Apparently, rocking horses around New Zealand have been gradually culled from playgrounds in recent years.

Liz Light discovers the delights of windy and wave-pounded Taranaki.

Elizabeth Smither is an acclaimed New Plymouth-based poet, novelist and short story writer. She has recently released The Commonplace Book (AUP, $34.99), a collection of thoughts about writing and the writer's life.

The Easter holiday road toll stands at five after a single-vehicle crash in Taranaki last night.

Tens of thousands of New Zealanders turned out at dawn services across the country.

Police have named the 25-year-old woman who died as a result of a house fire in Paraparaumu yesterday morning.

Facial piercings have been approved as part of school uniform at a major New Plymouth high school.

The flatmate of a 25-year-old mother who died in a house fire in Paraparaumu last night has described how she tried to save her.

Police have released images of two men suspected of trying to kidnap a 22-year-old community probation worker.

It's the flags you see first. WOMAD, held annually at Taranaki's beautiful Brooklands Park, is littered with them.

Glenn Anderson opened his campaign at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships today in familiar fashion.

Here's more to add to your gig diary - though you'd be in a fairly unique demographic if you were after tickets to all of this lot.