The characterful St Paul's was constructed of Kawakawa stone in 1925, and stands on the site of NZ’s first church, a simple raupo (bulrush) hut erected in 1823. Look for the native birds in the stained glass above the altar – the kotare (kingfisher) represents Jesus (the king plus ‘fisher of men’), while the tui (parson bird) and kereru (wood pigeon) portray the personalities of the Williams brothers (one scholarly, one forceful), who set up the mission station here.
