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The pioneering farmers who established sheep stations in the Mackenzie Basin were mainly Anglicans and Presbyterians, many of whom were strong church goers and they originally held services in Takapo House - a hotel, not a church.
During the depression of the 1930s, local station owners formed a group to build a church that would reflect the environment and be a monument to those early pioneers. The foundation stone of the Church of the Good Shepherd was laid in 1935 by the Duke of Gloucester, and on completion eight months later, was dedicated by the Bishop of Christchurch. One of the forward thinking design features was a 'picture' window, through which visitors can see the whole length of Lake Tekapo with the majestic Mount Erebus in the far distance.
The church was constructed of local stone, and oak fittings inside, with the altar being carved out of a single piece of Oamaru stone. A short distance from the church is a bronze statue of a collie sheep dog, created by local Fairlie woman, Mrs Innes Elliot. While many think this monument is of Mackenzie's dog, Friday, it is in fact a memorial to the hard working farm dogs that helped develop the large sheep stations. A bronze statue of Mackenzie and his dog Friday can be found in the main street of Fairlie. Today the Church of the Good Shepherd stands as a lonely sentinel to all those hardy pioneers in this beautiful, but often harsh, unforgiving land. Visitors from all parts of the world visit the church every year, and many weddings are held in this stunning scenic location.
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