Latest fromOtago

40% increase: Covid drives home-schooling surge
Having children out of school during lockdowns let undecided parents trial home learning.

'We're not a museum': Dunedin Railways chairman speaks out over backlash
The council-owned company has begun a sale process for a variety of heritage items.

'Business as usual' at holiday park after positive case visit
The Ministry of Health is asking people in Queenstown to remain vigilant.

Council and NZTA add odds over one-way system in central Dunedin
The council is fighting against a decision to keep the system as it is.

Dunedin rail heritage assets on the block
Assets were expected to be retained until a decision was made about the company's future.

24-hour Shear-a-thon to raise money for Southland Charity Hospital
The rural sector is uniting again to help those battling cancer in the South.

'Just him and his glider': Family comforted man died doing what he loved
The 72-year-old was killed when his glider crashed near Omarama on Monday.

New mum shocked by 90-day return to work mortgage condition
Bank says it will approve loan only if mother returns to work within 90 days of birth.

Queenstown Top 10 holiday park new high-risk location of interest
The park was visited by a positive case between January 9 and 11.

Court unable to resolve cousins' neighbourly feud
Ricky Sheridan was charged with threatening to kill his neighbour, and first cousin.

Security staff to check vaccine passes costing council $20K
Vaccine passes have been required since early December for elected officials

'Sense of entitlement': Man jet-boated during lockdown
Police waiting for group of seven's return from trip in the headwaters of Lake Wānaka.

Two people dead after serious South Island crashes
One crash was in central Otago and the other in Canterbury.

Council not convinced Oamaru Harbour needs shark warning signs
Alvira Repia-King, 13, was bitten by a shark in the harbour a week ago.

Tale of two Queenstowns: 'Gangbusters' property sector, tourism struggling
Unlike tourism, the local construction industry is reportedly booming.

Serious crash near Wanaka Airport, traffic being diverted
Police were informed of the single-vehicle crash at about 4.20am this morning.

Force of Tongan eruption 'astonishing', more tsunamis possible - vulcanologist
'[The eruption] escalated at very short notice,' says Kiwi scientist.

Woman's mortgage extension declined because of $187 Kmart trip
Kim Anderson-Robb is one of many people being tripped up by the new changes.

Former All Blacks physio: 'I thought I was a dead man walking'
The All Blacks' use of a physio during a rugby test caused outrage within the IRB.

Watch: Quick-thinking penguin evades sea lion in chase
The chase caught on camera was reportedly purely playful.

'Risen steadily': ACC figures show increased claims over vape injuries
Vape sellers are reassuring their products are safe despite an increase in injuries.

Flippin' hull! 'Thumping' ship keeps residents awake
Port Chalmers hopes for a peaceful solution to a long-running noise problem.

Dementia at 36: The condition that is slowly stealing away my sister
Jenny Banks' dad thought she was 'acting a bit strange'. The truth was much, much worse.

Guilty plea over Gibbston crash fatality
Cecile Riviere was on the wrong side of the road when her van hit a ute head-on.

'Our firefighters deserve a good shout out': Major Wānaka fire mostly contained
Locals have been keeping firefighters' spirits up with food donations.

Watch: Girl, 13, shows off bite marks from her hospital bed after shark attack
Alvira Repia-King's wounds required 52 stitches.

'Wake-up call': Part of maternity hospital closed due to staff shortage
Critically low staffing caused the closure on Friday — the first in the ward's history.

Queenstown Shotover Jet, casino, hotel named as locations of interest
Anyone at the locations is asked to self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days.

Bittersweet outcome for family who lost two dogs
An Invercargill family's search for their two beloved dogs has had a bittersweet ending.