New Zealand Odyssey: St. Andrew's, Coromandel

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

A favourite when I first painted it in 1987, I drew it again later after which it appeared in my book 'Country Churches of New Zealand'. I delighted in the frontal aspect with its unusual integral triple porch-cum-steeple.

This is the old mother church of the Coromandel-Whitianga Presbyterian parish. It opened for divine service on 18 May 1873. It, like some other Coromandel buildings of the same vintage, is impressive on a small scale, I think the money came from a gold mining boom which, like all such bonanzas, came to an end.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz