Mavis Davidson, mountaineer, zoologist 1910 – 2007

Adventure, mountaineering and determination led to Mavis leading the first all women team to ascend Aoraki Mount ...

Leonard Cockayne

Dogmatic, passionate advocate for the flora and fauna of New Zealand Cockayne is one of the founders of botanical ...

Aunt Daisy 1879 – 1963

Initially Daisy was trained as a pupil-teacher. In 1904 married Fred Basham with a number of moves around Taranaki ...

Military hero, strategist, Te Ruki Kawiti

Military hero, strategist Te Ruki Kawiti

Bruce McLaren 1937 – 1970

Racing car design excellence, an understanding of the mechanics of the motor vehicle combustion engine and ...

Beatrice Tinsley 1941 – 1981

Beatrice Tinsley was an original thought provoking leader in modern cosmology and one of the most creative and ...

Appo Hocton

Got the New Zealand passport, Chinese born Appo was the first naturalised Chinese immigrant to New Zealand. Appo is ...

People who care – Doug Hutchison of Taranaki

In 2018 Hawera conservationist and the driving force behind the Nowells Lake Development was awarded the Queen's ...

Dick Georgeson

Dick Georgeson, pioneer of New Zealand aviation and the South island’s first glider pilot, back in 1950. When the ...

Charlotte Badger 1778 –

Acquired reputation as Australia’s first femal pirate.

Rewi Maniapoto

Rewi took a leading role in the Waikato war (1863–64). When called upon to surrender at Orākau in 1864 he uttered ...

Team effort – Kokaho, ghost birds

Kōkako are another endemic bird (slightly smaller, but more mysterious) Auckland Zoo are directly involved in ...

Indigenous biodiversity supports club: Graeme Atkins

A lone ranger for the plants on his patch of dirt. East Coast Department of Conservation ranger Graeme Atkins has ...

Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Hundertwasser opposed the straight line and any standardization in design, his famous toilet in Kawakawa represents ...

Songs winning the heart of kiwis, Sol3 Mio three tenors

Three men with honey in their voice, of Samoan heritage have formed a singing group. Sol3, pronounced Sole Mion.

Patea Maori Club

A song, Pātea Māori Club’s 1984 hit song ‘Poi e’ drew nationwide attention to the town.

Dr Margaret Cruickshank

Margaret Cruickshank, the second woman to graduate in medicine in New Zealand and the first New Zealand woman to ...

Goodson Guerillas

Goodson Guerrillas aka Hawera walking club members who laboured in Goodson Dell to resurrect a rubbish dump into ...

Notorious Kaipara Harbour

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is one of the world’s finest soprano singers.

Donald Vincent 1939 – 2011

Donald Vincent - Fellow of the Ornithological Society of NZ. BirdLife International awarded him its Conservation ...

Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu

One of the heroes of World War II is Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, who died 1943 and is now acknowledged throughout ...

Dame Whina Cooper

A call to conscience Dame Whina Cooper 9 Dec 1895 – 26 Mar 1994 Indelible images of a bent elderly ...

Chew Chong

Born between 1827 – 1844 Chew Chong (Chau Tseung : modern Chinese surname  匠 pinyin: jiàng) was born in ...

Pareaute Polly Nathan

Her fingers have contributed to the revival of a traditional art Pareaute Polly Nathan was awarded Queens Service ...

Richard Henry

Richard Henry is a Kiwi hero whose dedication to native birds lead to a greater understanding of the peril of ...

Jeroen Jongejans

Jeroen Jongejans, cycled around Tutukaka and stayed. A committed environmentalist, he set up a business eventually ...

Heroes and people who care

Find out about why these people are important to their community and how these people make our holiday not just ...