A man who choked his victim in the toilet of a Dunedin bar has been sentenced to five years in prison, for the manslaughter of Ryan Court.

As an inquest begins into the death of Rutger Hale from a mystery object that smashed through his car windscreen, his family say they believe someone knows what happened.

Reaching the peak is easy when you have snowshoes, discovers Andrew Louis.

One of two suspects sought after a police pursuit in Central Otago a week ago involving a driver who fled at 140km/h, swerving past road spikes, is a man in a wheelchair.

They were meant to relocate a blackbird's nest and eggs from a central Dunedin traffic light. Instead the contractors dropped the eggs.

New Zealand's best produce is world class and a first-rate reason to travel, writes Nadia Lim.

A man was killed yesterday after a controlled burn-off on a 13,000 ha station in Otago, which was so big it was visible from the town of Cromwell.

A police officer denies allegations she racially abused a taxi driver in Queenstown last year while affected by a cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol.

An explosion injured as many as six people last night when a large steel grass roller blew up after it was put on a Mosgiel bonfire.

A man has been arrested after he started a chainsaw during a heated argument at a service station and advanced on another man with the chain running.

The body of a 21-year-old climber who slipped and fell to his death on Mt Aspiring last night has been recovered by a search team.

A father has today admitted abducting his young son from Dunedin and driving away at speeds of up to 170km/h north of Christchurch.

On a scenic flight in the south, Elizabeth Carlson gets into the pilot's seat.

Intrepid trampers or a bunch of softies? Pam Neville puts the case for guided walks.

Pamela Wade finds the unspoiled beauty of New Zealand's southeast is wasted on some.

Two American tourists are now in a stable condition in hospital following a light plane crash in Central Otago yesterday, which claimed the life of the pilot.

The son of a pilot killed in a light plane crash yesterday has paid tribute to his “hero” father’s actions in saving his two passenger’s lives.

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.