Southern images: December 1-15, 2011

HUNGRY WORK: Ben Shallard, of Riversdale, shares his hotdog with pet lamb Bozo at the Wyndham A & P Show.

SECOND LIFE: Windsor the kitten with owner Robyn Miller. On the brink of death, Windsor was heard by Robyn Miller crying for help while trapped in a sealed plastic bag in a rubbish bin in Windsor St in October.

FOOTPATH RUPTURES: The spell of hot weather in Invercargill has been blamed for this quake-like upheaval of a Willis St paving slab in Grasmere. Resident Al McClelland said he was getting his mail when he heard a loud bang. Thinking nothing of it, he went back inside his house, only for his partner to report the pavement had suddenly buckled. Mr McClelland believes heat expansion had caused the crack and with cooler weather it should return to normal. His next-door neighbours are from left, Mia, 8, Amelia, 5, William, 8, and Oliver Harvey, 11.

GROWING SUPPORT: Members of the newly formed Save Tuatapere Maternity Action Group at its inaugural meeting are, from left, Leona McCracken, of Te Anau, Helen and baby Kathryn Hammond, Tuatapere, Kate Gray, of Blackmount, and Nicky McFadzien, of Otautau.

NAVIGATION TASK: The new dredge at arrived in Roxburgh will seek gold that was beyond the reach of earlier miners.

SOLAR-POWERED AND OH, SO SLEEK: This sleek machine was seen on the roads around Invercargill and Bluff. A solar-powered car, it was being driven from Bluff to Cape Reinga by a team of enthusiasts, Solar Fern Racing. Team member Rob Glassey said the team built the car for the 2007 World Solar Challenge race from Darwin to Adelaide. Solar Fern hoped to attract sponsors for more international solar car races, he said. They were heading to Blenheim and then expected to make it to Cape Reinga in three to five days, Mr Glassey said.

MESSENGERS: Suicide prevention co-ordinators Vicki Paul and Nadine Heremia with the poster that will now be appearing in pharmacy windows throughout Southland to remind people that old and unused medications can be returned for disposal.

LOT ON HIS PLATE: Jono Taylor, 18, is one of 30 people who graduated from Southland Community College. Mr Taylor now has three cooking certificates, as well as certificates in food safety and food hazards as he looks forward to a career in hospitality.

PACKED OUT: It's standing room only as Southland Federated Farmers dairy vice-chairman Allan Baird, with microphone, and federation local government spokesman Doug Fraser, at right, speak at an Environment Southland meeting. The rural sector appears to have had a small win in getting a new dairy conversion policy deferred after farmers fronted up to the meeding.

GEARING UP: YMCA employees Laura Ophuis, left, and Tiffany Sandoe gear up for Carols by Candlelight.

FAMILY ON THE MOVE: Takahe couple Tumbles and Kawa and their foster chick, who is yet to be named, get ready for their trip to the Te Anau Wildlife Park. Conservation Department takahe programme productivity manager Glen Greaves said the takahe were moved from the Burwood Bush takahe rearing unit, outside Te Anau, to the park to raise the profile of the birds. A ``retiree'' takahe, which was about 17 years old, also lived at the park and would act as the grandmother for the juvenile until it was taken away after about two years, Mr Greaves said.

SHAKY FUTURE: First Presbyterian Church in Invercargill - opened for services in 1915 - has gone without earthquake insurance since August, after its insurance bill went from $10,000 to $44,500 as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.

CHALKING IT UP: New Zealand Aluminium Smelters equipment improvement engineer Stu Templershows off the pot that held the 10 millionth tonne of aluminium, which was poured at the smelter.

WARMUP: Former Southland Boys' High School student Ethan Flack prepares a seven-course dinner for family and friends.

COOL IN THE POOL: Cousins Elly Petrie, 4, of Tenterfield, Australia, left, and Alyssa Wetzler, 6, of Stanthorpe, Australia, enjoy a hot day in Queens Park paddling pool while visiting family and friends in Invercargill.

HOT WEATHER: Brian McEwan, from Rapid Water, fills his tank at the Invercargill Water Tower.

THE WORKS: Front-Line operations manager Nadia Steedman, Tamati Moeau, 18, and Alliance Group Ltd training and development officer Rochelle Van Beek with Training for Work graduates at Front-Line.

SOARING IMAGINATION: Ben Wyatt and Samuel Nichollos, both 3, on an adventure with the eagle in Queens Park in Invercargill.

WELL DESERVED: From left, Simon Bradley, Peter Williams, Neville Checketts and Brook McPherson are among the Invercargill Fire Brigade volunteers and operational support members now sporting new medals or bars.

SKY RIDER: Zyler Kemp, 14, pulls stunts on his BMX bike at the Elles Rd skate park in Invercargill.

CRUNCH TIME: Alexandra police are investigating the crash after it appeared one of the drivers from the two vehicles involved had pulled out from the side of the road in front of the other that was travelling along Centennial Ave. The drivers of both vehicles were shaken by the incident and suffered minor injuries.

