Nathan Jacobs had been away from his Arrowtown home for only about 20 minutes last night, before returning to find three fire crews dousing it in water.

Protesters jostled with police tonight as they tried to disrupt a National Party fundraising event in Dunedin.

Otago police coastal area prevention manager Inspector Mel Aitken said 17 people were caught driving over the breath alcohol limit between Friday and Sunday.

Hunters tempted to ''farm'' wild deer or pigs before hunting competitions are likely to be out of luck at a competition later this month.

James Russell is amazed during a trip to Queenstown to discover that since he last grasped poles, Kiwi skifields have lifted their game higher than the Matterhorn.

A motorist last night spoke of cheating death after his ute accidently rolled into the path of a 900-tonne goods train.

But the would-be thief, who was only able to find loose change, left behind a bloody calling card in the building's reception area after being cut while breaking in.

A tourist driver who killed an Oamaru 5-year-old girl in a crash will have to wait another two weeks for the result of an appeal against his jail sentence.

Taxi company Uber says it has no plans to launch its services in Otago and Southland just yet - but that hasn't stopped them offering sweeteners to the public today.

Animal rights advocates have condemned a ''disturbing'' rise in the number of forced animal drownings this year.

The woman who died in a car crash in Otago on Friday has been named.

Six people have been injured this morning after a van carrying a shearing gang skidded on black ice and crashed in South Otago.

Police are expecting a quieter morning in Canterbury with less ice to make the roads treacherous.

The mother of a man who died in Otago Prison is considering a private prosecution or civil action against those responsible.

The role of police in the death of a man in an Otago Corrections Facility four years ago should be investigated, a coroner has ruled.

A slip near the Otago-Southland boundary in the Catlins has closed the Southern Scenic Route between Papatowai and the Niagara-Tokanui Highway.

A driver had to escape from a submerged car after it went off the road and into the Otago Harbour this morning.

Police are looking for the owner of a box of firearms found in a military ammunitions box on a Central Otago cycle trail.

The winter storm that brought snow and heavy rain to many parts of the South is moving north, but many roads in the region remain affected in its wake this morning.

Snow is falling in the South Island this afternoon as temperatures plunge to freezing in some areas.

State-owned weather bureau the MetService is looking for a site near Dunedin where it can build a $3 million weather radar.

Owner's of terrier swept out to sea near St Clair says she'd "never seen waves like this before" as climate experts warn that NZ coast at is at risk to extreme weather.

Passers-by watched in horror as a ''rogue wave'' surged up to engulf a woman and her dog walking on a Dunedin beach yesterday.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has rubbished claims a state of emergency should have been declared after this week's one-in-100-year flood.

Elisabeth Easther scopes out the many attractions of the tiny community nestled at the end of Lake Wakatipu.

The decades-long battle for Otago's cycle route was worth it, finds Cassandra Mason.

A civil defence response has been activated in Dunedin after torrential rain caused widespread flooding.