham Islands, after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile overnight. An official tsunami alert remains in place for New Zealand's entire east coast.