Podcasts about Otago

New Zealand's government is making big changes to its education system. The aim is to reverse declining student achievement and give more opportunities to disadvantaged children. The subjects of reading, writing, maths and science form the core of the new curriculum. But there are concerns particularly among the Indigenous community that the Māori language, culture and identity have not been considered as an integral part of the reforms. And that in the longer term, a lack of access to Indigenous teaching might have repercussions beyond the classroom, in wider society. This is not just an issue for New Zealand, decisions on heritage-based learning are of concern for Indigenous populations across the world. In Canada's public school system, whilst courses in Indigenous knowledge are not mandatory, there are concerted efforts to include Indigenous perspectives in the curriculum. In the province of Ontario, children from kindergarten age up to the age of 15 to 16, learn about their Indigenous communities. However, it's not the same story everywhere, so is Indigenous education at risk?(Photo: Six children sitting on the floor of a classroom with their backs facing the camera listening to their teacher, Auckland, New Zealand. Credit: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)Contributors: Dr Mere Skerrett, associate professor, school of education, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Dame Elizabeth Rata, professor of education and social practice, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dr Lindsay Morcom, professor and Canada Research Chair in language revitalisation and decolonising education, faculty of education, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Dr Liana MacDonald, associate professor of peace studies and co-director of The National Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago, New Zealand Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producers: Evie Yabsley and Jill Collins Researcher: Amelia Cox Technical producer: Nathaniel Danter Production co-ordinator: Phoebe Lomas Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tom Bigwood

A gasfitting expert says changes are needed to prevent unsafe installations, after a 12-year-old Otago boy died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the shower at his family's Haast bach. Almost eight years after Jesse Samuel's death, an inquest is being held in Queenstown to examine what can be done to stop something similar happening again. Otago Southland reporter Katie Todd has more.

