The Timaru Herald
Call to move lighthouse
An idea to relocate a special piece of Timaru’s maritime history to a more prominent position has been floated as an “untapped tourism opportunity” for the town. Timaru resident Fred Fruisen has suggested moving Blackett’s Lighthouse from its spot...
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Safety concerns over SH1
Motorists are being warned away from certain types of wheels in South Canterbury by one tyre retailer who says the region’s highways “just aren’t fit for purpose”. Carl Vaughan, co-owner of Goodyear Autocare Timaru, told The Timaru Herald that...
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Speed cameras to be turned on – later this year
Four cameras which will be used to target motorists who exceed the average speed limit through part of the Mackenzie Basin have been installed, but won’t be working until later in the year. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi announced the plan to install...
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Councillors to consider future of Timaru’s oldest watering hole
A report laying out options for retaining, removing or selling Timaru’s oldest watering hole, and the building adjacent to it, is being prepared by council staff. The site of the former Criterion Hotel/ Excelsior Hotel, at 132 Stafford St, housed the...
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What’s on in South Canterbury
Today Matariki Observation Event: 5.30am to 7am at 8 Simpson Lane, Lake Tekapo, hosted by Chameleon Stargazing. Telescope viewing and hot drinks. Clay and Sip Pottery Classes: 6pm to 9pm at the Academy of Performance and Arts Geraldine. Future...
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Region prepares for big Matariki weekend
Organisers are determined not to let the weather spoil plans as South Canterbury prepares for a bumper Matariki weekend. A range of events will take place across the region to mark the Māori New Year, tying in with the public holiday tomorrow, but...
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Children’s books and ice cream a top combo
Emma Heppell used to feel like she was constantly searching for a place to call home. Now, she hopes her latest venture will be a space where others feel they belong. On Sunday, the Waimate woman will relaunch her children’s book Walter and Wilma the...
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Stop hoping for a
Every great makeup look needs a finishing touch, and your smile is no exception. If you have a special event or a big night out, reach for Colgate Optic White Purple Serum. Think of this as a purple toner for your teeth. Drawing on the principles of...
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Hotel ‘adventure’ for couple
Ronnie Edwards and “Calamity” Jane Campbell are newlyweds at 70 and 65, respectively, who have no regrets about taking on a huge restoration challenge with a rundown landmark South Island hotel. The couple decided to buy the art deco Masonic Hotel on...
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Ukefest returns after three-year hiatus
After a three-year break, the Geraldine Ukefest has returned and drawn enthusiasts from across the country with its organisers hoping to keep the momentum going. The festival’s co-director, Hugh McCafferty, said the three-year break had been due to...
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143yo building gets a fresh coat of paint
From bringing back its 1960s glory to honouring his Irish roots, Thomas Sullivan has poured his heart into rescuing a 143-year-old building in Waimate from decay. The building on Queen St, which previously housed the Empire Tavern, originally opened...
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Delay to completion of SH1 upgrade
Following weather delays, work to upgrade a key State Highway 1 intersection in Timaru is now expected to finish by September. Work to upgrade the intersection at SH1/ Evans St and Grants Rd, at the entrance to The Showgrounds retail centre, started...
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Council votes to sell shares
Timaru’s councillors have voted to support a proposal to sell the district’s shares in South Canterbury lines company Alpine Energy. After a 40-minute discussion, which canvassed the benefits of selling a minority stake, if ringfencing any potential...
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Hospitality operators optimistic about summer
Operators in South Canterbury’s hospitality sector are looking ahead to the coming summer with high hopes, after a tough autumn and start to winter. Timaru businessman Gordon Collister said the past two months had been tough in business due to a...
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Opposition to share sale
More than 70% of respondents who shared feedback on a Timaru District Council proposal to sell its shares in Alpine Energy oppose the idea. Councillors will vote tomorrow on the proposal for Timaru District Holdings Limited (TDHL), to sell the shares...
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Sale of strategic assets needs careful thought
A former Wellington city councillor is urging those involved in deciding the fate of the Timaru community’s shares in Alpine Energy to carefully consider any support to sell. Timaru District councillors are to vote on a proposal to sell the district’s...
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Stadium fundraiser breaks $1m mark
A major Trust Aoraki contribution has pushed the fundraising campaign for Timaru’s Aorangi Stadium redevelopment past the $1 million mark. The fundraiser, launched just three months ago, aimed to raise $2.4m, or 10% of the $24.2m cost of the project...
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Seafarers centre gifts whale tooth to museum
A “fascinating” piece of local and international maritime history has been gifted to the community. Yesterday, an item from the nowdemolished more than 100-year-old South Canterbury Seafarers Welfare Centre was handed over to the region’s museum by...
