Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

The new University year is about to get underway, and tonight the annual First Years Toga Parade marched along George Street, as part of Orientation Week. Hundreds of first year students pulled sheets off their beds, for the easiest costume of them all - the Toga.

The students, led by a group of bagpipers (Yeh, sorry... It's a Scottish thing... Welcome to Dunedin ;-) The parade ran along George Street, from the New Edinburgh Way along to the Octagon, where the students were addressed by the Mayor, before heading into the Regent Theatre to watch a couple of films... Super Size Me, and the obligatory Scarfies...

Local Bagpipers lead the First Year Student Parade through the centre of Dunedin

"Hi Mum... look what I've done to your sheets"... A few of the students at the start of the First Year Parade along George Street tonight

Toga wearers with their Braveheart leader chant the praises support of Hayward Hall student hostel

Dunedin's Mayor, Peter Chin, addresses the First Year students in the Octagon

The Toga wearers gather in the Octagon

Just spent the weekend working for 3 News in Wellington. Had an interesting couple of days. I was on news, while Kevin was on sport covering the Cricket (1st ODI vs Australia).

Kevin had a late night on the Saturday, going to the game after work then hanging around for the Press Conference after the game, before having a few concilatory drinks until the early hours of the morning.

He made it into work on Sunday fine, but when I called up to get let in down below in the TV3/Radioworks building the lift electronics decided to die, leaving Kevin trapped in the lift just below the third floor. Mighty funny for the rest of us, but probably not as funny from his point of view. Luckily he was able to get someone to come out within about 45 mins, and just settled in to read the paper while he was waiting (a few pics below)...

I had a little problem getting home again however. Got to the airport 25 minutes before departure, but there were huge lines and by the time I'd got to the front, Air New Zealand's official "20 minute check-in" had passed and they wouldn't let me on. It was the last available flight of the night back to Dunedin... made worse by the fact the flight was then delayed by another 20 minutes because of the late arrival of the aeroplane! (still wouldn't let me on).

I flew out the next morning - well as far as Christchurch anyway - and then had to wait on standby for half the day, with all the flights full as students were all heading back to University. In the past, I could have just been switched onto Origin Pacific, but they unfortunately pulled out of Dunedin a few months ago, after being forced out by pseudo-monopoly tactics from Air New Zealand, and zealous over-charging by Dunedin Airport.

Jack shoots Kevin stuck in the lift, for the TV3 Wellington Christmas tape...

Smile for your close-up! ;-)

Channel 9 Television almost went off air tonight, after a massive twenty minute downpour caused flash flooding around Dunedin. The heavy rain started just before our News presenter Nicky began reading the weather, and as she continued, the picture from our transmitter got fuzzier and fuzzier ;-)

Outside, the short but heavy burst caused huge problems around the city. Roads were turned into rivers, with cars literally floating in some parts of the city.

Shops and houses around town also suffered flooding. At the Smiths City store in the centre of town, staff said beds and lounge suites were floating inside.

Local retailers are blaming the council, who they believe have done little since a similar incident around three years ago.

The zip-off trousers came in handy!, after flash flooding turned Dunedin's main drag into a river, with water over knee deep in some places.

A local worker tries to unblock one of the many clogged drains along Dunedin's one way system, unable to cope with the deluge.

The Fire Service had a busy night, following reports of broken rooves, and chasing false alarms around the city, triggered by the flooding.

Cars try to surf through knee deep water, after a spell of flash flooding in Dunedin.

After years in the planning and development, Dunedin's main indoor sports venue, the Edgar Centre, finally unveiled its multi-million dollar expansion.

The new Lion Arena features two modern wooden courts, with retractable seating able to house up to 3,000 fans. The Arena will be the new home of the Otago Nuggets Basketball team, and the Otago Rebels Netball team.

It'll hopefully attract more fans to come and watch the games, especially in the winter, with the new roof heaters (although it remains to be seen whether the Nuggets will have lost a little of their 'home advantage' with the loss of the 'freezer-dome' atmosphere?!)

Guests on opening day watch the Retractable Seating unveil a second Basketball/Netball court at the new Lion Arena.

Former Dunedin singer, Jonathan Lemalu, helps celebrate the opening of Dunedin's new Lion Arena.