This episode covers real-life horror far more extreme than usual, including a Russian professor arrested in 2011 for keeping the mummified corpses of 29 women and girls in his apartment, each one fitted with a hidden music box. It also includes the story of a 19th-century whiskey heir who paid six handkerchiefs for a 10-year-old girl so he could watch cannibals kill and eat her, and the theory that Alexander the Great was declared dead nearly a week before he actually died. Content is more graphic than usual, so listener discretion is advised.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/necropolystREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8e5emeCHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:00:47.354 = Show Open00:01:58.356 = Alexander the Great00:05:52.710 = The Ravenous Beast of Gévaudan00:09:41.943 = The Rape and Burial of Jessica Lunsford ***00:11:55.911 = The Dyatlov Pass Incident00:15:29.080 = The Torture Dungeon of Leonard Lake and Charles Ng00:19:10.197 = Robert The Doll00:23:08.785 = The Disappearance and Eerie Return of Bobby Dunbar ***00:26:33.271 = Albert Fish – The Brooklyn Vampire00:30:06.498 = The Strange Disappearance of the Sodder Children00:34:28.570 = Anatoly Moskvin, The Russian Who Mummified Dead Girls00:38:41.505 = The Jameson Whiskey Cannibal ***00:42:29.572 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Real-Life Horror Stories More Freaky Than Fiction” by Marco Margaritoff for AllThatsInteresting.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8p9c72(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: March 2022Weird Darkness this episode gathers real-life horror too extreme for scripted television, spanning from ancient Macedonia to the Congo basin and landing, along the way, in a Russian apartment stacked with mummified girls.It opens with Alexander the Great, who collapsed in Babylon in 323 B.C. after a 24-hour drinking binge triggered a sudden fever, a stabbing pain in his back, and creeping paralysis that eventually left him speechless; doctors pronounced him dead at 32. His body reportedly stayed "pure and fresh" for six days afterward, evidence ancient Greeks took as proof of his divinity. In 2019, Dr. Katherine Hall of New Zealand's University of Otago proposed in the Ancient History Bulletin that Alexander actually suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that paralyzes the body while leaving the mind fully intact; since fourth-century-B.C. doctors checked for breath rather than a pulse, Hall's theory suggests Alexander may have been declared dead nearly a week before he actually died, and was buried alive.From there, the story moves to 18th-century France, where a wolf-like creature killed or mauled close to 300 people across three years in the Gévaudan region, most of them women and children. Fourteen-year-old shepherdess Jeanne Boulet was the first confirmed victim in 1764; a fifteen-year-old girl killed a month later survived long enough to describe her attacker as "a horrible beast". Militia leader Jean-Baptiste Duhamel organized a 30,000-strong hunting party, and King Louis XV eventually dispatched his own bodyguard, François Antoine, who killed a large wolf in September 1765; the attacks resumed within months regardless. A farmer named Jean Chastel is credited with killing the actual beast using silver bullets, reportedly after finding human remains inside its stomach.Next, the episode turns to the 2005 murder of nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Homosassa, Florida. Convicted sex offender John Evander Couey broke into her family's home, took her to his trailer, raped her over three days, sealed her inside garbage bags, and buried her alive in his yard while she still clutched a stuffed dolphin her father had won her at a state fair. Prosecutors later determined Jessica may have still been alive in the house during Couey's first police interview. Couey was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping in March 2007 and died on death row of natural causes in 2009.From Florida, the episode jumps to the Ural Mountains and the Dyatlov Pass incident of January 1959, when hiking leader Igor Dyatlov and eight fellow students from the Ural Polytechnic Institute died during an expedition toward Otorten Mountain. Investigators found their tent slashed open from the inside and shoeless footprints leading nearly a mile into the forest; the first bodies recovered, dressed only in underwear despite temperatures near negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit, were ruled hypothermia deaths. Two of the last four bodies found, Lyudmila Dubinina and Semyon Zolotaryov, were missing their eyeballs, Lyudmila was also missing her tongue, and both had clothing that tested positive for radioactivity. More than sixty years later, no single explanation, from avalanche to secret Soviet weapons testing, has been confirmed.The episode then moves to a cabin in California's Sierra Nevada foothills, where Leonard Lake and Charles Ng tortured and killed as many as 25 people between 1983 and 1985. Lake, a Vietnam veteran discharged for psychological reasons, built a cinderblock bunker behind a one-way mirror where he and Ng held women as sex slaves before killing them, dismembering the bodies, and dissolving the remains in acid; investigators eventually recovered twelve victims' remains along with roughly 40 pounds of charred bone. The pair was caught in June 1985 after Ng tried to shoplift a bench vise; Lake swallowed a cyanide capsule sewn into his jacket lining and died in custody before trial, while Ng was convicted of eleven murders in 1999 and remains on death row at San Quentin.Next comes Robert the Doll, manufactured by Germany's Steiff Company in 1904 and given to a Key West boy named Robert Eugene "Gene" Otto, who reportedly carried the doll everywhere and spoke of it in the first person. After Gene died in 1974, new owner Myrtle Reuter said the doll continued moving through her house with no explanation and eventually donated it to the Fort East Martello Museum, where curator Cori Convertito now oversees a steady stream of visitors who claim their cameras stop working in Robert's presence.From there, the episode circles back to 1912 Louisiana and the disappearance of four-year-old Bobby Dunbar from Swayze Lake. Eight months later, authorities found a boy matching his description traveling with a man named William Cantwell Walters, who insisted the child was Bruce Anderson, son of field hand Julia Anderson; the Dunbar family claimed the boy as their own anyway. It took until 2004, after years of research by Bobby's granddaughter Margaret Dunbar Cutwright, for a DNA test to prove the man raised as Bobby Dunbar shared no blood relation to the Dunbar family, meaning the real Bobby likely died in 1912 and the family had unknowingly raised Julia's son instead.The story turns next to Albert Fish, born in 1870 and later known as the Brooklyn Vampire, who spent decades torturing, killing, and cannibalizing children after enduring severe abuse in a New York orphanage as a boy. In 1928, posing as a farmer named Frank Howard, Fish lured ten-year-old Grace Budd away from her family and killed her; he wasn't identified until November 1934, when a letter he sent to Grace's mother describing the murder in graphic detail was traced back to him. Fish was executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison on January 16th, 1936.Following that, the episode covers the unresolved 1945 Sodder children case in Fayetteville, West Virginia, where a Christmas Eve house fire killed, or apparently killed, five of George and Jennie Sodder's nine children. No bones were ever recovered from the wreckage despite a coroner attributing the deaths to the blaze, and the family spent decades chasing tips and alleged sightings after strangers had made ominous threats about the house burning down in the months before the fire. George and Jennie erected a billboard along Route 16 asking for information and died in 1968 and 1989, respectively, without ever learning their children's fate.From there, the story turns to Anatoly Moskvin, a Russian journalist and college professor fluent in thirteen languages who dubbed himself a "necropolyst" and visited 752 cemeteries around his hometown of Nizhny Novgorod. Moskvin was arrested in 2011 after police investigating the desecration of Muslim graves found him painting over photographs of the dead; a search of the apartment he shared with his parents turned up the mummified remains of 29 women and girls, dressed, made up with buttons for eyes, and fitted with music boxes inside their chests. Moskvin told investigators he dug up the bodies because he was lonely and confessed to 44 counts of abusing graves and corpses.The episode clos

