OBITUARY: Heather Ayrton, Northland identity and fierce supporter of the country’s heritage

Northland identity Heather Ayrton, who died earlier this week, with her iconic photo of Dame Whina Cooper firing a rifle (at a possum)

Northland identity and fierce supporter of the country’s heritage Heather Ayrton has died.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga supporters and staff in Northland were saddened to hear of the death of Ayrton (nee Donaldson) QSM of Kerikeri earlier this week.

Ayrton served as a committee member of Heritage Northland Inc since it was created in 2015, and before that, as a member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Northland Branch Committee since 1984. She was also a coroner for the Bay of Islands for 27 years.

Involved with a number of community initiatives over the years, she was instrumental in the creation of the Hōne Heke Memorial Park in 1993, these days a green space in Kaikohe, which was once disused and overgrown with gorse.

“I’m quite proud of the project, and the way in which Māori and Pākehā volunteers worked together to make it happen,” she said at the time.

For many years she was also the Northland correspondent for the NZ Herald, a role that enabled her to form a strong friendship with Dame Whina Cooper. She took the iconic photograph of Dame Whina firing a rifle, which was picked up by media around the world.

“The object of Whina’s attention was a possum - Whina taught me how to fire a gun on that occasion,” Heather recalled some years ago.

“Whina contacted me whenever she wanted to make any comment on anything through the Herald and we got to know each other quite well over the years. She was a very good woman at heart who really felt for her people. She achieved all her objectives. She had a vision in life and stuck to it.”

Ayrton also supported such ventures as the Kaikohe Pioneer Village, served as the chair of the first Northland Conservation Board and the chair of the ethics committee of the Northland Area Health Board. She was also a JP for many years.

A love of history from a young age, plus her own deep family connections to the Hokianga and other parts of Northland, drew her to become involved with Northland’s heritage. Living in Northland - the place where some of the earliest Māori-Pākehā interactions took place, and where modern New Zealand first began - also stimulated that interest.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland manager Bill Edwards, who has known Ayrton for many years and worked with her as part of Heritage Northland Inc, acknowledged her significant contribution to heritage and the wider community.

“Heather has left a wonderful legacy that continues to enrich the lives of many Northlanders,” Edwards said.

“She will be sadly missed.”

Ayrton died peacefully on May 24 surrounded by family. She was a dearly loved mother and mother-in-law of Phyllis and Stuart Mossman, Garel and Patti Ayrton, Bonnie Collinson, Michael and Deirdre Ayrton, adored grandmother of Joshua, Emma, Benjamin, Rose, Jim, Katherine, Amy, Hilary, Charley, Daniel and Jack. As per her wishes, a service honouring her remarkable life will take place at St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Waimate North, at 11,30am today. . Following the service, she will be laid to rest at Kaikohe Cemetery, alongside her late husband, Robin William John Ayrton.