Mount Maunganui photo spans 100 years for family

The view from the Mount, 100 years ago compared to this week. Kevin Monk's grandmother is pictured on the right with family. Inset: Mr Monks with parents Colin and Dawn Monks and wife Gillian.

A family's three-generational bond with Mauao has been further strengthened with the recreation of a 100-year-old photo at the mountain's summit.

Octogenarians Colin and Dawn Monks scaled the popular Mount Maunganui on Monday, with help from Tauranga City Council, to take the photo from the same spot as one that was taken a century ago.

Their son, Kevin Monks, said the family had a photo of his grandmother Alma McFadgen (nee Pearson) which had been taken on top of Mauao in 1916.

The Monks family have recreated a photo 100 years later with elderly parents at top of Mauao 17 January 2017 The Bay of Plenty Times Photograph by John Borren

"It's my mother's mother in the photo and her family. And I thought with it being just over the 100 years mark, we should do that while mum was still around," Kevin Monks said.

Kevin Monks said the photo showed a vastly different Mount Maunganui, where the only building of note was a pub that was located where the twin towers currently stand.

Kevin Monks put his idea to Tauranga City Council, which helped by driving Mr Monks, 88, and Mrs Monks, 82, to the summit on Monday.

"It was awesome. It was really good they came on board to help make it happen. There's now that link between circa 1916 and circa 2016."

Kevin Monks said they planned to put both photos up on the wall at home.

Ill health prevented the family from taking the photo last year.

"The only regret is mum should have had one done at 50, when there would have been a closer link."

Mrs Monks said she loved being able to visit the top of Mauao again, even if it felt like she was going to fall off at times.

"It was quite daunting up there," she said.

"It was very, very interesting to see the tracks and how trees and bushes have grown a lot."

Mrs Monks said she and her husband had not been up Mauao for at least five years.

"It's something that we had given up on," Mrs Monks said.

"It really was a very nice day and the view was absolutely beautiful. The water was shining and sparkling. It was really wonderful."

Mrs Monks grew up in Pyes Pa and, although the family now live in Cambridge, they regularly visit their Mount Maunganui holiday home.