Auckland Stories

The first woman to command one of the Navy's commissioned ships is due to end her tour of duty on board the Pukaki next month. A fifth of the Navy's workforce is now made up of women. David Steemson… Read more Audio

Auckland church St Matthew-in-the-city has a lot to celebrate: the return to work of their vicar; and the unveiling of a million-dollar Henry Willis organ. Audio

It's a "new dawn" for the tiny community of Te Hana, right on the northern outskirts of Auckland's super city. David Steemson takes a look. Audio

Auckland has been re-imagined many times over in the last 200 years. Many of the region's maps are now held in the Auckland Museum Library's collection. Lisa Thompson visited the exhibition "You Are… Read more Audio

Auckland Zoo has dispatched staff to help rescue oil-soaked wildlife in the Bay of Plenty, which inspired David Steemson takes a look at the work of zoo's New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine.

It's theatre-sports but not as we know it - Auckland's brand-new Q Theatre is hosting an improv festival. Audio

A six-month pilot project called 'Tuan Jie', or 'Project Unity', is pairing new Asian Safety Patrol volunteers with Pacific Island counterparts for street patrols. Audio

An Auckland University Professor of Economics warns that visitors here to see world class rugby are also looking at the reality of New Zealand's 'clean and green image'. Auckland particularly is in… Read more Audio

Auckland Museum is highlighting the success of Maori in New Zealand rugby history with an exhibition called "AkeAke Kia Kaha: The Spirit of Maori". David Steemson takes a look. Audio

Auckland Zoo's new 16-million dollar New Zealand walk-in exhibition area has just opened. Described as a kind of  "natural New Zealand in a nutshell", Te Wao Nui covers over three hectares in the zoo… Read more Audio

As a 21-year-old All Black he was known as the "Black Panther", for his feline grace and speed. Waka Nathan, now 71, has been talking to school children as part of the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2011.

A total of 11 matches will be played at the stadium and along with the All Blacks, there will probably be no-one more nervous than Eden Park's head groundskeeper Mark Perham. Audio

Whilst most of the attention will be on rugby itself and the players, spare a thought for the groundskeepers who have been tasked with preparing, primping and preening the stadiums' pitches for the… Read more Audio

Merge Café on Auckland's Karangahape Road is a smart place that serves coffee and good food. It also provides advocacy to the homeless. Audio

Auckland's leading professor of planning says the world is littered with 'white elephants' following major sporting events. Professor Jenny Dixon is Dean of Auckland University's National Institute of… Read more Audio

The regular chiming of the bells at the Auckland Art Gallery Clock tower has been suspended to avoid damage while work is done on the Gallery. We find out more about the clock's history from… Read more Audio

Ninety lucky South Auckland kids could have brighter new futures. Over the school holidays they've been taught how to play the violin, in a social development project based on one that's been run in… Read more Audio

Eight women living with HIV are getting together in Auckland next week, to train as "Positive Speakers", a group which aims to reduce the stigma of HIV in society. Audio

Seventy-four Auckland business and community leaders slept rough for a good cause the other night. David Steemson went along to the LIFEWISE Big Sleepout to share a little of their pain. Audio

There's a surfeit of cockroaches in Auckland this winter and seems the long summer-like temperatures could be to blame. Audio