Mary Jane Walker's Blog: Adventures at Snow Farm Part 1 – Skiing with a broken shoulder! , page 24

Is Auckland Council making itself Redundant? The paradox of retrenchment in the face of growth

Auckland Council has responded to Covid by retrenching staff. Yet Auckland faces huge growth pressures. Ultimately, our system of local government is not up to coping with growth and transformation. This leaves the centre. Indeed, "a government of transformation" was promised in 2017 by new Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. But is Ms Ardern's central government any better at handling the big stuff? And if not, why not?

A Walk on the Wildside: New Zealand's Banks Track ��� near Christchurch, yet remote

This post is about my three days on the Banks Track, south-east of Akaroa on Horomaka/Banks Peninsula, near Christchurch. The Banks Track is a really impressive private walks run by dedicated conservationists, which traverses the "Wildside" of the peninsula, a region of seals, penguins and exotic fuchsia forests. Do try it!

Whenua Hou: Codfish Island and the few K��k��p�� Left

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The Isle of Blushing Skies: Rakiura/Stewart Island and the North-West Circuit Track

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Canterbury Surprise: The Foothills of the Alps

North and West of Christchurch, there are places often overlooked. These include the Hakatere Conservation Park, the Foothills Forests, Mount Hutt, Lake Coleridge, the Rakaia Gorge and Mount Somers. They are all accessible by way of inland roads, and indeed it is possible to do a scenic tour that takes in all of them.

The Foothills of the Alps

North and West of Christchurch, there are places often overlooked

Banks Peninsula and the Port Hills

Hikes, harbours and more history

Between Blenheim and Nelson

From coastal strolls with the birds to hard hill country

Nelson: Town of History and Trees

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Christchurch: Gateway to Antarctica, rich in heritage, recovering from crises

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