Ilam bench honours a Des Thorley nobody on the street can place
The plaque says he sat here most days. Fifty years of neighbours say he did not.
Community Quirks
Lost cats, library disputes, gnome standoffs and local heroes nobody outside the street knows. Every Community Quirks yarn we have filed, newest first — 82 stories, none of them true.
Horse painting keeps galloping back to Oamaru op shop
The horse has been in and out of the shop more often than some of the volunteers.
Burnside resident channels Poirot over mysterious courgette deliveries
Three weeks, forty courgettes, one determined detective. The basket remains off-limits.
Cantabrians chuckle at Papamoa influencer's marathon beauty shoot
The video is captioned "no fuss, just me". Her husband has asked to be credited.
Foxton plumber's key change ends Roslyn karaoke night after 11 years
The light fitting came down on the second chorus. The ban came down Tuesday.
Wadestown man opens found object museum with one hubcap in it
The tour takes four minutes and the hubcap is doing most of the work.
Tahunanui gnome missing four days — Neighbourly has 140 theories and zero gnomes
The gnome came down from Mt Eden with the owners in 2021 and has now lived in Nelson longer than most of the people accusing each other of nicking it.
Little investigator calls for action over Wanaka's slanted landmarks
The structures at Puzzling World have been leaning since before his parents were born, which has not helped.
Hoon Hay man furious Ponsonby cat elected Mayor before his own council fixes the bloody footpath
Facebook poll declares a ginger tom the winner. Meanwhile, Worsleys Road still has cones from June.
Linwood scarecrow named best dressed at awards night that didn't happen
The scarecrow was not present. Nor was the ceremony.
Roslyn woman's lost jandal returned from Auckland after 8 months, press conference held on lawn
The jandal, a size 8 Havaiana, was last seen at a barbecue in February.
Avonside noticeboard feud over leaf blowers enters sixth week, now has footnotes
What started as one A4 printout is now a six-page dossier with a laminated map.
Otahuhu parade held up 40 minutes after local brings goat "for atmosphere"
Organisers had planned for wind and rain. Nobody planned for Kevin.
Upper Hutt man pushes rogue Countdown trolley 14km home from Wellington CBD
Neville found it on Lambton Quay. He walked it back over the hill. He is, by his own admission, buggered.
Hei Hei man walks Countdown trolley 6km home, declared local hero by three people
Constabulary confirms the trolley was not, strictly speaking, stolen. Just on a long walk.
Marshlands man wheels Pak'nSave trolley back from Shirley, declares himself 'just doing the right thing'
Six kilometres on foot with a wonky wheel, and now he wants a plaque.
Brockville community garden at war over whether kale was planted as a joke
Half the plot reckons it's dinner. The other half reckons it's a piss-take that got out of hand.
Tamahere time capsule cracked open 17 years early after council loses the bloody key
Sealed in 2008 for a 2050 reveal. Opened Tuesday with an angle grinder because someone lost the key.
Wakefield scarecrow named best dressed at awards night that never happened
The scarecrow, known locally as Bevan, has been given a sash by persons unknown and is refusing all interviews.
North Dunedin flat insists their street sign is actually a Napier roundabout now
Barry Hoskins reports from Castle Street, where geography is negotiable.