Oxford resident, John Wardle, recognised for his unique method of sustainable forest harvesting and contribution to forestry in New Zealand.

With the arrival of winter, I decided that it was time to brush up on my crampon skills, and learn how to use the ice axe I carried as something more than a short walking stick with some lethal spikey parts.

For lockdown I turned a blind eye to the opportunity to spring clean the house, learn a new language, brush up on virology, or spend four hours a day on yoga or any other form of pretzel-wrestling. After a few weeks of numbed-out indecision doing a combination of walking the dog and diddly-squats, I settled on specialising in fungiculture.

Shaz goes on a reporting mission for The Oxford Observer and discovers that she isn’t too old to give surfing a go. No awards were won, but a lot of fun was had. Find out if you too should give surfing a go.

So many of us start the year with the resolution to lose weight – but it is usually harder said than done… so we’ve brought you a collection of tips to help you reach your goal.

On a sunny, calm day Lake Matheson offers postcard-perfect views of snow-capped Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman reflected in the dark waters, making the short walk to the viewing jetty one of the most rewarding Fox Glacier walks.

It was Susan’s 56th birthday and Daphne was putting in an hour of what she called compulsory mother duty. A piped version of Nights in White Satin was just audible in the tiny room. Daphne suppressed a knowing grin: “Just what the truth is I can’t say anymore…” This early-years yarn of Mum’s had become more fanciful with every recounting.

Imagine arriving at your accommodation for the night and instantly feeling like you belong. The people are friendly, there are other travellers chatting and sharing their discoveries, and the amenities are just what you need - and to top it all, the location is perfect…

You instantly wish you’d booked more than one night. But your itinerary is locked in and you’re moving on in the morning. Bummer, eh!

If peace, solitude, and pristine natural surroundings far from civilisation and the maddening crowd are what you look for in a holiday then the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island could be for you. Sharon Davis tells us more.

The cheapest and most effective form of advertising for any business is a referral from an existing customer. Sharon Davis highlights five effective ways to increase referrals – and your bottom line.

Her just-worn-in hiking boots felt stiff and unwelcoming as she pulled at the laces. Next, she hefted her overweight pack and shifted it awkwardly on her shoulders, closed the belt buckle with a tight snap, and picked up her traditional walking stick. In days gone by the stick was used as a grave marker for pilgrims who didn’t make it. Like Bob’s kongo-tsue she’d selected one with a brass bell that jangled with every step. It was supposed to scare away bears, and serve as a constant reminder to focus on each moment

Getting ready to file year-end tax returns can be an annual recurring nightmare for advisers. These simple tips will help reduce your year-end financial stress and streamline your filing process in 2015 and beyond.

Lake Tekapo is often seen as a scenic photo, coffee, or pit stop, on the way to Mt Cook, Queenstown, or somewhere else bigger and brighter… but it has a lot more to offer. Sharon Davis uncovers some of Tekapo’s Treasures.

Whether you plan to enjoy the 60km circular Kepler Track, one of New Zealand’s stunning Great Walks, over a leisurely three or four days – or in a body-grinding five-plus-hour mountain run as part of the Kepler Challenge – Fiordland’s Kepler Track should be on your bucket list. Sharon Davis tells us more.

It's easy to get blasé about certain aspects of your business, and easy to overlook pain points that customers might experience when dealing with your company. Many business owners get so caught up in running their business that they don't stop to question their procedures or investigate ways to improve their customer's experience.

Asia’s relatively high growth forecasts make it an alluring market for businesses with expansion plans. Find out more about the pros and cons before you decide whether breaking into the Asian market is for you.

Trade Me, one of New Zealand’s leading e-commerce sites, is a maturing business but CEO Jon Macdonald says it still has strong growth potential. SHARON DAVIS finds out more.

Delegat’s Wine has grown from a family-owned business to New Zealand’s second-largest listed wine company by revenue with an internationally recognised brand selling two million cases a year. JIM DELEGAT, Delegat’s CEO and MD, talks to SHARON DAVIS about the Group’s growth and future potential.

Cloud-based accounting software solution provider, Xero, has just been awarded a sizeable R&D grant on top of a recent $4mn investment. ROD DRURY, Xero’s CEO chats to SHARON DAVIS about Xero’s growth and plans.