RNZ's best podcasts to listen (or relisten) to over summer

Kelly Tarlton's Final Treasure Hunt, produced by RNZ and the Motuihe Group, and hosted by Hamish Williams, tells the story of famous entrepreneur and underwater adventurer Kelly Tarlton.

It traverses the story behind his life as a treasure and shipwreck hunter and the development of his aquarium on Auckland's waterfront, while also re-igniting the search for a 256 year-old anchor off the Northland coast that Tarlton had been hunting for before he died.

Thanks to the podcast the anchor, lost by the French ship Saint Jean Baptiste in 1769, was rediscovered at the bottom of Doubtless Bay.

The seven-episode show was not only the overall winner at the 2025 NZ Podcast Awards, but also took out gold in the Best Documentary and Best History categories.

In a world obsessed with wellbeing, would you put your health in the hands of a cult?

Phil Vine's The Lodge is a cautionary tale about the consequences of going alternative, when wellness becomes a matter of life and death.

The eight-episode show was named by Apple as one of the best of 2025.

Darcy Te Hira died in 1985 after being bashed in Mt Eden Prison. Fellow inmate Ross Appelgren was convicted of the crime.

But was the evidence dodgy? After all, it was supplied by narks.

The 17-episode series, hosted by Mike Wesley-Smith, dives deep into the 40-year mystery.

Each winter, the ice that forms around Antarctica effectively doubles its size.

It reflects sunlight, drives ocean currents and is home to a host of critters key to the Antarctic food web.

But the last few years have seen unusually low sea ice in Antarctica, and scientists are sounding the alarm. Is this a blip, or a trend?

Whale Rider creator Witi Ihimaera throws himself in the deep end of a full-immersion Māori language course that tests him to his limit.

As he prepares to go back to school at the age of 80, Ihimaera reveals the personal reason he's decided it is finally time to learn te reo Māori.

Hosted and produced by Adam Dudding and Eugene Bingham.

Hosted and produced by Katy Gosset, Thrift is an upbeat podcast that offers wise ways to beat the cost of living crisis and get the best from your money.

Listen as Gosset investigates op-shopping, rental hacks, affording meat and more.

A Māori and a migrant explore the heart, history and future of Māori wardens - Aotearoa's hi viz kaitiaki of aroha, manaaki, and mana motuhake.

Find out how one becomes a Māori warden, what they do and what the future holds for the uniquely Kiwi institution.

Guyon Espiner and Corin Dann explore the backstory to today's front page, diving into NZ's political past and asking, "How did we get here?"

But there's a twist: One knows the topic, the other doesn't.

Covered in the 10-episode series are the brain drain, the history of New Zealand Superannuation, how MMP changed politics and more.

Each year, thousands of people need to be rescued in New Zealand's unforgiving outdoors.

Some searches are successful, some not. But behind each is an incredible story of courage.

Paul Roy hosts this nine-episode series looking at cases as far back as the 1960s.

RNZ money correspondent Susan Edmunds wants to demystify money and personal finance. Because when you want to understand your money, there's no such thing as a stupid question.

In each episode, Susan tries to answer your money questions. They might not be perfect - this isn't personalised financial advice - but you will get good stuff you can use as you wrangle your money.

Find out about the consequences of paying tradies in cash, whether to invest your children's money in savings or the sharemarket, what to do if the AI bubble bursts, and more.