Lynn Freeman

NASA space explorer Dr Charles Elachi, who led the recent mission to Mars with a rover called Curiosity. Audio

This week, your mission is to write a mini radio play under one minute in length, using these five most commonly-used Hollywood sound effects. They are 'Castle Thunder', a bullet ricochet, sonar beeps… Audio

The 2014 New Zealand Festival is drawing to a close, for some arts lovers, it's kept the best til last. Audio

Circuses aren't what they used to be - the whole Cirque du Soleil movement has made them all about the possibilities of the human body and the inspiration of the imagination. Audio

The New Zealand Festival's musical offerings on this weekend range from the twisted lyrics of cult favourites The Tiger Lillies…to Irish balladeer Paul Brady, to the nasty Candice (pron cand-ICE)… Audio

There's a strong Spanish flavour to New Zealand Arts Festival this year. Audio

The host of Radio New Zealand's arts show, Standing Room Only, Lynn Freeman, squeezed in as many shows as she could and survived to join us this morning. Audio

Radio New Zealand's host of the arts show Standing Room Only, Lynn Freeman, is here with an overview of the 2014 festival programme. Audio

Volunteers are the only way the growing number of sanctuaries around the country, can fulfil their purpose - to provide safe places for the country's native flora and fauna. Audio

Lynn Freeman finds out how the money will be used and what the tourists think about it. Audio

The Department of Conservation staff on Stewart Island/Rakiura have a vast area of national park to cover, and restructuring has not made that responsibility any easier. Audio

There are mixed views on Stewart Island/Rakiura when it comes to Gareth Morgan's multimillion-dollar conservation plan to create the world's first predator-free island with a substantial human… Audio

Lynn Freeman continues her series on Stewart Island/Rakiura, this time joining DoC trappers, Josephine Sheppard Anthony Hobern as they headed out by boat to the trap site. Audio

One of the biggest drawcards to Stewart Island are the Rakiura tokoeka, the kiwi. Audio

While it's undoubtedly good PR for a sport that has its fair share of detractors, the deer hunters at Mason Bay on Stewart Island/Rakiura are genuinely keen to help out with the extensive rat trapping… Audio

Pulling and poisoning lupins at Mason Bay on Stewart Island, was the big assignment for the group of Department of Conservation volunteers in November. Audio

What does it take to get a show up on stage? Freelance theatrical producer Melanie Hamilton has been in the business for a long time now. Her latest project is Ross McCormack's new dance work Age… Audio

Cantabrian Bernadette Hall publishes her latest poetry collection, Life & Customs (VUP). Audio

A memoir of a family of Polish migrants who came to New Zealand in 1944 scoops a major literary prize for Helena Wisniewska Brow winner of the 2013 Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing. Audio

Barry Cleavin's sense of irony has been lost on some over the last five decades, but appreciated by many more. Melinda Johnston joins him in a conversation about his life's work, having just published… Audio