
Sunset over Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd, with snow capped mountains of the Mackenzie basin, Tekapo , New Zealand.
The Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of Lake Tekapo is probably the most photographed churches in New Zealand and when you come and see the panoramic view over lake tekapo of the surrounding mountains it is easy to understand why. The church was designed by Christchurch architect R.S.D. Harman, based on sketches by a local artist, Esther Hope. The foundation stone was laid by HRH the Duke of Gloucester, on January 15, 1935 and construction lasted 8 months. The builders of the Church were instructed that the site was to be left undisturbed, and that even the matagouri bushes surrounding the building were to remain. The stones for the wall were to be procured within a radius of five miles of the site, and were to be unchipped and in their natural condition.