The Lowdown - South Dunedin Community Network

The Lowdown is a newsletter created by South Dunedin Community Network (SDCN) to provide news, event updates, and resources, so that local residents can stay informed and feel connected to SDCN and each other. The Lowdown is a way to celebrate, inform and connect the residents of South Dunedin, and has become one of the main things people mention when telling us how the work of SDCN impacts their lives. 4 issues are published per year and each issue is distributed to over 6,000 households, schools, and businesses.

The Lowdown team welcomes content contributions from local individuals, community groups, government and councils, social services, and non-profit organisations. Content contributions should be clear and concise, factually accurate, contain information that is relevant to the people of South Dunedin, and contribute to The Lowdown’s aim to share knowledge and resources, celebrate community connection, and reflect the diversity of South Dunedin as a whole. The Lowdown schedule for 2026 is:

Issue 55: Ngahuru/Autumn 2026
Submission deadline: 9/2/26
Delivery into the community: 20/2/26

Issue 56: Takurua/Winter 2026
Submission deadline: 4/5/26
Delivery into the community: 15/5/26

Issue 57: Kōanga/Spring 2026
Submission deadline: 17/8/26
Delivery into the community: 28/8/26

Issue 58: Raumati/Summer 2026
Submission deadline: 23/11/26
Delivery into the community: 4/12/26

Contact thelowdown@southd.org.nz for more information.

Advertising in The Lowdown is a great way to show support for the community, and for SDCN to support and grow local businesses and organisations – by providing an avenue to reach local target markets at reasonable rates. Advertising revenue helps to cover some of the costs of producing The Lowdown and delivering it free of charge in our community.

The Lowdown team welcomes advertising contributions from local, community minded individuals, groups, government and councils, social services, non-profit organisations, and businesses. SDCN will make decisions on proposed advertising contributions on a case-by-case basis, in conversation with the proposed advertiser. All advertising must be legal, decent, honest and truthful and respect the principles of fair competition. Advertising materials should not disparage, speak against, or portray unfavourable depictions of another sector within the community, and should not contain words or images that could be considered offensive. The name and contact details of the advertiser should be clearly shown within the advertisement. Contact thelowdown@southd.org.nz for more information.

“The first issue of The Lowdown was in March 2017. It arose partly from the meetings of the South Dunedin Stakeholders group, which was a loose conglomeration of statutory agencies, NGOs, community groups and private individuals. We met as a response to the flood of 2015, which had caused widespread anger towards the city council, but also contributed to perceptions in the community that South Dunedin was treated as a second-rate area that no-one cared about.

I began putting it together because I felt that it could be a vehicle that might help inform people about the good things that were taking place, and to encourage people to value living here. I also wanted to provide a platform for people to learn what steps city authorities were taking to avoid a repeat of the flood, a bit like a general community notice board.

After a few early editions, with printing provided by Connect South (until they folded), sponsors Ganesh and Adrija Rout came forward from Harcourts Real Estate, and since February 2018, they have printed 1,500 copies each edition, usually eight times per year.

Contributions from the community have fluctuated, but over the last four years we have published personal profiles, run political stories and election coverage, celebrated local successes, promoted and reported on community hui, followed the development of the South Dunedin Community Network, profiled local groups and businesses, and generally tried to promote and celebrate South Dunedin in all its fascinating diversity.

We are now up to edition 50, at December 2024, and we have more volunteers and funding to increase our print run to 6000. It is now tied more firmly to the Network [SDCN] and features regular updates of Network [SDCN] activities.

Among the people I would like to thank all of our current individual delivery volunteers, and the folks at the South Dunedin Community Network and the stakeholders group, for article contributions and their constant encouragement and kind feedback.”