Dunedin Kmart to return after years of hours-long road trips
From reporter Sinead Gill:
It’s been years of rumour and six-hour return trips for locals looking for affordable home goods from Australian retail giant Kmart.
On Thursday, the company finally confirmed they would be returning to Dunedin.
The city was possibly the retailer’s biggest gap in the New Zealand market, according to Ben Smith, Kmart’s property group general manager.
“We’ve got a fantastic support base in Dunedin, it’s amazing, I’ve heard of customers driving to Invercargill just to shop at Kmart,” he said.
The city’s Kmart closed in 2020 after 23 years of operating in Meridian Mall in the CBD, citing earthquake risk concerns.
The mall closed during the March 2020 level 4 Covid-19 lockdown, then produced a seismic safety report showing it was too far below the new building standard.
Despite the mall not legally needing to strengthen the building for several years, Kmart chose not to renew its lease. Smiths City later moved into its old George St location.
Smiths City’s former site at 375 Andersons Bay Rd was now officially the site of the new Kmart.
The land was owned and would be developed by the Otago Land Group, and leased exclusively to Kmart.
Smith said the new Kmart would essentially be a completely new build. Developers would use the existing structure to speed up the construction process.
There was no estimated opening time, as the building consent was still being considered by the Dunedin City Council.
Smith said there would not be basement level car parking, nor would any additional land be leased to provide more parks.
He said the business had completed a traffic management plan and after many years in the business was “comfortable there is enough car parks”.
The new Kmart, located right beside a fleet of popular fast food chains, also had the benefit of “ample parking” around South Dunedin, he said.
Kmart Dunedin would employ over 100 staff from the community.
It was unclear how many staff lost their jobs in 2020. A Kmart spokesperson said they hoped former staff would apply for the new roles, though applications would be open to all.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
🚒 Our Fire and Emergency crews have been kept busy lately
And they’re once again reminding everyone: please don’t light fires when it’s windy.
Central Otago will move into a restricted fire season from 1 December 2025, which means anyone planning an outdoor fire will need to apply for a permit and plan ahead.
So we’d love to ask you — how do you make sure you’re being fire-safe at this time of year?
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