Plenty of practical tips were shared at a free property seminar on Tuesday night.

The message was clear - Waimate's property market remains active, supported by a steady stream of people choosing to make the district home.

Read on for some of the key takeaways from the event.

A new permanent orienteering course officially opens at Knottingley Park and Arboretum on Saturday, adding another free outdoor activity for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Led by The Rotary Club of Waimate, the project has been developed with support from Waimate District Council, local businesses, volunteers and specialist course designers from Christchurch.

They’re part treasure hunt, part recycling centre, part community support network.

Our local charity stories, The New Zealand Red Cross Shop and The Salvation Army Store, are packed with quality second-hand goods at low prices. From clothing and linen to kitchenware, books, games, gifts and the occasional unexpected find.

Something’s been brewing in Waimate over the past few years - and it has the potential to become an economic game changer for the district and wider region.

The Waimate Trail - Te Ara Waimatemate is an ambitious community-led project.

We caught up with some of the people behind the scenes and looked at what the trail could mean for the district’s future.

Waimate has firmly established itself as a second-hand shopping destination.

Over the past few years the number of stores has multiplied.

New Zealand’s second-hand market is now estimated to be worth $5.5 billion, with stores helping reduce landfill, strengthen local economic resilience and attract visitors to small towns.

Most of us know how to shop in them but how can we interact with the local stores to keep our clutter out of landfill?

Buying property can feel complicated. Add in national headlines about housing affordability, and it’s easy to assume home ownership is out of reach altogether.

But local property professionals say Waimate is a bit different.

They’ve organised a free seminar next month aimed at helping people better understand the local market, finance and home-buying process.

The Waimate District Council called an urgent public meeting at the Waimate Event Centre on Thursday night following the Government’s announcement of the “Head Start” programme, giving councils just 90 days to develop amalgamation proposals.

Across the country, a growing land-sharing movement is connecting people who want to farm with those who have available land.

In a local example, Carl Barnes, a former chef who once cooked for the likes of Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise, is now growing nutrient-rich organic food for local tables and other chefs.

Happy hens, cows and sheep are living their best lives on Arnstead Farm at Ikawai, on the plains of the Waitaki River.

Diversity, resilience and big biological bombs are all part of the system producing high quality food for top eateries and tables across the country

It’s been a year since Waimate said no to the incinerator - but the conversation around waste hasn’t gone away.

At the Big Organic Day Out, the focus shifted to what comes next, with a clear message: we need to get better with our waste - and it’s easier than you might think.

We look at where Why Waste Waimate Inc is now, and share some simple, practical tips to help you cut down what you throw out.

One of Waimate’s major sporting events is making a comeback, with the Waimate Storage Invitational White Horse Pairs Tournament set for 11-12 April.

The big guns of NZ golf are heading to Waimate for the tournament, it will be a great couple of days of action.

Community groups across Mid and South Canterbury have shared more than $100,000 in the latest funding round from the Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury - including support for one of Waimate’s key events.

Waimate’s changed over the past decade, with more people visiting - and more choosing to stay.

We sat down with local property experts Julie-Anne Davidson (Jules) and Dionne Haywood to see what that means for the market.

The Waimate Art Society has a new chair, with local photographer Tiffany Ottley stepping into the role.

Ottley says she’s looking forward to building on the work of previous chairs and committee members, and continuing to grow what is already a well-supported creative community.

Wallabies, pigs and goats have had the run of Studholme Bush Scenic Reserve for years.

But not for much longer.

Young entrepreneurs are now a regular feature at the Waimate Community Market.

After trialling free stalls for kids in January and seeing a strong response, the market committee has decided to make the idea permanent.

The New Zealand Government has committed significant funding to The Waimate Trail, marking a major step forward for the scenic cycling and walking project that has gathered steady community support.

A crowd gathered at Waimate’s historic Quinns Arcade on Tuesday night for the launch of the Waimate District Fund - a new endowment fund designed to grow over time and provide ongoing grants for local community projects.

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.

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.