Based in Waimate District, but our stories don’t stop at the district line.

Whether you're just down the road or across the world, you’ll recognise the faces and places - and discover new ones.

Every district has its stories.

From farm gates to main streets, kitchens to clubrooms - life here is full of stories.

Join us, share yours, and see what’s happening just across the fence.

Got an idea for a story? Send us an email and share your ideas.

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Featured
Andrew Jones steps into principal role at Waimate High School
Andrew Jones steps into principal role at Waimate High School

We’ve been chatting to new Waimate High School principal Andrew Jones about where he’s come from, why he’s here, and why South Canterbury is a great place to raise and educate kids.

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Whitehorse trails get new signage as use continues to grow
Whitehorse trails get new signage as use continues to grow

Regular users of the Whitehorse trails will notice something new this summer - map board signs have been installed across the trail network, marking a practical step in its evolution - from a local riders’ playground to a professional district asset.

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Culture counts here
Culture counts here

How does a small rugby club on the South Island’s east coast become NZ Rugby’s Club of the Year in 2025?

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We don’t let kids fail
We don’t let kids fail

Did you know that Waimate High School now sits at the top end of schools in the Aoraki region in several areas, including academic?

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Rural high school myth busting
Rural high school myth busting

Small rural schools mean limited opportunities? At Waimate High School - the opposite has proven true.

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Dr Margaret Cruickshank and the town that never forgot her
Dr Margaret Cruickshank and the town that never forgot her

More than a century on, Dr Margaret Cruickshank is still part of everyday life in Waimate.

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Go green this summer
Go green this summer

Summer is prime time for painting interiors and Waimate ITM have everything you need to get started.

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Waimate’s water is excellent
Waimate’s water is excellent

Despite NZ Tomorrow ending its Waimate segment with a song claiming the town’s water was f’d, Greenpeace has since rated the supply “excellent”.

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District places

Shining a spotlight on the places locals love and visitors won’t want to miss.

Waimate Art Gallery

A standout regional gallery. Discover established and emerging artists worth adding to your collection.

Waimate Art Gallery
18 Shearman Street, Waimate.
Phone: 027 439 1979

Opening hours:
Thursday - Sunday, 11am - 3pm.
Or, 10.30am on Saturdays in summer. Plus, open by arrangement.

Learn more on Facebook

The Waimate Trail - Te Ara Waimatemate

The newest addition to Waimate district’s popular network of walking and cycling trails, linking town with country

Test ride the open section now, and come back to tackle Stage One, from Waimate to Waihao Forks, when it opens this year.

Learn more on the website

Imports and exports

Some of our favourite locals started out somewhere else - and some are now calling somewhere else home.
Imports and exports is about the people who’ve arrived and the people who’ve left, their motivations and observations, and just a general catch-up.

Featured
Sarah Thomas
Sarah Thomas

Sarah Thomas grew up on Leonard Street in Waimate, where food was grown and cooked at home.

Years later, that upbringing helped shape Blended by Sarah, an award winning business supplying whole-food enteral meals across Australia and New Zealand - on the cusp of global expansion.

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Kirsten Simmons
Kirsten Simmons

CEO of Talking Tree Hill, Kirsten Simmons, was raised on the family farm in Waimate district - which shaped her early years and has never really stopped pulling her home.

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Lorraine Shortus
Lorraine Shortus

Originally from Ealing in West London, Lorraine landed in Waimate 23 years ago and never left.

These days she’s bringing colour, creativity and commerce to the main street via the The Quirky Magpie.

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Who should we talk to? If you know someone with a story to share - or if that someone is you - please get in touch, we’d love to chat

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Sarah Thomas grew up on Leonard Street in Waimate. She's made Brisbane home, and by refusing to take no for an answer, built a very successful business that’s changing the lives of people who depend on tube-feeding for their daily nutrition. A
We've been talking to someone pretty remarkable who grew up on Leonard Street, Waimate. “That wholesome, simple upbringing shaped far more than how I eat,” she says. “It shaped how I think, how I lead, and what eventually led me to
School’s back! We’ve been chatting to new Waimate High School principal Andrew Jones about where he’s come from, why he’s here, and why South Canterbury is a great place to raise and educate kids. Stay tuned for the story -
Get the washing out. #waimatenz #districtlifenz
Summer's the perfect time to get that painting project done. So, if and when it arrives, you could spend your Waimate ITM voucher (see earlier post for giveaway) on Dulux paint. Choosing colours is hard, but the team at ITM can help, and even match
A girl from London takes a job cooking on a farm in Western Australia and meets a boy from Waimate. Thanks to that chance encounter, we have the @thequirkymagpie on our main street - and can happily claim Lorraine as a Waimo. Thanks Lorraine, and e
🎉 GIVEAWAY 🎉 The team at Waimate ITM are giving away a $200 in-store voucher to spend on whatever you need to get that summer job sorted. Tools, timber, paint, homewares, garden gear – whatever your next project needs. To enter: 👉 Like th
The hills above Waimate are packed with a standout network of trails. We caught up with Paul Buckley from Whitehorse MTB Riders to talk new trail map boards, an unexpected wallaby encounter that ended in a gorse bush, and how easy (and important) it

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District Life?

District Life celebrates district living across the central South Island - sharing local news, stories and perspectives that matter to our communities.

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