Fiji has long been at the forefront of developing policies to help its residents voluntarily relocate to escape the extreme effects of climate change. The country, which is comprised of hundreds of islands in the Pacific, faces rising sea levels, extreme weather, and other dangers. But for many Fijians, the choice to pack up and leave home is a difficult one. Many have a deep spiritual and personal connection to place, a concept known as vanua. Meanwhile, as one of the largest economies in the region, Fiji is also a destination for migrants from other Pacific Island countries, including those threatened by climate change. How has the government tried to support people who move? What considerations do residents consider when deciding whether to relocate? And what is the response to immigration from other countries? On this episode, we discuss these issues with Sargam Goundar, a Fijian doctoral researcher at the University of Otago.   Chapters 01:41 Climate Impacts Unfolding in Fiji 04:54 Government-Led Planned Relocation Framework 08:17 The Concept of Vanua: Cultural Ties to Land 13:10 Community Concerns and Decision-Making Around Relocation 16:44 Fiji as a Regional Migration Destination 22:16 Policy Gaps and Research Priorities

Fiji has long been at the forefront of developing policies to help its residents voluntarily relocate to escape the extreme effects of climate change. The country, which is comprised of hundreds of islands in the Pacific, faces rising sea levels, extreme weather, and other dangers. But for many Fijians, the choice to pack up and leave home is a difficult one. Many have a deep spiritual and personal connection to place, a concept known as vanua. Meanwhile, as one of the largest economies in the region, Fiji is also a destination for migrants from other Pacific Island countries, including those threatened by climate change. How has the government tried to support people who move? What considerations do residents consider when deciding whether to relocate? And what is the response to immigration from other countries? On this episode, we discuss these issues with Sargam Goundar, a Fijian doctoral researcher at the University of Otago.   Chapters 01:41 Climate Impacts Unfolding in Fiji 04:54 Government-Led Planned Relocation Framework 08:17 The Concept of Vanua: Cultural Ties to Land 13:10 Community Concerns and Decision-Making Around Relocation 16:44 Fiji as a Regional Migration Destination 22:16 Policy Gaps and Research Priorities

Send us a question/idea/opinion direct via text message!In this special guest edition of the New Zealand Property Market Podcast, Head of Research Nick Goodall is joined by Ryan Hannigan and Ben Grant from Loan Market Dunedin. Together, they explore the unique dynamics of the Otago and Southland property markets, where housing values and sales activity continue to outperform many northern regions.Ryan and Ben break down the on-the-ground drivers in Dunedin, including how the multi-billion-dollar Dunedin Hospital build is attracting families, why first-home buyers are actively targeting the $600,000 to $700,000 price bracket, and how infill townhouse developments are transforming traditional suburbs. They also expose a key financing hurdle: why trading banks apply strict boarding house lending criteria to room-by-room student rentals, creating friction for investors despite high demand and steady yields.The conversation also covers broader mortgage trends across New Zealand, highlighting that over 50% of buyers in June purchased with less than a 20% deposit. Ryan and Ben share practical advice on navigating 2–3 year fixed rate terms (4.99%–5.19%), managing test interest rates, and avoiding common pitfalls when refixing online or relying on unverified AI mortgage advice.This week we discuss:Dunedin Market Resilience: Why median values around $623,000 keep the region highly accessible for first-home buyers and relocating families.Student Rental Financing: Why banks enforce boarding house rules on room-by-room student lets and how parents are stepping in to buy for studying children.Infill Development Growth: How developers are acquiring older homes to build modern townhouses, mirroring Christchurch's urban densification model.The Southland Boom: Why Invercargill and broader Southland continue to buck national trends with strong job security and affordable $400,000 starter homes.The Low-Deposit Reality: Unpacking data showing more than half of recent borrowers entered the market with under a 20% deposit, including Kāinga Ora 5% options.Mortgage Structuring Strategy: Why clients are locking in 2–3 year fixed rates for budget certainty rather than chasing short-term rate dips.Advisor Insights: How to secure a "real estate pre-approval" to stand out in multi-offer scenarios, and how to filter out social media mortgage advice.Sign up for news and insights or contact on LinkedIn, X @NickGoodall_CL or @KDavidson_CL and email ngoodall@cotality.com or kdavidson@cotality.comThis podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. The hosts are not licensed Financial Advice Providers in New Zealand. All information is of a general nature and does not take into account your personal situation or goals. Please consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Adult kids moving into $31,000 flatpack studios? Investors completely bypassing Auckland to chase high rental yields down south? The standard New Zealand property playbook is being rewritten right before our eyes! In this episode of The Week in Review, Debbie Roberts (owner and financial adviser at Property Apprentice) breaks down the 5 biggest stories you need to know to make smart, risk-reduced property decisions. Inside This Episode:

