Holes, one large enough to swallow a bench, started appearing in a Dunedin street yesterday afternoon as big swells pounded the coast.

Dozens of revellers taking part in a "student flat crawl" damaged property and invaded a North Dunedin dairy.

When meeting the Earl of Dunmore for the first time, there is an expectation one will be greeted by a Scots peer with a thick Highland burr.

Two students who started selling boxes of meat to their Dunedin peers last year have trebled their client base, hired staff and are now eyeing markets further north.

Otago Boys' High School rector Clive Rennie is backing the decisions of two teachers who had to be rescued along with 10 pupils from the Rock and Pillar Range on Saturday night.

Gareth Lawrence Smither, who murdered his ex-girlfriend in Dunedin almost 16 years ago, has had some limited unescorted ground leave, a New Zealand Parole Board decision notes.

Dunedin's central city parking is in for a shake-up as part of a push to improve cycle safety on the city's one-way streets.

The University of Otago boosted Dunedin's economy by $780.8 million last year, a new report shows.

A protester who was hit by a motorist in Dunedin while blocking a McDonald's drive-in claims he was faced with two options – "go under his vehicle, or go over it".

McDonald's says protesters who blocked a Dunedin drive-through put themselves and customers at risk, after allegations that two picketers were run over.

A Dunedin ACC beneficiary is to be paid $10,000 after the Crown admitted a police search of his home was unlawful.

A new mother who rescued her sleeping baby and then battled a blaze in a bedroom is urging people to install smoke alarms.

It is the love of Anna McLean's life, but her Mazda Axela is a "magnet" for trouble.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has apologised for his "slight" against the Dalai Lama after sparking a minor protest over comments about the spiritual leader's upcoming visit.

An Oamaru man who admitted indecently assaulting three women in a Dunedin swimming pool was remanded in custody for sentence next month.

The University of Otago took a "very serious" look at the implications of hosting the Dalai Lama before opting to let him speak on campus during his visit to Dunedin next month.

South Dunedin cat owners are being warned to keep their pets indoors as police investigate an alleged feline serial killer stalking the suburb.

A life ban for a lawyer accused of stealing $3 million from clients was "the only appropriate penalty", the Law Society says.

A machete, mallet and large wooden sticks were seized from dairy owners arming themselves against robbers targeting synthetic cannabis, Dunedin police allege.

There are fears Dunedin could lose out to Auckland as a result of proposed changes to the way the New Zealand Transport Agency allocates funding for roading projects.

The fight against the sale of synthetic cannabis in Gisborne has stepped up with the support of community leaders.

A holocaust survivor and one of the last remaining Jews to be saved by Oskar Schindler hopes her story can help prevent the horrors she witnessed happening again.

Thousands of dollars of synthetic cannabis was stolen in an aggravated robbery of a North Dunedin dairy last week, prompting concerns over potential health risks to users, police say.

A North Dunedin dairy was robbed by two knife-wielding offenders early this morning.

The Dunedin City Council has agreed to let bars to stay open for the first hour of Anzac Day so Aerosmith fans can have a nightcap after the band's gig at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

A 19-year-old skateboarder who suffered a serious leg injury after skating under a truck has been charged by Dunedin police with careless use of a skateboard.

Pupils at a Dunedin special needs school are beginning to wonder if someone has it in for them.