The Courier, Timaru

18/12/2025

It has been a season full of sporting fun and lessons as Fraser Park celebrates its first full year of operation since reopening.

It has been a season full of sporting fun and lessons as Fraser Park celebrates its first full year of operation since reopening. After being out of action for three seasons, the redeveloped park reopened in late September last year. South Canterbury Rugby chief executive Tim Hyde-Smith said one of....

18/12/2025

Worn books were the inspiration behind Waimate Museum’s inaugural Paper Dress Competition.

Worn books were the inspiration behind Waimate Museum’s inaugural Paper Dress Competition. The museum’s popular Bookarama had given the museum staff a problem. Spokeswoman Karen Briscoe said while unsold books had been stored away for next year, there were some books looking too torn. For those ...

18/12/2025

The Aoraki Foundation has completed its annual funding round, distributing $170,000 to community organisations across South Canterbury.

The Aoraki Foundation has completed its annual funding round, distributing $170,000 to community organisations across South Canterbury. The funding, drawn from the Aoraki Foundations’ Miller General Impact Fund, the South Canterbury Health Endowment Fund and the Bidwill Trust Hospital Foundation, ...

18/12/2025

A tech startup created in Timaru has the backing of a national programme.

A tech startup created in Timaru has the backing of a national programme. Gems, co-founded by Kenny Au and Manuele Messeri, was named one of 12 start-ups nationwide in this year’s Ministry of Awesome Founder Catalyst programme. The Ministry of Awesome Founder Catalyst is a pioneering programme des...

18/12/2025

📸: On Sunday, the lifeboat Alexandra was returned back to its spiritual home at Caroline Bay.

On Sunday, the lifeboat Alexandra was returned back to its spiritual home at Caroline Bay. The vessel, which is primarily remembered for its use during the infamous ‘‘Black Sunday’’ wrecks in 1882, was placed into a new shelter behind the Soundshell after it had been removed from its previou...

17/12/2025

More than 1000 runners, walkers and joggers have met at the Soundshell in Timaru each Saturday morning since May to take part in the Caroline Bay parkrun.

More than 1000 runners, walkers and joggers have met at the Soundshell in Timaru each Saturday morning since May to take part in the Caroline Bay parkrun. Parkrun is a global organisation that encourages people to get outdoors and walk, jog or run 5km on a set day, each week. Since the Caroline Bay....

17/12/2025

A van-full of cans will make its way to South Canterbury food banks over the next few days, thanks to the efforts of two local businesses and the community.

A van-full of cans will make its way to South Canterbury food banks over the next few days, thanks to the efforts of two local businesses and the community. Movie Max Digital Cinemas and The Warehouse Timaru, teamed up for a ‘‘Cans for Christmas’’ initiative, each donating 500 cans of food a...

16/12/2025

An UNPLANNED power outage has occurred.

Date and time: Tuesday 16 December 1:02pm
Estimated restoration time: TBC

Our crews are currently working hard to restore power to you.

Affected Areas:
Oceanview

We are committed to restoring your power as quickly and as safely as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience. Updates will be posted here and on our website.

Please treat all wires as LIVE, as normal power supply could be restored at any time.

Stay safe and thank you for your patience.

15/12/2025

Ok team, last chance this year to get your picture-perfect pet in the paper!

We're running our monthly Pet Page in this week's Courier - the last one for 2025 - and we need your pet pix. Bonus points if they're Christmas-themed.

Email your photos to [email protected]. Send the pic full size, and make sure you include some info about your pet.

We'll run as many as we can.

11/12/2025

An afternoon tea acknowledging the volunteers at the Temuka Sherpa Shop had a very special guest.

An afternoon tea acknowledging the volunteers at the Temuka Sherpa Shop had a very special guest. The end-of-year thank you was held at Temuka Motor Camp on Saturday with one guest coming from as far away as Nepal. Lhakpa Sherpa worked as a guide for the Forgotten Sherpas of Nepal Trust. Trustee Mar...

11/12/2025

Consistency has once again proved key for Timaru racing driver Corban Sprague after picking up a third consecutive round win in the Mazda Pro8 New Zealand Championship.

Consistency has once again proved key for Timaru racing driver Corban Sprague after picking up a third consecutive round win in the Mazda Pro8 New Zealand Championship. He has further extended his series lead after winning three out of the four races at Teretonga Park in Invercargill at the weekend....

11/12/2025

After four decades of teaching at Opihi College, school’s out for Bernie Rose.

After four decades of teaching at Opihi College, school’s out for Bernie Rose. Mrs Rose will retire at the end of this term after a lifetime of teaching at the Temuka high school, beginning as a reliever and ending as assistant principal. It was her first teaching job after graduating from Teacher...