Stephen Clarke

This International Women’s Day thinking of women who have borne the burden of war, past and present.

I never met my great-aunt Grace (seen here with grandad) who died in tragic circumstances when a rifle kept in their Island Bay Esplanade home during the 1942 invasion fear accidentally discharged.

A special on the Middle East crisis and the prime minister is a no-show once again — despite repeated requests Christopher Luxon has not fronted on New Zealand’s only fully publicly-funded current affairs show in 15 months — so he might as well go sit on the backbenchers. #MisspokenTokenPM

Hunter's Gold - First Episode | Television | NZ On Screen Hunter's Gold - First Episode - This classic kids’ adventure series follows a boy trying to find his missing father, amidst the 1860s Otago gold rush. The show displayed unprecedented production valu...

The first episode of this adventure series following a boy trying to find his missing father during the 1860s Otago gold rush went to air on TV2 at 7pm on Sunday, 26 September 1976. www.nzonscreen.com/title/hunter...

Days of the pioneers Long before the likes of Lord of the Rings and The Power of the Dog discovered the stunning backdrops of Otago’s outback, there was a locally made...

50 years ago the New Zealand television drama ‘Hunter’s Gold’ was being produced in Central Otago. www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/ma...

This 1959 Dunedin film ‘Half a million books’ dps.otago.ac.nz/delivery/Del... looking at the city’s libraries reminded me of the old Carnegie Library building in upper Moray Place and the Children’s Library housed separately in terrace houses on upper Stuart St (opp. St Paul’s Cathedral) until 1981.

Façadism continues in Auckland CBD. This Historic Place Category 1 building at 256-260 Queen Street was the original headquarters of the Auckland Savings Bank (1884). (Photographs Ward Demolition)

40 years ago today Dire Straits played Lancaster Park in what would be the largest event in South Island history.

Many friends made the trip north but 17-year-old me was content with having been blasted by Hoodoo Gurus at Sammy's the previous month.

Setting suffrage story straight The role of leading Dunedin suffrage campaigner Harriet Morison has been cancelled, Jane Tolerton argues. It is past time the fervent unionist and...

Historian Jane Tolerton's campaign to have Dunedin suffrage campaigner Harriet Morison join Kate Sheppard on our $10 note! www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/ma...

The Lettuce Test.

The Gee & Hickton advert sums it up for the
PM: "Political career is dead."

The Press, 5 March 1966, p. 8 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660305.2.74.6

Still of presenter Fred Barnes from the first episode of Country Calendar that made its debut on 6 March 1966. TVNZ Television New Zealand https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/18036/first-country-calendar-programme

Maniototo Merino – Tony Clarke at Closeburn Station in Central Otago. Photo Dan Henry Country Calendar Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1562308727127991&set=a.482582083882968

Maniototo Merino – Evening light at Closeburn Station. Photo Dan Henry Country Calendar Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1562308620461335&set=a.482582083882968

60 years ago tonight Country Calendar made its television debut on Sunday 6 March 1966.

10 years ago CC ('Maniototo Merino' S2016 E29) came to Closeburn Station on the Maniototo farmed by my relative Tony Clarke – 3rd generation since his gf Gallipoli vet Paul Clarke bought it in 1922.

Happy 60th!

Today at 5:30pm @universityofotago.bsky.social in Burns 2! blogs.otago.ac.nz/cfb/world-bo...

Dr Ian Ferguson will deliver the #WorldBookDay2026 Lecture entitled "Western Eyes on New and Old Worlds", examining travel narratives of China and New Zealand.

Come for the 📚 and stay for 🍽️ at Ombrellos! 🍷

Vale Neville Peat, 1947–2026 Remembering the respected conservationist, prolific author and man of extraordinary talent and generosity.

thespinoff.co.nz/books/05-03-...

One for the old kitbag this April! #Anzactide newsouthbooks.com.au/books/challe...

Historical discrimination of Kiwi Indians in spotlight The New Zealand Indian Central Association was founded in 1926 to combat racism. Celebrating its centenary, it now wants the injustices to be recognised.

Great to see my friend Sir Anand Satyanand and former @universityofotago.bsky.social lecturers Hew McLeod (1932–2009) and Jacqueline Leckie mentioned in this article on the discrimination of Kiwi Indians and despite this their significant contribution to NZ society. www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/...

35 years ago I gave a 2nd year History student an E for handing in an essay on the early European settlement of Australia consisting only of verbatim passages from this international best-seller!

Today: "ChatGPT write an essay on the early European settlement of Australia." Same thing, same result.

Scaffolding for Dire Straits concert at Lancaster Park, 5 March 1986. Christchurch Star Archive 1072 Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi

40 years ago today preparations for the biggest event in South Island history. #IWantMyMTV

@universityofotago.bsky.social students of 2026 sorry you're missing out on lunch at Mega-Bite and Foxy's after dark but enjoy your far superior pedestrian experience. #TotallyGeorgeous #AbsolutelyGeorgeStreet #Ōtepoti #Dunedin

Is it Friday yet?

TVNZ board chair rang senior minister to discuss negative coverage Justice minister won't reveal exactly what the public broadcaster's board chair said, while police minister doubles down on concerns about bias.

What's the likelihood that when Andrew Barclay resigns as chair of TVNZ his replacement is . . . Paul Henry! newsroom.co.nz/2026/03/04/t...

Unfortunately no more of Queenstown but this is one of my favs of grandad with his mum at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, ca. 1924.

Otago Witness, 16 March 1926, p. 43

100 years ago today Rotary was in Dunedin. Local Rotarians included ODT proprietor Sir George Fenwick, lawyer Saul Solomon, baker Richard Hudson, builder James Fletcher, merchants Percy Sargood and David Theomin, painter Henry Guthrie and car salesman Charles Todd — like collecting happy families.

Conservationist, author a ‘deeply loving’ man Dunedin author and photographer Neville Peat has been remembered by his family as a "kind, wise, talented and deeply loving husband, father and pop".

www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...

Neville Douglas Peat MNZM
1947 – 2026

It’s surprising that Jacinda Ardern has made the 2026 Ockham Book Awards shortlist Surprise inclusions, shock exclusions and plenty of debates to be had. The 16 books still in the running for the biggest prize in NZ literature, revealed.

Meet the Ockhams! #ShortList #books thespinoff.co.nz/books/04-03-...

Four-Star Hanky Hegseth.

Jim Wilson: an oral biography, part two - Article | AudioCulture There are still, to this day, many musicians who confirm that The Gladstone and the Hillsborough were the best booked venues in the country, and it was a significant step up for a band’s national atte...

Very sad news just in from Phantom Billstickers: "A giant Tōtara has fallen...we're heartbroken to share the news that our founder and head of pasting, Jim Wilson, has passed away."
Jim himself wrote movingly on his blog A Tinker's Cuss... www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/jim...

Ballarat Street, Queenstown. Photograph Ray Clarke, 1946. Clarke Family Archives

Queenstown 80 years ago.

Marching through the year.

"Predatory hegemony contains the seeds of its own destruction."

— Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...