2012 Memoir and Local History Competition

In 2012 we had 94 entries, which Tauranga City Library staff uploaded to Tauranga Memories (2011-2021). Our judge was Gwyneth Jones, who is New Zealand's foremost historical researcher on our coal-mining communities, and who has written many other stories of New Zealand's places and people.

Our judge this year is celebrated historian Trevor Bentley (Cannibal Jack, Captured by the Māori).

In alphabetical order:
Our Big Adventure by Lorraine Agne
Whakatāne by Sheila Armstrong
Extracted by a Dozen by Zim Aunzo (https://perma.cc/3UTM-N3QW)
A Ride on H204 by Mike Beckett (highly commended)
Born in the shadow of a Zeppelin: recollections of Ynys Fraser by Alison Brown
From horse to helicopter: logging at Tikitapu, Rotorua. By Alison Brown (highly commended)
Horse logging in New Zealand plantation forestry by Alison Brown
Remembering Anne Moore: a woman before her time by Alison Brown
Bush School by Karen Peterson Butterworth
Pride by Karen Peterson Butterworth
Tauranga”s True Historian by Betty Cole
The Life of Carl Sylvius Volkner by Jocelyn Davey
Friisy's Story - by Barbara Dobson
Ōkārito by Melanie Drewery
Sidetracked by a Solicitor by Vivien Edwards
Bright Ideas on a Bay of Plenty Farm (1940s) by Deirdre Eichler
Camping in our house (a Christchurch earthquake story) by John Ewen (highly commended)
A Different Kind of Life by John Ewen
Gaining Acceptance by Peter Farrell
Home is somewhere far away by Peter Farrell (highly commended)
Trouble at our place by Peter Farrell
The Slow Train to Waikouaiti by David Fahy
Beach of Bliss - Centre Island (Raroroka) by Lois Ann Fox
Brighton House: an era of grandeur, early 1900s by Lois Ann Fox
Our Sir Stephen Allen Years by Jackie Fraser
Boots 'n All by May Gaskin (3rd Prize)
Nellie the Duchess by Maureen Griffin
The Ring of Fire by Kate Gore
A Motorized Jaunt to Destiny by Bill Harrison
Revelations by the Roadside by Bill Harrison
The Thames sensation by Meghan Hawkes
Remembering Gran by Gaye Hemsley
A Taurewa Resident by Peter Henson
Fletcher's Mill by Peter Henson
The Big Celebration by Peter Henson (highly commended)
The Rimu Stump by Peter Henson
Stoves from the Back Blocks by Peter Henson
The Kaitieke Apple Tree by Peter Henson
The Mighty Waikato by Colleen Hills
Karearea Flies Over Me by Kristina Jensen
Childhood memories of the 1918 influenza epidemic by Antonia Jones (highly commended)
A Chapel for a college by Jeanette Knudsen
Quickbuild at Bethlehem College by Jeannette Knudsen
Tales of an Old-Fashioned Warrior: The George Muir Story by Barry Leabourn
The Bullocky's Daughter by Kay Marsh
Southshore, a Community not a Suburb by Michele Mc. Cormack
Summer, as we saw it by Vanessa Mellor
Down Memory Lane by Enid C. Meyer
First Memories by Enid C. Meyer
Memories of School by Enid C. Meyer
My Green Valley by Doreen Oldfield
Matters Religious, William G. Orange
Waipiro: Ruatōria, Summer, 1975: By Peter Francis O'Halloran
Crossings by Janet Pates (highly commended)
New World by Janet Pates
Dam Memories by Deryn Pittar
Tauranga”s first strawberry grower - by Deryn Pittar
A Proper Kiwi by Ruth Plank
Holidays at Raglan in the Kōpua Motor Camp during the 1950s by Irene Polkinghorne
A Journey of Discovery by Peter Pratt
Sawyer's Bay by Graeme Pratley (highly commended)
Te pēne Māori by Vaughan Rapatahana
The Battle for Ruapekapeka Pa by Jonnie Rutherford
Whangamōmona celebrates by Jonnie Rutherford (First Prize)