A Kohekohe church famous for its appearances on the small screen will soon have new owners. Maurice Smyth reports
A deconsecrated Presbyterian church at Kohekohe on the Awhitu Peninsula will come under the auctioneer's hammer in November. It first opened its doors for worship in 1886, bringing comfort and community to
the pioneers who settled the shores of the Manukau Harbour. The church attracted other buildings to the district, including a store and a school. However, the arrival of electric power in 1927 was not enough to boost the population and after years of dwindling congregations, church authorities accepted an offer from the Harcombe family who farmed the surrounding land. In recent years the church took on a new life as a setting for an international beer commercial and the Irish band The Corrs used it for a music video. Nicole Harcombe says after deconsecration the church was used to store farm equipment but this was moved when it became a popular venue for weddings. There are no conditions attached to the sale of the 60sq m building and it would not be the first church in the region to become a family home.