A plan to fast-track the consenting and building of more than 1200 homes near Arrowtown is drawing strong opposition from locals. Queenstown Lakes District councillor Samuel "Q" Belk spoke to John Campbell.

The University Book Shop in Dunedin has announced it's relocating to the University of Otago campus and being reshaped, with a bigger focus on textbooks and stationery for students. The decision has sparked a strong reaction from Dunedin's literary community, with writers, readers and former staff reflecting on what the shop has meant to the city. Award-winning novelist, former academic and Chair of the Otago Southland branch of the New Zealand Society of Authors, Wendy Parkins joins us now to reflect on the shop's legacy.

Go onto any parents group in the country and you’ll find comments about arbitrary school uniform rules. Socks falling down, no scarves in class, skirts instead of shorts, and no t-shirts underneath despite not seeing them – and that’s just what our team has seen. And that’s all before we talk about the costs that come with a compulsory uniform. The Act Party is campaigning to make school uniforms more affordable, saying some families are spending well over $1000 a year. The University of Otago’s Dr Johanna Reidy has been involved in research to find out if uniforms had an impact on education and health. She joins us today on The Front Page. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the last election, you could enrol on election day. This time the deadline is 13 days before. University of Otago professor Andrew Geddis joins Toby to talk through the changes, who is most affected, and whether the justifications stack up.Plus: In How Good, medals at the Commonwealth Games are good, but a mascot with a cone on its bonce is better, says Madeleine Chapman.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hoiho yellow-eyed penguin is set to face protection from fishers around the Otago Peninsula. From September 16th, emergency set-net restrictions to protect the birds around the Otago peninsula will become permanent. But is it enough to help the penguins, with number at critical levels and falling fast. General Manager of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, Norcombe Barker spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Judging others is something we all do, and we all want to do less often! "But how!?" we hear you cry! To begin our exploration of the root of judginess and what we can do tomove past it, Petra has spoken to a crack duo of guests. First up is former Stuff visual journalist, Abigail Dougherty. Abigail describes for Petra how she learnt the need to put aside judgement in her job as a journalist and how her faith has allowed her to keep a more open mind. Next up is Dr Graham Redding, the Douglas Goodfellow lecturer in Chaplaincy Studies at the University of Otago. Graham explores God's judgement of people and whether His character is actually different between the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible. If you're interested, here is Abigail's portfolio Sacred texts: This scene from Ted Lasso where Ted plays darts against former AFC Richmond owner, Rupert. Music: You are the Gold by Terrible Sons (theme song) Grazing in the Grass by Hugh Masekela Peace Blossom Boogie by Babe Rainbow You're So Vain by Carly Simon Tumutumu Mauga by SANGUINE Changes by David Bowie Equipoise by Max Roach

The conflict in the Middle East is widening fast. Yemen's Houthi rebels have targeted Saudi Arabian ships in the Red Sea - threatening to cut off a crucial route for the kingdom's oil exports. The price of oil has surpassed 100 US-dollars a barrel for the first time since May. Meanwhile the US has carried out its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. So, what’s really going on here? Is this the start of a broader regional crisis, or are we seeing a dangerous standoff that could yet be contained? Today on The Front Page, University of Otago international relations professor Robert Patman is with us to unpack the stakes for global shipping, energy markets, and the risk of further escalation in the Middle East. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New technology being developed in Christchurch means the city is being recognised as a global leader in diabetes research. Here in New Zealand, more than 350,000 people live with diabetes. Professor Martin de Bock from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Otago in Christchurch recently delivered a lecture on all the exciting innovations. He chats to Jesse.