DONATION PLUS: Brent Bagaoisan, 9 months, sports booties made by Countdown staff, which were presented to the Southland Hospital children's ward with a $44,970 cheque from the store's annual appeale. He is held by his mother Rowena Bagaoisan.

LOTS OF LAUGHTER: Alva and Fred Inder of Te Anau celebrated 60 years of marriage with a gathering at the Te Anau Club.

YEEE HAAARR: Jonty Riordan, of Riversdale, gets a bounce going at Gore's Christmas in the Park.

GEARING UP FOR THE FUTURE: Caelan, 9, left, and Seamus O'Connor, 7, are getting set to take on their first Surf to City. Caelan and Seamus will bike the BNZ-sponsored 12km from Oreti Beach to Queens Park, there is also the ILT Foundation 6km, the AMI Kids in the City (a 2km fun run for anyone under the age of 18) and a Halberg Trust 2.5km walk for people with disabilities. A proportion of each entry fee will go to the Heart Foundation and Athletics Southland.

ACHIEVEMENTS CELEBRATED: More than 300 of the Southern Institute of Technology's latest graduates parade through the CBD after their graduation ceremony.

OVER THE MOON: Thyroid Support New Zealand committee members Vicky Davis, left, and Pamela Anderson are thrilled to be hanging posters for Toni Childs' concert after learning their organisation will receive the proceeds.

WINNERS: Southland Mountain Bike Club president Dave Brookland with St Theresa's School, Invercargill, pupils who took part in the annual Kids Skids biking event at Sandy Point, near Invercargill. It is a very positive event because it is encouraging children to get out riding their bikes and enjoying the health benefits of being involved in the sport of mountainbiking.

CHRISTMAS CREATION: Jaylen-Blaze Daane, 2, and Olivia Welsey, 3, checking out the Wyndham Playcentre Christmas tree, which is one of 11 on display at the Invercargill Public Library. The Southland Playcentre Association asked its members to make creative Christmas trees to display, to put Christmas cheer into the community. Association promotions co-ordinator Karen Witham said trees had come in from centres in Wyndham, Makarewa and Waituna.

NOT FORGOTTEN: Bill Watt hangs his memory card in remembrance of his father-in-law, Graham Peters, who died 10 years ago.

GREAT PRIZE: Sandy Gillett and Riverton Coastguard president Allan Duston with the spoils of a Coastguard New Zealand raffle win.

RELIEVED BUT STILL WARY: Queenstown teacher Wendy Perkins is excited to see the frames finally going up on her Signature Home this week.

DEATH SCENE: The Subaru Forrester involved in the double fatality crash is removed from the scene.

ALL SMILES: H and J Smith sales assisstants Samantha Harvey, left, and Ashley Fryer hold a Royal Doulton crystal decanter, which is the trophy for the Couplands Crystals 1600 at the Christmas race meeting at Ascot Park.

HELPING HAND: Countdown Tay St manager Paul Wallace with a trolley full of goods ready to be donated to the Salvation Army.

BRANCHING OUT: Invercargill woman Neta Orr with her 50-year-old Christmas tree that inspired a carol this year.

COUNTRY-WIDE ON BATTERY POWER: Waikato University team leader Tim Mason with the electric car he built and drove south from Auckland. The team of four, who designed and built the battery-operated car from scratch for a final year project, arrived in Invercargill after 12 days on the road.The single-seat commuter car is powered by 10 lithium-ion batteries and cost $20,000 to build. It has a range of 150km travelling at about 80kmh and needs between two and four hours recharging between trips.

DISAPPOINTED: Ryan King, 6, of Otautau, made a jump ready for his new motorbike from The Warehouse, but the bike seized up after one hour of use.

WATER BABY: Heather Jackson, 2, jumps to her mother, Anna MacKenzie, of Tussock Creek, during a national children's swimming class at Splash Palace in Invercargill.

JAZZING UP THE STAGE: About 500 students from Invercargill's Jazz Time dance studio took part in the ``Live to Dance'' performance at the Civic Theatre.

DEVASTATION: Mike Cahill inspects a fire-gutted house that caught alight while its owner was asleep in bed.

CHEERS DEARS: Pam and Barry Smith make a toast at the Invercargill Licensing Trust Christmas party.

BACKWARD STEP: Waimumu farmer, milk-tanker driver and horse trainer Billy Heads sits on his bed in his living room, confined to getting about on crutches. As though this time of year was not busy enough, he can't work for three months after his prosthetic hip had to be replaced because it was faulty.

CHILLY SUMMER DIP: Youngsters celebrate the arrival of summer with a dip in a still and chilly Lake Te Anau. Jono Hayes, 15, left, Blake Kemper, 18, Caitlin Harpur, 15, and Rebecca Jolley, 18 take the plunge, while Oliver Jackson 15, and Laura Kershaw watch.

STARLIGHT BALL: Angela Wilson, left, Ann Kingsbury and Colleen Thompson, right, attend the Starlight Ball at the Hideaway 201, near Winton.

