KEY POINTS:
Lindo Ferguson says he has never had too much spare time. He wants to do plenty of reading but adds, "I do have a meeting this afternoon. And I'll be harvesting macadamia nuts tomorrow. And I really want to find a complete whale skeleton for my museum."
Dr Ferguson - local politician, public servant, ophthalmologist, family man and occasional radical - is standing down from public life.
In his 84 years he has held probably more positions of public office than anyone else in Auckland, if not New Zealand.
But he has decided his retirement after nine years as chairman of the Cornwall Park Trust Board - and a total of 32 years as a trustee - will mark his retirement from holding public office ... almost.
Dr Ferguson was in Auckland this week to tie up some loose ends - including a meeting of the Mackelvie Trust, which administers the collection of art and books bequeathed to Auckland by James Tannock Mackelvie.
"Ah well, the trust only meets twice a year and I won't be involved too much longer.
"I've been there [in public office] long enough, I think. There should not be too many 80-year-old trustees. I would have gone earlier - I blame my colleagues for not giving me a nudge before now."
Dr Ferguson, who celebrated his 84th birthday in February, now spends most of his time in Mangonui where he lives with his wife of 57 years, Laetitia.
But their Doubtless Bay life is anything but a quiet retirement from the city.
They have spent 20 years developing the Whaling Museum house and gardens at Butler Point and run a thriving macadamia orchard. There's plenty more to be done, such as find the whale skeleton to help illustrate Mangonui's whaling history.
Dr Ferguson's grandfather, Sir Lindo Ferguson, was an eye specialist who came to New Zealand in 1883 and was instrumental in creating Otago University's department of anatomy.
Dr Ferguson, who has two children and four grandchildren, went into the family profession and credits his training in London as the spur for his interest in heritage.
"The English had all these wonderfully preserved buildings, but here in Auckland we were knocking everything down."
He fought to save Partington's Mill, built in 1850 on Symonds St in the central city, but it was a fight he lost and the mill, which had stood through fire and storm for 100 years, was demolished.
But that prompted Dr Ferguson to stand for the Auckland City Council - the first of a string of positions in local government. It is a career in public that has brought triumphs and disappointments. One of the biggest lows was losing the fight to prevent St Mary's Church in Parnell being moved in 1982.
"As they were moving it I was on the back of a truck with a loud-hailer. It was the closest I got to being a radical and I've never quite forgiven [the council] for that."
But Dr Ferguson says the highs have made it worthwhile.
And while he insists he was not born to hold public office, having spent his life working for the community, he says he wouldn't change much.
"I've found it immensely rewarding. To be remembered for community work would be something great as far as I'm concerned."
Public life
* Chairman of Cornwall Park Trust Board
* Chairman of Auckland City Art Gallery and Library
* Chancellor of University of Auckland
* President of Auckland Museum
* Auckland City Council deputy mayor and city councillor
* Deputy chairman and member of Auckland Regional Authority
* Chairman, St John Ambulance Trust Board
* Director, Rotary Club of Auckland Chairman, Development Council for Orakei Marae
* Deputy chairman of Life Care Residences Trust
* Chairman of Youthlink House Trust
* Member, Mackelvie Trust
* Justice of the Peace
* President of Ophthalmological Society
* Member of committee of Royal Australian College of Surgeons
