An 8-year-old girl lost her mother and was seriously injured when a freight train hit the family's ute, flinging it 20 metres.

When rhododendron and world music festivals are the main drawcards to Taranaki, you could be forgiven for thinking the region has traded its wild west coast image for an altogether more hippy vibe.

A Taranaki woman has found over $400,000 at the bottom of her handbag in the form of an old Lotto ticket that she had forgotten to check.

Christchurch's Boxing Day aftershocks and the recent wet weather have seen more than 1000 claims lodged with the Earthquake Commission.

Todd Energy is to build a $100m gas-fired power station near Waitara in Taranaki.

Taking New Zealand's rich and diverse music scene to the world is the aim of Womad's Emere Wano, who has launched the music expo Sounds Aotearoa to provide an opportunity for NZ artists to be heard overseas.