The countdown is on as Dunedin prepares for daytime darkness for the first time since 1163 AD. On 22 July 2028, the moon's shadow will pass directly over parts of Otago including Dunedin. Tess Brunton reports.

In this third episode, of RaboTalk Growing our Future's Catchment Catch-Ups series Blake Holgate speaks with Craig Simpson, Regional Manager at the Otago Catchment Community (OCC). Craig shares insights from his extensive background in water quality research and collaborative governance, reflecting on how the regional catchment movement has grown over the last twelve years.The conversation highlights how OCC supports 28 independent, farmer-led groups across Otago to navigate evolving regional water plans and shifting environmental priorities. Craig discusses the practical realities of managing long-term landscape changes, explaining why structural governance, community independence, and targeted coordinator support are essential for sustaining momentum and preventing volunteer burnout.Like what you've heard? Follow our podcast for more great content.Show notes:Collaborative Governance in ActionCraig's entry into the sector began with masters research focused on managing water quality through collaborative governance, which led to his work with the New Zealand Landcare Trust. This background shapes OCC's mandate to act as an enabler for collective action, helping local communities identify shared environmental problems and design their own solutions.The Evolution of the Otago MovementThe OCC movement grew out of annual networking forums designed to bring catchment leaders together to share ideas. By 2021, as groups sought more structured resources and direction, OCC formalised into a support organisation. Today, the collective assists 28 independent groups, offering technical training, strategic planning, and administrative funding.Shifting Water Plan DriversMany of Otago's oldest catchment groups, including the Pomahaka initiative, originally formed twelve years ago to address strict discharge thresholds in the regional water plan. While those regulatory drivers have changed, the cumulative learning has led to massive shifts in land use practices, establishing thriving wetlands and planting projects that will benefit the landscape for decades.Managing the Ebb and Flow of EngagementSustaining high enthusiasm indefinitely is unrealistic and often leads to volunteer burnout. Craig notes that it is completely healthy for catchment groups to experience cycles of high activity followed by quiet consolidation. The critical factor is keeping the core group structure and work plan alive so they are raring to go when new environmental or community drivers emerge.Overcoming Succession and Fatigue ChallengesCatchment committees are frequently run by the same individuals who volunteer for local school boards or sports clubs. To manage this fatigue and ensure long-term succession, OCC focuses on ensuring groups maintain clear visions and action plans. Introducing independent coordinators to absorb administrative burdens has proven to be a game changer for maintaining continuity.Valuing Catchment IndividualityCraig firmly believes that catchment groups cannot be treated as carbon copies of one another. Each community has unique geographic challenges, economic drivers, and social dynamics. Long-term success relies entirely on external organisations respecting and protecting the independence of these local groups rather than forcing a standardised template upon them.Final Advice: Plant the First PlantCraig uses a planting project analogy to encourage communities facing long-term environmental goals. While the upfront work of putting a plant in the ground is simple, the unglamorous, slow-brew maintenance is what ensures survival. Producers should not let the scale of a challenge prevent them from starting. If you never plant that first plant, you will never be able to look back in five years and see a thriving landscape.

Falling Walls is an international competition which gives early career researchers 3 minutes to pitch a breakthrough idea. This year's Aotearoa NZ leg was won by University of Otago cancer researcher Dr Judy Ann Cocadiz. Her winning pitch - "Breaking the Wall of Late Cancer Detection", is about a Cancer Society-funded device designed to help detect cancer by capturing tiny fragments of tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream As part of her prize, she will now head to Berlin to pitch at the Falling Walls global final - she chats to Jesse.

A recently released study from researchers at the Otago, Canterbury, and Massey universities has found an association between nitrate concentrations in drinking water, and pre-term births. The study is the first of its scale to investigate the health impacts of nitrate on health, involving the birth records of over 735,000 babies born between 2008 and 2021.  It comes after the Ministry of Health launched a review into the health effects of nitrate in drinking water earlier this year, with groups such as Greenpeace long-arguing for a reduction in the maximum acceptable value of nitrate in drinking water for Aotearoa New Zealand. So, to learn more about what the study found, Producer Theo spoke to its lead author, the University of Canterbury's Associate Professor Tim Chambers.

