It was with great sadness that I received the news, from one her friends this week, that Christine Burney had passed away.

We first met her when we stopped at her cafe in Murupara on the way to the Whirinaki on a fishing trip a couple of years ago. A Murupara stop was usually a quick stop at the 4 Square for a pie and a drink but Christine’s welcoming creation, the DiPherenT Cafe, was a destination in itself, with a friendly atmosphere, great food, coffee and tea and plenty of useful local information. It became part of our routine to stop and catch up and when she opened her gallery and invited me to exhibit photos we would stop to replenish images she had sold and catch up on her latest upgrades and additions. We will remember her and miss her and her welcoming oasis every time we pass.