‘It felt like home to me’: Love and stories of good timing as Dannevirke’s new citizens sworn in

Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis watches while Taigen Gounden is sworn in as a citizen. Photo / Leanne Warr

Andrew and Charlotte Bryant moved to Dannevirke two weeks before the January floods in Auckland.

The couple had already visited the township last year with thoughts of moving away from the city.

But there’s far more to this story than a couple having good timing.

Andrew Bryant moved from Brisbane, Australia. Photo / Leanne Warr

Andrew, from Australia, was one of 20 people who this week officially became New Zealand citizens at a ceremony held by Tararua District Council.

And it was all because of love.

The couple met online seven years ago and began a long-distance relationship.

Then it became a matter of whether Charlotte would move to Brisbane, or Andrew would move to New Zealand.

The couple at first lived on the North Shore, where Andrew found the coastline “stunning”, but it was the desire to get away from the big city that led them to Dannevirke.

Derek Doughlas Laas (known as Doughlas) met Kirsty online. Photo / Leanne Warr

Doughlas Laas had a similar story, meeting Kirsty George online.

Doughlas was from South Africa and the couple got together for a holiday that was meant to be only a month or two, but turned into him getting a visa to stay.

He came to New Zealand “between the earthquakes and the Rugby World Cup”.

That was 12 years ago.

“It’s been a long journey,” Doughlas said, admitting to feeling relieved he now had citizenship because he no longer had the worry of his visa running out over his head.

Carol McNaught came from Switzerland.

Madeleine McNaught with mum Carol, who was originally from Switzerland. Photo / Leanne Warr

Having a hankering for exploring other places, she decided to travel to Australia to learn English and spent six months in a school there.

She met her husband, who was a Kiwi living in Australia, and after some years there, they came to live in New Zealand with their two children, Madeleine and Nicolas.

The couple have been married for 20 years.

Carol said New Zealand was very similar to Switzerland and it was one thing she liked about Dannevirke, especially due to its proximity to the ranges.

“It felt like home to me.”

There were also two other families as well as 11 individuals sworn in as citizens.

In her address, Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis reminded the new New Zealanders of the responsibilities of becoming a citizen and the commitment they’d made, while not diminishing the importance of their homelands.