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Major sculpture trail fundraiser launched
A significant contribution from a long-time resident has kick-started a fundraising campaign for new additions to the Geraldine Sculpture Trail. The drive, which aims to raise $300,000 to bring three sculptures to the community’s Waihī River trail, is...
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Vote reasons revealed
Three councillors who voted against a decision to award a $30.5 million contract for the redevelopment of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and construction of a new museum say they did so because they didn’t think the project offered ratepayers the best...
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New artwork celebrates heritage buildings
Timaru’s streetscape has been celebrated for its heritage value, and now those buildings feature in an artwork that aims to educate the community. More than 60 buildings feature in Roselyn Fauth’s latest creation, Prominent Timaru Buildings, each...
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Theatre contract vote won 6-4
Four councillors voted against a move to award a $30.5 million contract for the redevelopment of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and construction of a new museum, and keep the details under wraps for six months. The Timaru District Council has revealed the...
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Gold sponsors confirmed for stadium project
As backing from South Canterbury’s business community continues to build, those behind gold sponsorships pledged for the Aorangi Stadium redevelopment fundraising campaign say the project is hugely important to the region. This week, the Aorangi...
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New roofing is installed on Theatre Royal
As new roofing is installed on Timaru’s Theatre Royal, the council is yet to lift the lid on how elected members voted to proceed with the project in January. Yesterday, contractors could be seen on the roof of the more than 100-year-old building...
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Alpine Energy option
A former Line Trust South Canterbury trustee and Alpine Energy board director says community ownership of shares in the company was never meant to be a money maker. Janya Lobb’s comments came after yesterday’s Timaru District Council public workshop...
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The Agency
Afriendship forged at Milford Sound a decade ago is now helping two actors deliver top-notch drama. Although they first appeared on screen together in the 2015 biopic Steve Jobs, it was when Michael Fassbender and Katherine Waterston came to New...
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Family to get back to 1950s-style basics
Jo Richards loves the 1950s and wanting to show her children how people lived in the past, the family of five will step back in time for a week. The Timaru mother said she had decided to undertake the challenge after her children had been fighting...
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Council maintains watching stance
Time continues to run out for Timaru’s historical Caledonian Ground sports facilities as nearby coastal erosion continues its inexorable advance at Pātītī Point. The ocean’s advancement has eaten through access roads to the area, plus two car parks,...
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High school choir achieves TikTok fame
A video featuring a Timaru school choir’s Big Sing entry has gone viral with the international artist behind the song weighing in on the praise. Timaru Girls’ High School’s Te Reo o Ngā Kōhine (The Voice of the Young Women) choir was one of three from...
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Financial literacy programme ‘special’
South Canterbury’s co-ordinated approach to financial literacy is setting a strong example nationally, the partnership lead of an educational platform says. Speaking at an Aoraki Foundation-hosted workshop, attended by 45 primary school teachers...
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TIMARU Answers and some hope
A Timaru mum says she feels 100% vindicated in taking her ailing 5-year-old son halfway around the world for specialised genetic testing not available in New Zealand. Frustrations with the health system in NZ led Nesa Morey and Armani Docos to head to...
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Report into housing commissioned
A closer look at the region’s housing needs and how to best support them, is the aim of a report commissioned by the Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury. The need for the study had been identified as housing was an issue throughout the region,...
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Shareholders react to proposal
A proposal by the largest shareholder of Alpine Energy to sell its stake in the company came as no surprise to the head of the second-largest shareholder, given financial pressures. Yesterday, Timaru District Council announced a proposal for its...
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Share sale back on table
One of the most controversial proposals put to Timaru ratepayers in decades is back on the table, but the mayor says this time the council has a clear plan. The Timaru District Council has put forward a proposal for its holdings company, Timaru...
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BUSINESS Confidence to consolidate
A move to bring key parts of a nationwide business together under the one roof is a signal to the wider Canterbury region that local people want to invest in South Canterbury, its managing director says. Anthony Brewerton’s comments came as Timaru’s...
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Singers inducted into Hands of Fame
From Gore ... to Nashville. Kaylee Bell flew to the US to begin working on a new album yesterday – but not before she paid a fleeting visit to Gore. Bell was inducted into the Hands of Fame, one of New Zealand country music’s highest honours,...
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Baker’s shot at slice of the pie
An apprentice baker is seeking another piece of the pie as she prepares for her third shot at a national award. Gloriavale leaver Lianna MacFarlane, an employee at Timaru’s popular U-Bake, was second in the Apprentice Pie Maker Awards in 2024, with...
