The lives of the early colonists and the indigenous Māori are richly imagined, and brought to life through their dialogues, stories, and depictions of high adventure and daily interactions. Yet they are also based on extensive research, and original sources.
In addition to her love of history, Mari Hill Harpur clearly cares deeply about the land. Her stunning photographs capture the wild majesty of the scenery, as well as people and animals associated with the station today. Her images, and snippets of poetry, accompany historical photographs of buildings and of many of the figures whose lives form the backbone of the story.