She may be only be seven years old, but Kayleigh Dryden has already proven she's not one to skirt around big issues.

The St Francis Xavier School pupil got sick of wearing her pinafore to school each day, so took some affirmative action.

Touring American independent folk band Sneaky Bones are kicking off a nationwide New Zealand tour in Invercargill tonight.

The band's singer visited Dunedin and a few other centres around Aotearoa last year, and liked it so much, he bought the band back for this tour.

Touring American independent folk band Sneaky Bones are kicking off a nationwide New Zealand tour in Invercargill tonight.

The band's singer visited Dunedin and a few other centres around Aotearoa last year, and liked it so much, he bought the band back for this tour.

Firefighters were back at work in Lammerlaw ranges near Middlemarch on Tuesday.

Crews were out again searching for and extinguishing any remaining hot spots still burning after the massive vegetation fire at the weekend.

Residents of a house in the Dunedin suburb of Halfway Bush were able to get out of their burning home safely, thanks to smoke alarms operating.

A fire crew officer says smoke alarms helped alert the occupants, who were able to get out of the house quickly.

The latest work from Dunedin film maker and musician, Bill Morris, has been picked to be shown at a prestigious film festival.

The movie 'central to the soul' tracks the development of Central Otago from laid back farming area to tourism hot-spot.

Fire fighters attending a blaze near Middlemarch over the weekend have described the racing scrub and tussock fire as one of the fastest they'd ever seen.

Starting on Saturday morning, the blaze eventually covered nearly five thousand hectares and has seriously compromised Dunedin's main water supply.

A seabird has won Forest and Bird's bird of the competition for the first time.

Team Hoiho put together a solid campaign enlisting the help of Dunedin mayors as well as researchers who study the endangered bird.

The signing of the Armistice was commemorated today, 101 years since it concluded the first world war.

Events were held around the country, including in many southern centres.

A 67-year-old batting record by cricket legend Bert Sutcliffe has been smashed, thanks to two Otago Volts' players in Dunedin on Saturday.

Playing against Northern Districts, Otago batsmen Nathan Smith and Michael Rippon set an Otago first-class seventh-wicket record for the province with a stand of 190 runs.

Armistice Day was commemorated throughout Otago, Southland and Canterbury today.

Gathering took place in towns such as Ashburton, Oamaru and even the tiny township of Otama just north of Gore.

Armistice Day was commemorated throughout Otago, Southland and Canterbury today.

Gathering took place in towns such as Ashburton, Oamaru and even the tiny township of Otama just north of Gore.

Competition in the annual Forest and bird, bird of the year event is heating up with voting closing this weekend.

One of the birds in the running has attracted a few heavyweight supporters, from town and gown.

A chaplain from the University of Otago is retiring after 20 years serving both the campus and wider community.

Over the past two decades, Methodist minister Greg Hughson has offered support at times of grief, as well as being available at all times for a chat with anyone needing to talk.

Thousands of beer lovers are converging on Forsyth Barr Stadium for the seventh annual Dunedin Craft Beer and Food festival.

Following the success of last year's sold-out event, the Otago University Students Association has added a Friday session for the first time.