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Home / The Country / Latest news

Latest rural news

Queenstown wetland wildlife at risk as cats caught hunting
The Country

Queenstown wetland wildlife at risk as cats caught hunting

Whakatipu Wildlife Trust stated that trail cameras detected 44 cats over three weeks.

12 Jan 02:59 AM
The Country

The Country: Shearer Simon Goss on breaking world record

Wayne Langford, Mike McIntyre, Kate Scott, Simon Goss and Phil Duncan.

12 Jan 01:18 AM
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The Country

'Frightened all the time': Inside a $3m kiwifruit tax evasion scam

'Money mule' was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted after threatening to blow the whistle.

12 Jan 01:00 AM

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Summer questions: A year of change for dairy - Fonterra's Matt Bolger reflects
The Country

Summer questions: A year of change for dairy - Fonterra's Matt Bolger reflects

MD of co-operative affairs says the sale of Mainland will deliver value back to farmers.

11 Jan 09:59 PM
Homes evacuated amid North Island forest fires as temps across NZ remain high
The Country

Homes evacuated amid North Island forest fires as temps across NZ remain high

Many centres in the North Island were pushed towards heat records on Sunday.

11 Jan 06:05 PM
Search our map: Swathes of NZ land bought by Ikea for forestry
Premium
The Country

Search our map: Swathes of NZ land bought by Ikea for forestry

11 Jan 04:00 PM
Teacher turns lockdown hobby into new distillery business
The Country

Teacher turns lockdown hobby into new distillery business

11 Jan 04:00 PM
Spearfishing champion warns: Ban bottom trawling or risk more fishery collapses
The Country

Spearfishing champion warns: Ban bottom trawling or risk more fishery collapses

11 Jan 04:00 PM
Elite private school taught Tom Phillips bushcraft, shooting skills
Premium
The Country

Elite private school taught Tom Phillips bushcraft, shooting skills

10 Jan 09:00 PM
Farmer’s rare 1939 Ford truck finds new life in 'man shed'
The Country

Farmer’s rare 1939 Ford truck finds new life in 'man shed'

The 3-tonne 1939 Ford flathead V8 was imported from the United States.

10 Jan 04:03 PM
Glenn Dwight: Back to work. Back to reality
Glenn Dwight
OpinionGlenn Dwight

Glenn Dwight: Back to work. Back to reality

OPINION: The first real hurdle of returning to work is the password situation.

10 Jan 04:01 PM
Shade: The best ways to chill out in your garden this summer
Kem Ormond
OpinionKem Ormond

Shade: The best ways to chill out in your garden this summer

OPINION: Whatever you choose, remember that summer is for relaxing, not baking.

10 Jan 04:00 PM
Pastures Past: How donkeys and mules carried kids, cargo and Kiwi troops
The Country

Pastures Past: How donkeys and mules carried kids, cargo and Kiwi troops

Six Ponui-bred donkeys were brought to Auckland Zoo in 1937 to give children rides.

10 Jan 04:00 PM
Heat alerts for 15 centres amid scorching temps, severe gales pose 'extreme' fire danger
The Country

Heat alerts for 15 centres amid scorching temps, severe gales pose 'extreme' fire danger

The MetService-issued heat alerts include several holiday hot spots.

10 Jan 12:26 AM
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Fran O'Sullivan: Bipartisanship support for trade deals is crucial
Fran O'Sullivan
OpinionFran O'Sullivan

Fran O'Sullivan: Bipartisanship support for trade deals is crucial

OPINION: Why political parties need to prioritise the national interest on trade.

09 Jan 08:00 PM
Six generations strong: Wairarapa farmers embrace change
The Country

Six generations strong: Wairarapa farmers embrace change

'We knew we couldn’t keep on doing the same thing, because we would go out of business.'

09 Jan 05:00 PM
Avocado growers brace for $150b shift
The Country

Avocado growers brace for $150b shift

More than half of New Zealand farm owners will be 65 or older within a decade.

09 Jan 04:03 PM
Core blimey: Apple grower's 'TikTok Tuesdays' take off
The Country

Core blimey: Apple grower's 'TikTok Tuesdays' take off

Kiwi Crunch's TikTok antics were widely read about on The Country in 2025.

