Big swells predicted to surge up the eastern side of New Zealand from Kaikoura to north of Mahia Peninsula

Whale Watch is back on the water in Kaikoura.

Bay of Islands the place to be for summer sun today

2016 has won GeoNet's "dubious honour" of having the largest amount of recorded earthquakes in the network's history.

Springs Junction - the tiny settlement connecting State Highways 7 and 65 - now boasts two food caravans as well as a service station and cafe both operating 24/7.

Suspiciously quickly, the Government re-opened SH1 south of Kaikoura just before Christmas.

Steve Braunias looks back on a year of thinking dangerously.

Kiwi anglers will be able to log their catch this summer - and contribute to data around our fish stocks - thanks to a free app.

Funding boost comes after scrutiny of the official response to the Kaikoura earthquake, particularly how quickly a tsunami alert was issued.

The main road into Kaikoura from the south has been opened to daytime traffic in time for Christmas.

All Blacks great Richie McCaw flies with Santa into earthquake-battered Kaikoura today.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has had another up-close look at damage to SH1 as he prepares to make an announcement about reopening the road to Kaikoura's south.

Preparations are under way to tear down carpark building damaged in Wellington quake.

Geonet say there is a 98 per cent chance of an aftershock of 6 to 6.9 magnitude in the next year.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce outlines his attitude to Auckland's woes, Super Fund and tax.

Scientists are still trying to understand the strange tsunami activity that occurred in last month's 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake - and have called upon people to help them.

Quake ravaged Kaikoura is doing its best to embrace the Christmas spirit.

DHBs paid $1.5 million to senior doctors for additional duties arising from junior colleagues' strike.

Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says he doesn't regret a heated exchange with a farmer in Kaikoura yesterday.

Important fishery in good shape after Kaikoura earthquake.

NIWA marine ecology technician Mark Fenwick has observed the dramatic changes to Kaikoura's crayfish habitats.

When Kaikoura locals told visiting PM Bill English the Govt effort was "piss poor" in the quake-strewn region, Gerry Brownlee let them have it.

Hundreds of people have lodged injury claims following last month's massive magnitude-7.8 earthquake.

Prime Minister Bill English is making his first official visit today - to earthquake ravaged Kaikoura.

Bill English's first official visit takes him to Kaikoura, where he is impressed by recovery efforts.

The Government has committed to rebuilding State Highway 1 to Kaikoura - at a cost of more than $1 billion.

People whose houses were damaged in last month's earthquake can apply for a $1000 Red Cross grant.

Hokitika woman Lisa Tumahai yesterday stepped into the top role of the billion-dollar Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.

The quake struck just after midnight on November 14, causing massive fault line ruptures and slips, damaging buildings and closing key roads.

As 2016 draws to a close, the NZ Science Media Centre picked some of the biggest national and international science stories that made headlines