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Inside the kidney disease crisis
In the album of treasured parental memories, the 18th birthday of your eldest child must rank up there with births and weddings. But Rebecca Bisman spent son Riley’s coming of age 160km away, watching on virtually as her partner and three kids enjoyed...
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Business leaders focus on helping alleviate pain
Timaru’s economic development and tourism agency has been working to help alleviate the pain of increased fuel costs on businesses across the district, with conditions expected to remain challenging. Presenting Venture Timaru’s quarterly report to...
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Baker in trans-Tasman sausage roll showdown
It’s a long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll but a Timaru baker is going even further, crossing the Tasman to represent New Zealand in a competition celebrating the tasty delight. U-Bake owner Simon Bruce has been selected to compete in a...
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Cheesy fundraiser helps fill up the coffers
About 650 kilograms of cheese, 2200 loaves of bread, 200kg of onions and 30 volunteers per hour over 12 hours combined for the perfect fundraising recipe at a Timaru school. At the weekend, Roncalli College PTA volunteers, parents, staff members and...
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A gift of support to help heal young people
An initiative offering support and healing to young people who have experienced sexual harm has been launched in South Canterbury. On Friday, the founders of Christchurch-based charity NZ Gifts of Love and Strength delivered tote and toiletry bags to...
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The two Noels: Cousins revel in decades of harness racing fun
A pair of harness racing cousins boasting more 100 years’ involvement in the sport are adamant that their dedication has never been about the prize money. Whether it is breeding, owning, training or racing trotters, Noel Dix and Noel Taylor, who are...
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Signs ‘Riviera of the South’ is re-emerging ECONOMY
Timaru’s status as a popular beachside destination earned the title of the Riveria of the South in the early 20th century, and the latest economic data a century later shows Timaru’s popularity with tourists is once again on the up. Infometrics...
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Council votes to start amalgamation talks
The Waimate District Council has agreed to start amalgamation talks with its neighbours, but warns that it will walk away if its interests are threatened. The Government announced its Head Start initiative on May 5, giving councils three months to...
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Speaking conference attracts overseas visitors
There was plenty of talking when more than 100 toastmasters – including eight international visitors – gathered in Timaru at the weekend. The annual Toastmasters District 72 Conference was held at the Caroline Bay Hall on Saturday and Sunday and...
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Purchase of land around rock art site special
While it has made investments in the past, the purchase of the land surrounding the Ōpihi Taniwha rock art site in South Canterbury is extra special for Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, its chairperson says. The historic milestone, in which the rūnanga bought...
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Holcim breached good faith
Multi-national cement company Holcim says it was in a difficult position when it failed to meet its statutory obligation to act in good faith as it made 32 Kiwi seafarers redundant last year. The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) took Holcim (New...
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‘A unique way of life’: Life under the big top more than applause
Juggling school with circus training is a way of life for the 10 children that are part of a travelling show which has been based at Timaru’s Caroline Bay for the past week. The Weber Bros Circus opened last Friday night as part of its 10-show stop in...
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Arowhenua backs natural fibres company
Rubisco chief executive Guy Wills says a partnership with Arowhenua reflects a shared interest in regional development, sustainable land use, and creating enduring industries. “We see Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua as bringing much more than capital,” Wills...
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‘We haven’t been idle’, group says
A community group has raised concerns about the cost of forming a subcommittee to help fund the redevelopment of Timaru’s Theatre Royal and says it is yet to do any fundraising because the new manager may not even want it to be involved. Anne Ellis’...
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Celebrating youth leadership and creativity
A collaborative event, hosted by a range of service organisations in South Canterbury, will celebrate the region’s young people. The Youth Impact Awards and Impact Art Awards will be held at the Caroline Bay Hall on May 22, and hosted by the Y Central...
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Nurses will remember one of their own
As health professionals prepare to celebrate International Nurses Day, in Timaru they will do so in memory of one of their own. To coincide with the annual day to mark the contribution that nurses make to society, today staff at Timaru Hospital will...
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Unbranded clothing days over?
Workwear has become more fashion conscious as co-branding changes the way workers are being dressed according to a key supplier in South Canterbury. Nick White, co-owner of Work Outfitters, a specialised outlet in Timaru and Ashburton for industrial...
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Strathallan Lifecare and Healthcare turns 30
It began as the site of a nursery and has evolved to house a facility for aged care and retirees. And with the region’s ageing population set to increase rapidly in coming years, there is likely to be even more need for complexes such as Strathallan...
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Work to clear Kāinga Ora land nearly done
Work to clear a block of land in Timaru owned by the Crown agency responsible for public housing and urban development in New Zealand is expected to be completed next week. The Grey Rd land, owned by Kāinga Ora, was originally marked down as the site...
