The churches of Whanganui and Districts are the focus of an historical record project to document places of worship in 2024 by the Whanganui Camera Club (WCC), which is teaming up again with the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust.
This follows a successful 2022 Domestic Houses Heritage Project, which photographed houses of architectural styles or periods from the late 1800s to the modern day.
“In that project, we photographed 800 houses in Whanganui and exhibited 100 houses in prints, plus preparing a digital record, which is now in the Alexander Library in Whanganui,” says WCC president John Smart.
“Churches of all faiths and denominations add a rich architectural and cultural heritage to our lives. We believe it is important to capture and record the essence of these structures as an historical record for both current and future generations to enjoy. Whanganui and the wider region have over 50 churches that we’ve identified in our target area, which stretches from Waitotara to Turakina and the river mouth to Raetihi.