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Features

Our intrepid team are out and about bringing you a selection of features from here to there and everything in between.

Funky Towns - Akaroa

Akaroa’s Town Crier Steve Le Lievre arrives after a morning of tree-felling and offers a calloused handshake. “I’ve normally got my white gloves on for these things,” he says apologetically. A direct descendant of the first French settlers in Akaroa, Steve is an enthusiastic advocate for the village’s history and heritage.

Funky Towns - Gore

“Country music is about life,” says Max McCauley, who discovered a love of yodelling as a youngster and is now an active, guitar-playing member of the Gore Country Music Club. He’s fond of songs about mucking in, about working hard and rising to challenges.

Funky Towns - Napier

Napier is a city that takes pride in its appearance. The famous backdrop of Art Deco architecture sets the scene for a unique kind of town pride – a journey back to an era of glamour and style that captures the imagination of visitors and residents alike.

Funky Towns - Oamaru

Walk the cobbled streets of Oamaru’s heritage precinct outside school hours, and there’s a good chance of spotting the fugitive sky pirate, Sir Livin Hope, or a small girl carrying a case full of deadly ray guns. These are characters who reside in the weird and wonderful world of Steampunk – an imagined Victorian future where electricity fizzled out and steam remained king.

Q&A - Dr Mike Shepherd

When it comes to child safety in vehicles, New Zealand’s record is behind that of many countries overseas. Dr Mike Shepherd, a Clinical Director at Starship Children’s Hospital, explains why.

Meet the masters

If you’ve always wanted to see a Monet up close, or experience the pop of colour on a Warhol first-hand, now is your chance.

Poetry in motion

Anyone who has walked through a New Zealand city will be familiar with Phantom Billstickers, even if they don’t know it. Phantom is the company that puts up posters advertising bands, plays, festivals and exhibitions – highlighting upcoming events with snappy lines and strong, bright art.

Rally New Zealand

For fans of motorsport, Rally New Zealand is essential viewing: three days of the world’s best drivers on some of New Zealand’s most exhilarating back roads. And even for those who don’t consider themselves ‘petrol heads’, the rally is thrilling stuff.

AA Directions Quiz

Test your New Zealand general knowledge with our trivia quiz!

Camping in New Zealand

New Zealand is a camper's paradise. There are, in fact, more than 800 vehicle-accessible camps, ranging from tent spots in the wilderness to roomy, powered sites for campervans.