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Te Aroha bridge

Coming Home, Te Aroha

Can you return to the small town of your childhood? After nearly 15 years away, Steve Hale says yes, the gentle thrum of life and five-minute commute suits him just fine.
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Child enjoying small town life.

Have the good times gone?

Population drift and decline are hollowing out many of our small towns, but some heartland hamlets are thriving. Greg Bruce takes the pulse of Smallville, New Zealand.
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Anya Johnson and Inia English, Geraldine locals.

The good life in Geraldine

In 1998, Geraldine was picked as somewhere that was bucking the trend of regional decline, and was set to prosper. Mike White returns to see how the South Canterbury town has fared.
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Riding the main trunk line

Riding the main trunk line

Jenny Nicholls boards the Northern Explorer, and finds soba noodles and picture windows have replaced the cold mince pies and scratchy blankets of her childhood train trips.
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