On the eve of a preliminary hearing into the Pike River disaster, Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn has warned the collapsed mine's receivers to get in and get the dead miners' remains, or stand aside so someone else can.

In a secret spot, restricted to visitors, Jim Eagles marvels at the elegant, isolated beauty of NZ's only flock of endangered white heron.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Pike River disaster will need more than 15 weeks to examine key issues, a families' spokesman says.

Prince William has met families of the victims of the Pike River Coal mine disaster in Greymouth tonight.

As the West Coast prepares for the visit of Prince William today, Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn reflects on the four tough months since the Pike River tragedy.

The inaction of Pike River mine receivers to venture into the mine has victims' families fearing the worst, says the father of one of the lost miners

Charlotte Randall is an award-winning New Zealand author whose novels reflect someone utterly in love with the potential of language.

A number of parties have already shown interest in buying the Pike River Coal mine, even though it's not yet officially for sale, says Receiver John Fisk.

The families of the 29 men killed in the Pike River mine disaster will each receive a minimum of $190,000 from the Pike River Disaster Relief Trust.

Jim Eagles discovers crazy heart-pumping, breath-taking thrills on historic rivers, mining tunnels and shafts on the West Coast.

Several appeals have been launched to help Cantabrians following today's devastating earthquake. ANZ launched an appeal and announced it would make the first donation, $1 million.

The key selection conundrum for Warriors coach Ivan Cleary is how he structures the right hand side of the park.

The maker of a plane which crashed in Fox Glacier, killing nine people, is warning against putting more powerful engines into the planes.