Southern images: October 1-15, 2010

GOOD OLD GIRL: Lou Peterson is reunited with his 16-year-old labrador after giving her up for dead when she went missing for eight weeks.

LOOKING FOR SIGNS: A helicopter searches the Omaui-Mokomoko area near Bluff for a missing helicopter with two men on board.

SEARCH MISSION: Coastguard Bluff operator Reg Smith studies the tracking route of search vessel NZAS Rescue.

WINNING TEACHER: Southland Commonwealth Games track cycling hero Eddie Dawkins catches up with his former Waihopai School teacher Gwenyth Anderson. Dawkins presented Mrs Anderson with his ceremonial scarf from Delhi.

GREASE IS THE WORD: Heart Foundation national cardiac care manager Stewart Eadie shows at a cardiac seminar in Invercargill the amount of fat contained in a meal of fish and chips.

BEACHCOMBERS: Salford School celebrates a great day at Oreti Beach as part of its ``tuning in'' exercise.

HEADING NORTH: Gore High School rector Eoin Crosbie is leaving to lead Bethlehem College in Tauranga.

GOOD LAD: Southland track cyclist Eddie Dawkins embraces his father, Bill, at Invercargill Airport after returning with bronze and silver medals from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

BRONZE INDIAN: Southland Motorcycle Club president Craig Hyde (left), McMillan Art Committee chairman Russell Coats and sculptor Roddy McMillan check out a 600kg bronze cast of Burt Munro's 1920 Indian motorbike.

PRETTY: Intrigued by the vibrant colour of this rhododendron, Hamilton brothers Carl, 3, (left) and Daniel Knox, 4, check out what all the fuss will be about when Gore once again hosts the Southland Rhododendron Festival.

THANKS: Southland Girls' High School students hand over a new microwave and children's books to Southland Hospital Children's Ward staff. Pictured in the ward are students Ellie Nolan (front left) and Lizzy Redpath (centre, leaning over) with nurses Annie Smith (blue in front) and Sharon Brass (behind).

BOOK HUNTER: Ross Nicoll, of Invercargill, is trying to locate a valuable Bible that is hundreds of years old and has his family history in the back of it.

IN THE MIX: American music mixer and producer ``Bassy'' Bob Brockmann is working with southern audio students and hopes to work with New Zealand artists.

OPEN AIR: Stadium Southland corporate lounges and seating after the roof was removed.

RAZING THE BAR: It was out with the old, in with the new when demolition of the remaining parts of the old Southland Tavern began. The building has been replaced by the Invercargill Licensing Trust's new Southland Tavern.

ONE LOVE: Tennis NZ volunteer of the year Lee Muschamp at the Waihopai Tennis Club.

GOOD CAUSE: Sam Small, 13, with some of the 2500 bandannas about to go on sale as part of CanTeen's annual bandanna appeal, which raises money to help support young people living with cancer. Sam, who has acute myeloid leukaemia, is one of many young people supported by the organisation in the south.

FLASH PARKING: Invercargill firefighter Trent Frew looks over the car that rolled on Bainfield Rd.

BRIGHT SPARKS: Three James Hargest students' bright idea led to this group of 15 undertaking a 12-day trip to Cambodia. The girls in front came up with the idea. They are Lauren Brown (left), Hannah Lobb and Grace Sotutu.

HOT ENTRY: Invercargill firefighters during a door-entry exercise at the Invercargill Airport training ground. They are working in a purpose-built container that reaches temperatures of up to 600degC.

CONTAINING IT: Instructor Mania Durham, of Tauranga, inside the purpose-built container that is travelling the country and teaching firefighters practical skills.

SPLISH SPLASH I WAS TAKING A BATH: It's hard to know whether this Thornbury cow is keeping out of the mud in an empty water tank or is enjoying a relaxing hoof bath ahead of a busy day chewing her cud.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Canadian man Jean Beliveau at the Bluff signpost about to start his walk up the length of New Zealand. This is the last leg of his round-the-world journey, which began 10 years ago.

HOSTAGE: Southland Rugby Supporters Club vice-president Peter Kett with the province's new trophy: Larry the Lamb, the Canterbury rugby team's mascot, in Invercargill.

COME BACK SOON: Dejected Stags captain Jamie Mackintosh hands over the Ranfurly Shield to winning captain Andy Ellis at Rugby Park.

A HELL OF A RIDE: An emotional Stags captain Jamie Mackintosh farewells the Ranfurly Shield after losing it to Canterbury at Rugby Park.

