A group of Hāwea locals are hoping to find a way to purchase Hāwea Flat’s historic Presbyterian church, St Ninian’s, for community use.

The 87-year-old church was listed for sale last week because the Hāwea congregation has “outgrown” it, according to Hāwea minister Reverend Aaron Johnstone.

“We’re selling St Ninian’s as a part of our process to build a new church within the Longview subdivision [at Lake Hāwea],” he told the Wānaka App.

Anna van Riel is one of the locals coordinating ideas for the community to buy the church.

About 20 people attended a viewing at St Ninian’s on Saturday (December 21), many of whom were interested in supporting a community effort to buy the church.

They shared ideas for how the church could be purchased for use as a music venue, a cafe, art space, or to host courses and other events. Examples of communities who have retained churches include Tarras, and that community will be consulted with, Anna said.

She said a bank account has been opened where benefactors can contribute, and one local has already offered a Rita Angus print for sale as a donation to the cause. 

The group will meet again at the church at 7pm on Friday December 27 to progress ideas.

The church, which is adjacent to the Hāwea Kindergarten and Hāwea Flat School, was built between 1937 and 1938 by the Hāwea community. It is located on a triangle of land gifted to the community by the McLennan family in the 1880s for ‘educational purposes’, but the church is now on a freehold title.

In addition to regular church services, St Ninian’s has hosted Mainly Music for 20 years, and an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting takes place there each week. The church has also been host to one-off events such as meditation courses.

Century 21 agent Anna Findlay told the Wānaka App there has already been interest in the church from “all sorts of people”, including those viewing it with an eye to residential conversion.

Anna said she liked the idea of the community purchasing the church. “You always like to support something to stay in the community, especially when it has so much history.”

The church (which has a capital value of $330,000) is listed for deadline sale by January 20, 2025. Hāwea Flat’s former Catholic church (on a much larger section) sold in March this year for $1,620,000.