A recently released study from researchers at the Otago, Canterbury, and Massey universities has found an association between nitrate concentrations in drinking water, and pre-term births. The study is the first of its scale to investigate the health impacts of nitrate on health, involving the birth records of over 735,000 babies born between 2008 and 2021.  It comes after the Ministry of Health launched a review into the health effects of nitrate in drinking water earlier this year, with groups such as Greenpeace long-arguing for a reduction in the maximum acceptable value of nitrate in drinking water for Aotearoa New Zealand. So, to learn more about what the study found, Producer Theo spoke to its lead author, the University of Canterbury's Associate Professor Tim Chambers.

Anisha Satya speaks with farmer Nigel Woodhead about his "mosaic" farming system.With thanks to:Nigel WoodheadMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Shalane Hopkins is an author, speaker and coach based in Otago, originally from Canada. In 2010 she walked the length of the country on Te Araroa, more than 3000 km from Cape Reinga to Bluff, before the trail had officially opened. She shares how she walked it with friend, a backpacker she had known only four days, carrying a map and compass instead of GPS, on a tight budget. Shalane talks about the culture shock of tramping, a week of rain through North Island farmland, a bout of giardia, and helping with the Christchurch earthquake recovery in 2011. Fifteen years on, she reflects on her memoir One Step at a Time, scaling a big goal back to the next step, and learning to stop making herself small.Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)Follow Shalane on Instagram: instagram.com/shalanehopkinsGet Shalane's memoir One Step at a Time: shalanehopkins.comFollow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.com/abigailhannnahFollow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_

H5N1 bird flu has landed in New Zealand. The positive result from a brown skua found at Wellington’s Petone Beach is the country’s first case of the strain. For months, officials, farmers, and DOC workers have been bracing for this moment, trying to protect our wildlife from a virus that’s already devastated birds around the world. We’ve been one of the last places on Earth untouched by H5N1. That’s no longer true. So, how likely is it to spread, which animals are at risk, and should anyone be worried about their own safety? Today on The Front Page, University of Otago virologist Professor Jemma Geoghegan is with us to unpack what this means for our wildlife, our poultry sector, and the risk to people. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It won't come as a surprise to any of you that social media can be a minefield of information - and misinformation. You click on something and next minute it is all over your social media feed - for good or bad. A new study from the University of Otago has examined social media through the lens of exercise advice targeting women - and the result may just surprise you. Professor Katherine Black, from the Department of Human Nutrition co-authored the study - and she joins Emile to discuss.

The late Sir Sam Neill told Country Life he was excited by the "farming" side of wine, that and the beautiful Otago landscape where his Two Paddocks vineyard is set. We paid the actor and vintner a visit back in the spring of 2022.You can find photos and read more about our visit our webpage, here.With thanks to:The late Sir Sam NeillGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Have you ever been standing in the shower when suddenly the noise in your brain clears and, in its place, appears the perfect thought? That's a Shower Thought, and RNZ's Nights is aiming to answer those unshakeable questions lurking at the back of your mind. Tonight's question: Can picking your own Lotto numbers improve your odds? Someone who's been researching this topic is Peter Alexander Whigham, Professor in Computing at the University of Otago. Read more on The Conversation here and view Peter's research paper here.

Tess updates on recent severe weather in the region and the latest with Waitaki's "painful" rates rise.

Imagine being able to bring climate into long-term financial forecasts - not just this year but 100-years ahead. Canopi is the latest climate tool to come from the climate powerhouse Lever Room. Rebecca Mills is the founder of Lever Room, a strategy and technology company working across carbon, climate and nature. Rebecca helped build The B Team, the global initiative founded by Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz, and now leads Women in Climate Tech Australasia and lectures at the University of Otago.

It's time for Mayoral Minutes where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them... and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to the jewel in our tourism crown - the spectacular Queenstown Lakes District where Mayor John Glover joins us. [picture id="4JX3C1X_251218_Queenstown_01_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

In part two, Nelson Mayor Nick Smith is calling for a slow-down of the Tenths Bill, with concerns that it will weaken protections over Abel Tasman National Park. Local communications strategist, Johnny O'Donnell, disagrees. Then, Otago libraries are lending out robotic cats and dogs as a companionship option for older people and those with dementia.

