Today’s excerpt from The Bulletin: a collection of nice, small, good news stories to read as winter turns to spring, and as the week becomes the weekend.
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The positivity of the coming of spring comes with a downside: no one can agree on when it actually arrives. Some split the year evenly into four seasons, with spring being September–November regardless of any other external factors. Others go by the spring equinox, which this year will be 12.05pm, September 23 to be exact (with summer arriving at 8.50am, December 22). Others still rely on vibes – it’s sunnier, warmer and the days are getting noticeably longer, thus: spring.
All of which is to say that, depending on which one you go on, it may or may not be spring. Either way, the vibes are definitely heading in that direction. And with that in mind, I present to you the first of an irregular round up of nice, good news stories that have crossed my path while I’ve been focussed on policy battles, hospital wait times, and sewage plant collapses. I hope they warm your heart.
A kiwi returns
First, a genuine “wonderful moment” – as the Department of Conservation put it – near Ohakune. A young kiwi (the bird not a New Zealander), estimated to be about seven to nine months old, was spotted running across the track at Lakes Reserve. It is the first kiwi heard of at Rangatauanui, Te Ao News reported last month.
The sighting is being celebrated by DOC, Save the Kiwi and local iwi Ngāti Rangi, which has been leading restoration efforts in the area since 1995. The iwi has been supported with the release of 40 kiwi over a 14-month period as part of a translocation programme with Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura.
Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust pou ārahi Helen Leahy said the sighting was the outcome of “a long-held aspiration of Ngāti Rangi as part of re-establishing the iwi’s presence and responsibilities in the area.” DOC Principal Ranger Serena Taylor described it as “thrilling”.
A seal pup’s adventure
In South Auckland, police officers came to the rescue of a seal pup wandering through suburban streets, RNZ reported. The pup had been spotted in Manukau, and after being safely relocated, was found wandering again in Wiri. Police eventually escorted the adventurous pup to the waterside.
And it’s not the first time this year a seal has made headlines: in Taranaki earlier this year, another pup required a police escort out of the New Plymouth CBD, RNZ also reported.
New train stations open (and they’re not the ones you’re thinking of)
Also in South Auckland, train-commuters got some good news on August 1 with the opening of two new railway stations at Drury and Paerātā, 1News reported. Passenger services returned to both communities for the first time since 1972, with weekday peak services running every 10 minutes.
Rail minister Winston Peters (who’s said some much less positive things over the last couple of months) said the stations were part of a $2.4bn investment in Auckland’s rail network: “Infrastructure must come before growth – not years afterwards, as too often happens in this country.”
A community that welcomes
In Horowhenua, the district’s Welcoming Communities programme received a Highly Commended award in the Beca Award for Excellence in Placemaking at the 2026 Taituarā Local Government Excellence Awards, the Levin News reported in July.
The programme helps former refugee families from Colombia and Venezuela build a sense of belonging, through a partnership between Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Council, community organisations and the former refugee residents themselves. Mayor Bernie Wanden said the recognition “belongs to our community” and reflected “what can happen when people come together with a shared commitment to making others feel welcome and valued.”
The judges noted: “The last Census showed that more than one in four Kiwis wasn’t born here. Helping support the newest New Zealanders with a sense of belonging while preserving their cultural heritage and life experiences makes for a stronger, richer, more cohesive community.”
Yes!