10 ON THE 10TH OF THE 10TH, 2010: It was a high 10 for Grace Roos, of, Roxburgh, when she celebrated her 10th birthday. Grace was born in Dunedin on October 10, 2000, at 10.30am, missing the complete set by just 20 minutes.

YOUNG AND OLD: Admiring some of the china at the national Antiques Fair were Ryan McDonald, 13, and his sister Jessica,10, both of Invercargill.

SO RRIGHT: Is this rrreally correct? The NZ Transport Agency's sign contractor in Invercargill has let a roaming R loose on the hamlet of Mandeville, near Gore, as this sign at the northern entrance on State Highway 94 shows.

TRUCKIN' ON: Southland Times photographer Nicole Gourley (left) with Janice Moore and her 1954 Trojan truck which has been entered in the Backyard Beauties competition.

GUARDING THE CUP: Former All Black captain Taine Randell and Auckland security guard Ryan So'oula protect the Rugby World Cup at the Barluca Bar in Invercargill.

COME AND GET `EM: Murray Carter, of the Canterbury Shop, with Southland rugby jerseys for children and adults, which have been big sellers with the Stags the holders of the Ranfurly Shield.

SECRET'S OUT: Winning apprentice Brock Johnston, centre, is congratulated by bosses Dave Saunders, left, and Riki Ryan.

LIKE CHRISTMAS: Fight For Kidz member Grant Beardsley helps Hannah, 3, and Maggie Manson, 9, unpack some of the games and equipment at Southland Hospital, Invercargill.

NOT VERY NICE: The remains of Stadium Southland's centre court is cleared.

TABULAR APPROACH: Australian John Hawkins, a keynote speaker at the furniture symposium, is a big fan of New Zealand native timber. He previewed the exhibition, which features New Zealand colonial pieces, describing some as ``absolute crackers''.

BOOKWORMS: Rimu School pupils (from left) Jemma McClymont, Damien Stuart and Jessica Spain reading library books in the school hall. The school is fundraising for a new library.

GETTING THE LOWDOWN: Stadium Southland general manager Nigel Skelt (left) shows Labour leader Phil Goff the devastated stadium.

IN THE PINK: Some of the bright collection boxes appearing throughout the south as Breast Cancer Awareness month gets underway.

SOUTHERN SALUTE: From left, Eastern Southland arts and heritage curator Jim Geddes, Wendy Williamson of the Waikaia Museum, Southern Odyssey site co-ordinator Heather Paterson and Mairi Dickson (right), also from the Waikaia Museum, admire the panel marking the Waikaia Hotel as part of the Southern Odyssey trail.

MAKE IT COUNT: Justice of the Peace Trevor Oliver keeps an eye on vote counting at the Invercargill City Council chambers. From front are counters Kate Feaver, Bernadette Milne, Michelle Chapman and Audrey Harvey.

DON'T LOOK: Invercargill SPCA manager Mary Bradley with dead puppies found under the Iron Bridge by the Oreti River.

IMPRESSIVE: Art exhibition visitor Jill Maxwell admires Helen Back's winning sculpture as a part of the 2010 Macalisters Art Awards.

WAVE ACTION: Morgan Pope (left) and Hailey Crosswell, both 15, made the most of the good conditions at Oreti Beach.

TIMBERRRR: Asplundh staff and Invercargill City Council parks operations cut down a blue gum tree on Queens Dr between Herbert and Duke streets.

GETTING THE WHOLE STORY: Fulton Hogan staff fill a large hole at the intersection of Dee and Spey streets as part of an upgrade to stormwater and sewer pipes.

PREPARED: Civil Defence advisers Sandra Miller and Craig Sinclair with an emergency kit which they will encourage Southlanders to have in their households as part of Get Ready Week, a week to prepare people for natural disasters.

CLOSING THE DOOR: Conservation area manager Dave Taylor opens the possum door on the swing bridge over the Wairaurahiri River. The control door stops possums crossing the river and into the Waitutu forest.

TAP SOLO: The Southland Competitions Society Inc held their yearly competitions in the city. Pictured at Centrestage for competitions before performing in the ``Tap under 6 years, open tap solo'' section are (from left) Anika Winders, 5, Hayley Peters, 3, Charlotte Deans, 4 (obscured), Amelia Scott, 4 (obscured), Malachi Lang, 3 (obscured), Billy Harper, 5 (red and white stripes), and Sam Holmes, 4 (face against mirror).