A small southland community that doesn't have a permanent doctor is fundraising to keep a nurse at the local medical centre. The Nightcaps Medical centre has two visiting GP who work two and half days a week, in between times a nurse sees patients. The nurse was funded by Well South, the primary health organisation for Otago and Southland. But that funding ended in March last year. Nightcaps Community Medical Trust chair James Dixon spoke to Lisa Owen.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he's 'deeply concerned' by China's testing of nuclear-capable weapons in the South Pacific. Nicholas Khoo, Associate Professor at the University of Otago specialising in Chinese foreign policy spoke to John Campbell.

It's been a wild start to the week in Otago, where widespread flooding and snowfall overnight have sparked evacuations and road closures.

Research from the University of Otago shows that something as simple as asking open-ended questions and weaving conversations into everyday activities help toddlers' communication skills. The findings have inspired the ENRICH programme, which the government is now expanding from 65 to 525 early childhood centres across the country. ENRICH leader, Professor Elaine Reese of the Department of Psychology spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Sally Round chats to Otago farmer Becks Smith about her ventures, and Braden Crosby of the Bragato Institute. Anisha Satya eats deep-friend locusts, and Mark Leishman checks out the drones fighting wilding pines in South Canterbury. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:48 - Rural news wrap6:06 - Becks Smith13:34 - Lunching on locusts25.:3 - Braden Crosby of the Bragato Institute32:12 - Drilling down into dronesWith thanks to:Becks SmithMalcolm DiackBraden CrosbyRowland SommerMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Otago farmer, vet and entrepreneur Becks Smith has many jobs. You might find her on a roof installing solar panels, scanning ewes in the yard or sitting in front of a microphone for her podcast about sustainability in farming. She is Country Life's guest this week. With thanks to:Becks SmithMake sure you're following Country Life on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic have become some of the most talked-about medicines in the world. They were originally developed to help people with type 2 diabetes, before becoming widely known for their effect on appetite and weight loss. But researchers are now asking whether they could also help with something else, addiction. Dr Robert Munn is a neuroscientist at the University of Otago, and he's written about how these drugs may affect the brain's reward system.

A new study from the University of Otago has shed fresh light on how the brain learns what's important The research puts a modern twist on the famous Pavlov's dog experiments, revealing how something as simple as a flash of light can become meaningful to the brain and help drive learning The findings could also have important implications for conditions like Parkinson's disease Lead author Professor John Reynolds from the Department of Anatomy is with Emile.

INTERVIEW: Estella & Caitlin on Otago Polytech Retooled Charity Auction For Red Cross by Lily Jane on Radio One 91FM Dunedin

An amateur sleuth working to identify hundreds of unmarked Otago graves is welcoming funding to properly recognise "pauper plots". Dunedin Council's announced it's getting almost $200,000 from the government to investigate unmarked graves of people who died in institutional care. There were several so-called lunatic asylums, church and welfare institutions in the region. Laura Furness spoke to Lisa Owen.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Is New Zealand's property market quietly offering you a hidden advantage?While the mainstream headlines scream about high interest rates and a frozen sales volume, a major shift is happening behind closed doors. NZ banks are actively cutting back credit rules, slashing criteria, and sweetening their cashback offers in an aggressive bid to win your business.In this episode of NZ Property Insights, financial adviser Debbie Roberts and seasoned investor Paul Roberts analyze the "Lender Appetite Paradox." We break down why lenders are suddenly open for business, whether you should capitalize on these friendly conditions before the crowd wakes up, and how to structure your risk.We also dive deep into a remarkable winter rental shift, highlighted by an extraordinary 18.6% annual rent correction in Otago, and explore the changing landscape of Kiwi density as Auckland suburbs opt-out of blanket housing laws, leading more buyers to choose modern apartment living over the quarter-acre dream.Register for our next FREE Online MasterclassBook a No-Obligation Strategic Consultation HERETHE DATA DEEP DIVE:Banks Easing Credit: The latest survey of 59 mortgage advisers reveals a substantial 29% increase in bank willingness to advance funds, resulting in lower uncommitted monthly income thresholds and easier 20% deposit paths.The Fixed-Rate Playbook: Why 74% of active borrowers are locking in a 2-year fixed rate at 5.69% rather than committing to shorter or longer terms.Otago Rent Shock: Average weekly asking rents in Otago plummeted from 699 down to 569 annually, a sharp 18.6% drop as local supply temporarily outpaces tenant demand.Planning Backdowns: How Resource Management Minister Chris Bishop's blanket density exemptions are impacting high-value suburbs like Epsom.Mortgage-Free Pathways: The real-life case studies of everyday Kiwis bypassing traditional property models to achieve financial freedom sooner through compact city homes.About Property Apprentice: We are a 100% independent property education and coaching company in New Zealand. We do not sell property, which means we have zero conflicts of interest. Our only goal is to help you build stable, long-term wealth through realistic financial education.Subscribe to the podcast, leave a 5-star review, and let us know your thoughts: Is this current bank shift the window of opportunity you have been waiting for?Support the showDisclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial advice. We recommend seeking advice from a qualified professional before making any investment decisions.*Property Advice Group Limited trading as Property Apprentice has been granted a FULL Licence with the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand. (FSP Number: FSP157564) Debbie Roberts | Financial Adviser (FSP221305) For our Public disclosure statement please go to our website or you may request a copy free of charge.