09 Jan 04:02 PM
Award-winning farmer chat: The Country's top shows of 2025
The Country

Award-winning farmer chat: The Country's top shows of 2025

The Country's June 19 edition was the third most listened to (and read about) in 2025.

09 Jan 04:01 PM
City girl finds happiness in dairy success
The Country

City girl finds happiness in dairy success

Caitlin Snodgrass's success story was a popular read on The Country in September 2025.

09 Jan 04:00 PM
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‘What the?’ Fisherman’s 96kg marlin turns heads on drive home
The Country

‘What the?’ Fisherman’s 96kg marlin turns heads on drive home

He hauled in the 96.1kg marlin after a 40-minute fight off the Hokianga coast.

09 Jan 01:44 AM
Pakipaki vegetation fire prompts evacuations as Hawke’s Bay heat rises
The Country

Pakipaki vegetation fire prompts evacuations as Hawke’s Bay heat rises

Napier and Hastings remain on Level 3 water restrictions as heat and demand intensify.

09 Jan 01:34 AM
Warm, wet summer: Climate outlook warns of hotter, muggier months ahead
The Country

Warm, wet summer: Climate outlook warns of hotter, muggier months ahead

An Earth Sciences meteorologist said there may be 'a lack of relief from the heat'.

09 Jan 12:33 AM
Taste of the future: Teen chefs join Chelsea Winter at Avo Fest kitchen
The Country

Taste of the future: Teen chefs join Chelsea Winter at Avo Fest kitchen

The teens will cater for corporate guests and prep dish samples for crowds.

09 Jan 12:00 AM
'Records could roll': Heat alerts issued, forecast temperatures to reach 38C
The Country

'Records could roll': Heat alerts issued, forecast temperatures to reach 38C

Hastings is now forecast to reach 38C on Sunday, with 36C expected in Napier.

08 Jan 11:13 PM
‘Something awful is going to happen’: Hordes of roaming deer spark residents' fears
The Country

‘Something awful is going to happen’: Hordes of roaming deer spark residents' fears

Residents say roaming deer are eating gardens and causing road near-misses.

08 Jan 06:00 PM
Best of Glenn Dwight: Marmite and jandals can grow our economy
Glenn Dwight
OpinionGlenn Dwight

Best of Glenn Dwight: Marmite and jandals can grow our economy

Glenn Dwight's take on how to fix our economy was his third most popular read of 2025.

08 Jan 04:01 PM
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From school caretaker to blueberry farmer
The Country

From school caretaker to blueberry farmer

Des Samuels' blueberry success was popular on The Country's website in 2025.

08 Jan 04:00 PM
Farm offers unique animal encounters for kids
The Country

Farm offers unique animal encounters for kids

A story about Kaipaki Farmyard in Ōhaupō was a popular read on The Country in 2025.

08 Jan 04:00 PM
‘It felt like the perfect fit’: City-raised graduate finds future in ag
The Country

‘It felt like the perfect fit’: City-raised graduate finds future in ag

Angie Chadha's journey from city to agriculture was a popular read on The Country in 2025.

08 Jan 04:00 PM
New US dietary guidance pushes whole milk, warns against processed food
The Country

New US dietary guidance pushes whole milk, warns against processed food

The advice opposes added sugars and artificial sweeteners.

08 Jan 01:20 AM
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'Good value for money': Puketoro farm auction a sell-out
Sheep and Beef

'Good value for money': Puketoro farm auction a sell-out

A total of 6400 sheep and 1020 cattle changed hands at Puketoro Station on Wednesday.

08 Jan 12:58 AM
Dairy expo returns to Bedford Park in February
The Country

Dairy expo returns to Bedford Park in February

The two-day expo runs at Bedford Park, Matamata, on February 18 and 19.

07 Jan 04:03 PM
From Zimbabwe to Bay of Plenty: Couple’s long road to a new beginning
The Country

From Zimbabwe to Bay of Plenty: Couple’s long road to a new beginning

The story of the Dodds and their truffle farm was widely read on The Country in 2025.

07 Jan 04:01 PM
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