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Creative twist at monthly repair cafe
From buttons to bikes, a monthly repair cafe in Timaru is taking on a creative spin as it continues its drive to teach people new skills and create community. On Sunday, the South Canterbury Eco Centre’s regular Repair Cafe would include a pop-up...
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Mayors back opportunity to join larger unitary council
The mayors of Timaru and Waimate have come out in support of a Government proposal to amalgamate councils, with Timaru’s saying he already has the ball rolling on just how a new structure across South Canterbury may work. “We welcome the opportunity...
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The science to stronger hair
Hair damage is a common struggle. For those of us who love to colour, style, or use heat tools, the battle against split ends, breakage, and dullness can feel endless. That vibrant new colour or perfect blow-dry can sometimes come at a cost, leaving...
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A right royal fundraiser “We are looking forward to fundraising for the Theatre Royal and getting our community engaged. Ethan Richardson, Friends of the Theatre Royal Timaru
The group behind the community fundraising effort for Timaru’s Theatre Royal says it will be in a position to reveal how the public can contribute to the cause in coming weeks. A subcommittee of the Friends of the Theatre Royal Timaru was formed in...
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‘Team Timaru’: Impact of community redevelopment not lost on contractors
The project facilitator behind one of Timaru’s largest community projects says the impact of the massive redevelopment is not lost on those working at the site. Thompson Construction and Engineering project facilitator John Wilson said he was also...
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Preloved clothing market expected to be a hit
As the cost of living continues to bite, and consumers become more conscious of the impact of fast fashion, the return of a preloved clothing market after a six-month hiatus is expected to be popular, its organiser says. Hazelburn woman Courtney Moore...
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Temuka stadium to get upgrade
A Timaru councillor has questioned the council’s list of building priorities, asking whether a change of funding for work on Temuka’s Alpine Energy Community Centre could be better spent elsewhere. Stu Piddington’s comments came at Tuesday’s Timaru...
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We shall remember the fallen
Timaru Herald visual journalist Aiman Amerul Muner went along to Anzac Day services across the Timaru District on Saturday and captured a range of images. Today we have included some of those taken at the dawn services at the Timaru War Memorial...
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‘Shock and sadness’ after cafe burns down
A popular Canterbury cafe on State Highway 1 will be closed for the foreseeable future after a “devastating fire” ripped through it overnight. An investigation into the fire at Nosh Cafe, which sits at the SH1 turn-off to Waimate, began yesterday...
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We remember
No-one really knows where Norman Frederick Hastings is buried. He was one of many Allied soldiers who died as part of the Gallipoli campaign and were likely interred during the chaos. Hastings was born in Auckland on July 18, 1879, but raised in...
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Council considers Māori name for museum
As the concrete panels continue to go up on Timaru’s new museum, councillors are to consider the adoption of an additional te reo Māori name for the facility. As part of the $47.2 million Theatre Royal redevelopment and museum build, the South...
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Remembering the stories of World War II
A special project showing photographic treasures and stories of South Canterbury men and women who served during World War II is on display ahead of Anzac Day, and it is hoped more stories can be added. The Genealogy Society of South Canterbury’s...
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Sunrise over Timaru as Aussie show beams in
As the sun rose in Timaru, 8-year-old Monty Laming stood in front of a crowd gathered at Heritage Place, looked down the lens of the Sunrise breakfast show camera and greeted his family across the ditch. Described as “really sweet” by Venture Timaru...
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Exhibition the last before the big move
From tiny moths to the hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin, a photography display focusing on wildlife will be the final exhibition at the South Canterbury Museum ahead of its big move. In Our Backyard, featuring fine art photography by Zenobia Southcombe, of...
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For demolition or sale?
Purchased as part of a plan to redevelop Timaru’s Theatre Royal and create a heritage precinct, the future of what remains of the town’s oldest watering hole is uncertain. In 2018, the Timaru District Council purchased 132 Stafford St, the site of the...
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Indie stores join Global Book Crawl
For the first time, independent bookstores in Canterbury have joined colleagues from across the globe to take part in an international book crawl that allows readers to join a like-minded community. The Global Book Crawl 2026 takes place from April 20...
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First walls go up on new Timaru museum
As the first concrete panels go up on Timaru’s new museum, councillors have been told that the old museum will need to close in mid-2026 to allow its staff to work on exhibitions for the new space. Timaru District Council chief executive Nigel Trainor...
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MP poses ‘guardrail overkill’ question TIMARU
Central Timaru’s yet-to-be completed Strathallan Corner upgrade has caught the attention of the local MP, who has questioned whether the design is an example of a society lacking a bit of common sense. In an email to stakeholders on Sunday night, MP...
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