Two damning reports into what led to an 11-year-old Maori autistic girl being mistakenly treated as an adult mental health patient, restrained and twice injected with anti-psychotics have been released this morning. Bernadette Jones, Associate Research Professor at the University of Otago spoke to John Campbell.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.First-home buyers are quietly rewriting the rules of the New Zealand property market. Despite a flat wider economy, a record 75% of first-home buyer purchases this year are standalone houses—the highest level since 2020.But as the market continues to fragment, we are seeing a fascinating regional split. While Auckland and Wellington face slower movements, areas like Southland, Taranaki, and Otago are showing surprising resilience. Meanwhile, mortgage arrears are falling, but financial hardship applications are spiking—pointing to a deeper credit squeeze on middle-aged Kiwis.In this episode of the Week in Review, Debbie Roberts (Financial Adviser at Property Apprentice) breaks down the five critical economic shifts shaping your property choices right now.

We're going to start the show talking about milk .. more specifically gene edited milk .. and whether you would be happy buying, and drinking it. over recent years scientists have been exploring whether gene editing can deliver dairy cattle better able to cope with warmer temperatures while producing fewer methane emissions. Which all might sound great in the lab - but will shoppers want it? Here to discuss this issue Jesse is joined by Damien Mather, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Otago.

A determined Otago school principal is not one to run from a problem, instead he is literally running towards a solution. Rob Taylor from Dunedin's Musselburgh Primary was reluctant to pass extra costs for school camp onto parents so decided to raise the money himself by convincing people to sponsor him for two half marathons. Musselburgh Primary Principal, Rob Taylor spoke to Lisa Owen.

In Pacific Waves today: Former finance ministers clash on state of Fiji's economy; PNG sets high threshold for Bougainville independence vote; ‘Nothing for us without us': Pacific voices reshape Otago museum gallery; Spotlight on improving nutrition and food security in PNG. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A Wānaka GP fears the community could lose its after-hours service within weeks if proposed changes to rural healthcare funding are introduced. Under changes, which would see Wānaka reclassified due to its growing population, the rural funding for local general practices there could be slashed. Otago-Southland reporter Tess Brunton has more.

Astronomy fans seem a well-prepared bunch, with anticipation already building for a total solar eclipse two years away. On July 22, 2028, Otago will be one of the few places in the world where people will be able to experience the eclipse's full effect. Otago Museum director Dr Ian Griffin.

Opposition leader, Chris Hipkins talks to Ingrid Hipkiss; Expert explains practical ways to save on your power bill; Auckland councillors to decide on housing intensification; Aussie cops being fast tracked into NZ police force; Astronomy fans already booking for Otago eclipse in 2028

Can memories survive death? It sounds like the kind of question skeptics usually dismiss before the conversation even starts. But Ian Stevenson was not a carnival psychic or a late-night ghost hunter. He was a respected psychiatrist at the University of Virginia who spent decades investigating children who claimed to remember previous lives, along with cases involving birthmarks, apparitions, telepathy, and other alleged evidence for life after death. In this episode, psychologist and science writer Jesse Bering talks about Stevenson's strange and fascinating career, the psychology of afterlife belief, why the mind so easily imagines consciousness continuing after death, and what to do with cases that are hard to explain but far from proven. Jesse Bering is a science writer, research psychologist, and head of the Science Communication program at the University of Otago in New Zealand. He is the author of several books, including: Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That? And Other Reflections on Being Human and Suicidal: Why We Kill Ourselves. His new book is The Incredible Afterlives of Dr. Stevenson: One Scientist's Epic Quest for Evidence of Reincarnation, Apparitions, Poltergeists, and Other Matters of the Soul.