SOLO: The Southland Competitions Society held its yearly competitions in the city. Pictured performing in the ``Ballet 15 years and over ballet dance en pointe solo'' section is Bridgette Pink.

HELLO POSSUMS: An Iroquois helicopter spreads 1080-laced pellets across the Waitutu Forest in the southeast of the Fiordland National Park.

TUI GIRLS: Megan Brinsley (left) and Lucy Young deliver beer to farmers at the Tokanui Tavern for a free beer and barbecue night for farmers who had lost livestock in the big snow storm.

FUN AT THE FAIR: Brenda Robinson with her son Lucas, 3, enjoy a little drive around at the Gala St fairground.

PEST CONTROL: Southland Forest and Bird chairman Craig Carson and national representative Nicola Vallance check out a photograph of a possum and a rat eating young chicks out of a bird's nest in a tree trunk.

BIG VOICE: Hayden Scott-Chambers, 14, records his entry for the TomTom GPS competition at Wachner PlntsGacente in Invercargill. Marty Hehewerth (right) and Charene Clark are making their way up the country in the search for the new voice of TomTom's GPS navigation units. The winning entrant will win a Suziki Swift RS.

LAKESIDE SPLASHING: Four boys unsuccessfully attempt to sink an unsinkable dinghy on Lake Te Anau. From left are Oliver Nicholson (left), Cameron Brown and Thomas Brown, all of Te Anau, and Adam Norman, of Winton.

CLEAN AND GREEN: Clean Green Effluent Company owner Lindsay Lewis displays an effluent spreading unit as part of his idea that won him the regional Clean Tech competition.

JUNIOR ACES:Southland Aero Club patron Colin Davidson (left) shows Daniel Kennard, 13, the controls of an Alpha trainer aircraft at the Young Eagles open day at Southern Wings in Invercargill.

HAPPY TO BE HERE: Newly arrived in Queenstown on the Kiwi Experience bus are (front row, from left) Joseph Clancy from Scotland, Jamie Allen from England, Fergal Sherlock from Ireland, Kelsey Scott and Rebecca Hemingway from the United States, and Addison Devlin from England.

CREATIVE TEAM: Queenstown designers Will and Jannelle Grant in their converted garage office where worldwide clients and resort locals have award winning designs created. Mrs Grant holds a USM Go unit, while the Sleepwalker design is visible on the desk monitor.

FAIR GO: Southland Girls' High students Becky Wilson (left), 17, and Lauren Fox, 16, enjoy the Chair-O-Plane ride at the Gala St fairground in Invercargill.

SHEER SPEED: Dion Morrell shears a merino as Candy Hiri, of Matatura, competes in the open wool handling heats at the New Zealand Merino Shears competition in Alexandra.

RETIRING: Pat Jacques, who has retired as manager of Age Concern Southland.

LISTEN HERE: Glenham farmer David Clarke talks to Agriculture Minister David Carter during his visit to Southland.

SANTA IS ON HIS WAY, KIDS: Santa's little helpers, including Wilson Ludlow, 8 (left), Ruby Munro, 3, and Hugo Ludlow, 5, were busy polishing the candles for this year's Southland Times Santa Parade.

HORSING AROUND: The Lorneville-Makarewa team competing in the Springston Trophy equestrian event, one of four sports to boost Southland's economy, have fun at the Ranfurly Shield fence on the cross-country course. From left, Jade McRae (coach), Kendra McRae, Sam Hogan, Lee Warren, Daniel Hogan, Rebecca Jones (coach), Keannah Drake, Ellie Barron, Ashleigh Smail and Katie Weir.

LOVING LIFE: Rex McLean and Allan Sycamore have plenty of reasons to celebrate October 1, the best one of all being that they are alive.

READY FOR LIFT OFF: European Space Agency technicians Leon Korkie (left), Pierre Letapissier and Herman Steenkamp outside the Awarua Tracking Station, which they are preparing for the tracking of a rocket into space next year.

DREDGING UP FACTS: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) fisheries scientist Keith Michael explains the state of the oyster fishery in Foveaux Strait and the research being done to aid its recovery.

STUNNING: Helen Nicoll, deputy director of the Anderson Park art gallery with one of 154 stunning pieces of work in the spring art show, a mixed media work by city artist Rata Koning, Piwakawaka fantails.

GREAT STUFF: Ascot Park Hotel Brass Band music director John McKinlay is doubly happy with the new cornets bought as part of the band's $308,000 asset replacement project, which was started in 2008.