A Queenstown man has died at the scene of the light plane crash in the Poolburn area in Central Otago this afternoon, police said.

St John Wakatipu station manager Craig Downing says lives could have been put at risk after someone slashed the tyres of an ambulance overnight on Sunday.

A large vegetation fire in Central Otago has been contained.

This is artist Colin McCahon's "landscape of splendour", writes Elisabeth Easther.

Herald readers recommended a bunch of great Kiwi activities for Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins. We sent him to see the best of Queenstown with competition winner Dave Floyd.

We asked Herald readers where to send Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins to introduce him to life in New Zealand. Tomkins looked through the entries and picked the one suggested by Dave Floyd - a bungy jump in Queenstown. Here's the footage of his leap out over the Nevis River - the highest bungee in Australasia.

The World Cup final cost some football fans a day's skiing yesterday, with scores of skiers turned away from Cardrona skifield, despite good weather.

Lives were put at risk from couch fires lit too close to houses in Dunedin's student quarter, Dunedin police and the Fire Service have warned.

Peter Feeney finds Dunedin is a supercity minus the sleaze.

A young mother helped stop her former partner - 'psychotic' on synthetic cannabis - from driving her and her child into Otago Harbour.

A police officer was punched in the head by a motorcyclist after a high-speed chase through Dunedin last night.

A Dunedin man has admitted indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl who was babysitting at a house in Timaru early last year.

An ''outrageous'' initiative will see undercover police officers ''spying on patrons'', Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson says.

The Invercargill woman charged with keeping too many cats on her city property can be now be named.

A 14-second clip of three young women being kicked and punched by a group of drunk teens has appalled the victims, who ask who posted the video - but didn't help them.

Awe-inspiring mountain country amply rewards tramper Conor MacHugh.

A classic car connected to convicted fraudster Michael Swann has been found abandoned in a Christchurch street.

A Dunedin driver who crashed into a cow woke up in a smoke-filled car with an 18-wheeler truck bearing down on her.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has ''no regrets'' about stepping in to buy a set of leg irons, despite evidence they were used to hold camels, not Maori prisoners as had been believed.

'At that level I'm surprised you were even able to get your keys in the car.' A Dunedin judge slams a woman for driving drunk with her 2-year-old in the car.

This picturesque slice of the South Island is not just a hub for adrenalin junkies, discovers Jennifer Ennion.

A 48-year-old man who lost his life following a fire in the Clutha district last night has been named.