VOLUNTEERS GIVE THOMSONS BUSH SPRUCE-UP: Bruce C Gull helps, from left, Abigail Lawrence, 10, Jake Lawrence, 7, and Johathan Crump, 11, at Thomsons Bush.

FRIENDS IN FOODIES' HEAVEN: From left Maxine Moyles, Lara Hopa, Jayne Peters and Katrina Maxwell enjoyed a day of shopping and festivities at the Southern Artisan Christmas fete at the Hideaway 201 in Lochiel.

NO CHOICE: Waiau Health Trust chairwoman Anne McCracken. Tuatapere to lose maternity home.

AT HOME: Southern Institute of Technology's new international manager, Sam MacKay, says it is good to be home after several years away from Southland.

CREATIVE: Enrich students, back from left, Libby Flett, 10, Clayton Gerrard, 11, and Tabbitha McCombe-Rae; front, Jemmimah McCombe-Rae, 8, and Isaac Flett and Johnathan O'Donoghue, both 11, with some of the artworks created for an exhibition at The Bank Gallery.

SLEIGHED 'EM: The Grove Bush Santa, riding a tractor, is pulled on stage by eight sheep, guided by sheep dog Laura Horton, 8, right, to the delight of guests at the Grove Bush community hall. Grove Bush and Mabel Bush district children took part in the Christmas show, which was their version of A Night Before Christmas.

SPARKLING SUMMER SUN: Jenna Sutherland and Jordan Gibbs enjoy the shade during the warm weather in Invercargill.

DRYER OFF ON A LONG DRIVE: Four pieces of a massive milk-powder dryer sent north were part of a multimillion-dollar contract for Invercargill company Crown Sheetmetal. The four quarters of the drying chamber were built in Invercargill and are bound for Fonterra's new $150 million project in Darfield, Canterbury. It would take until August for the dryer to be finished.

BEHIND BARS: Gore's impounded sheep. The sheep was impounded because it had twice been found tied up in insanitary conditions on a Mataura property that was not its owners. The people who owned the property asked the council to take the sheep away.

GETTING THE HANG OF IT: Michael Crean, 3, looks like a young Burt Munro as he enjoys a ride on the Russell Square park bike near Elles Rd, south Invercargill.

SAD TIME: Lyn Wairau, Rahui Katene's electorate secretary, has lost her job after the MP lost the Te Tai Tonga seat.

ROUND THE FOUNTAIN: Teenager Patrick King was one of the hordes of people who made the most of glorious sunshine in Invercargill. The sun shone throughout the region, a welcome relief after gale-force winds. MetService forecaster Nic Bonnette said the maximum temperature in Invercargill was 25.4 degrees Celsius, Queenstown enjoyed 23.9C, Gore 23.8C and Wanaka 24.4C.

WARRIOR FOR GOOD: Veteran Invercargill cage fighter Hiriwa ``T-Man'' Te Rangi will square off in his last fight in Southland before he moves to Christchurch to study to become a pastor.

CYCLIST INJURED IN COLLISION: A barefoot cyclist who was not wearing a helmet was taken to Southland Hospital with head injuries after colliding with a van at an Invercargill intersection and flying head first into the road, a witness said. Van driver Nick Harrison said he had stopped at a Give Way sign on the O'Hara and Ness streets intersection in south Invercargill when the accident unfolded before him. ``The old fella came around the corner on his bike at a million miles an hour and he didn't stop, he clipped the van and came off. No helmet, he hit the concrete hard, with his head.''

OUTDOOR FLOW: Work stopped on a $300,000 dream house when Signature Homes Southland franchisee Cunningham Building and Construction went into receivership. It should have been ready for the owner to move in to now.

CLOSE SHAVE: Civic Theatre functions and events co-ordinator Nicola Mills shaves Mike Batchelor's moustache at the end of Movember.

HERE IT COMES: Snare drummer Robert Wylie, left, Yunca employees Keiran MacKay, Ken Gaffney, with the haggis, and Janice Cowles and bagpiper Michael Ramsay celebrate St Andrew's Day at Yunca in Invercargill.

VICTIM SUPPORT: A man injured on a fishing trawler near Codfish Island arrives at Southland Hospital. Emergency services were called after the man, lost his finger and ``severely'' damaged his hand.

REVIEW COMING: Invercargill City Council senior traffic management officer Eddie Cook tests one of the newly marked cycleways in Herbert St.

CONDITIONAL: Invercargill philanthropist Louis Crimp says he will donate $2 million toward the rebuild of Stadium Southland but only if the ILT name is removed from the nearby cycling velodrome.

DRY DAY: Invercargill City Council water operations officer Kelly Richardson, left, and water operations team leader Joe Wilson check out the site of a fault in the main water supply from the Bluff Hill Reservoir. Hundreds of people in Bluff were without water.

HEADING NORTH: Newfield Park School deputy principal Rosina Shandley is taking a new job north of Gisborne and leaving Southland after 35 years.