The Churches Book
How it all started.
Growing up with stories about my intrepid Great Aunt Sister Mary Cyril and her adventures in the faraway Māori settlement of Pawarenga, my interest was always to travel and explore that part of Northland. It has been a very special place to me and I finally decided to use my many years experience as a photographer to document Pawarenga’s historic and iconic church St Gabriel’s.
From there, one contact led to another until I had a list of “must see” churches. Regular road trips and adventures followed as my husband and I became more and more familiar with those Northland roads and their often hidden secrets.
With the wonderful resources of the Colin Library, Auckland Library Research Centre, Heritage New Zealand, other websites and local books, the rewarding experience of gathering information began.
Some history
On our first family visit to Pawarenga in 1988 we found the amazing church of St Gabriels high on a hill overlooking Whangape Harbour. To see the grave of Sister Mary Cyril in such an honourable place and with a visitor having what would have been a very meaningful chat was a memorable experience.
Long before any thoughts of photography for a book.
It gook some time to become adventurous. Without a good map we often turned back before reaching a destination, the roads seemingly going on forever.
With distance and time information, Google maps was a game changer.
Used to cafes on every corner we soon learned to plan trips with a thermos and picnic lunch!
Beyond the ordinary
This is where our journey begins. Get to know our business and what we do, and how we're committed to quality and great service. Join us as we grow and succeed together. We're glad you're here to be a part of our story.