Neville Peat
Encyclopedia
Neville Peat is a Dunedin
-born New Zealand
author
and photographer, based at Broad Bay
on the Otago Peninsula
. He specialises in topics about natural history
, notably that of southern New Zealand and New Zealand's sub-antarctic islands
. He has written over 30 titles since the late 1970s.
In 1994, Peat was named Dunedin
Citizen of the Year for his series of photographic books on the city and his establishment of the Dunedin Environmental Business Network, and in 1996 won the Montana New Zealand Book Awards
for his book Wild Dunedin. He has been a Councillor on the Otago Regional Council since 1998, and was its Deputy Chairperson from 2004 to 2007.
In 2004, Peat was behind moves to create an official flag for Otago
. This culminated in a competition run through the auspices of the Otago Daily Times
newspaper and Otago Polytechnic School of Art towards the end of that year.
In 2007, Peat was awarded the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship, New Zealand's largest literary award. It allowed him to complete two major works, a comprehensive book on the Tasman Sea, and the third story in the "Lark" trilogy exploring the nature of southern New Zealand.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
-born New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and photographer, based at Broad Bay
Broad Bay, New Zealand
The settlement of Broad Bay is located on the Otago Harbour coast of Otago Peninsula, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is administered as part of the city of Dunedin, and is technically a suburb of that city, though its isolation and semi-rural nature make it appear as a settlement in its own...
on the Otago Peninsula
Otago Peninsula
The Otago Peninsula is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies south-east of Otago Harbour and runs parallel to the mainland for...
. He specialises in topics about natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, notably that of southern New Zealand and New Zealand's sub-antarctic islands
New Zealand sub-antarctic islands
The five southernmost groups of the New Zealand Outlying Islands form the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic islands. These islands are collectively designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site....
. He has written over 30 titles since the late 1970s.
In 1994, Peat was named Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
Citizen of the Year for his series of photographic books on the city and his establishment of the Dunedin Environmental Business Network, and in 1996 won the Montana New Zealand Book Awards
Montana New Zealand Book Awards
The New Zealand Post Book Awards are a series of literary awards to works of New Zealand citizens. They were created in 1996, as a merge of the two previously most relevant awards in New Zealand: the Montana Book Awards and the New Zealand Book Awards...
for his book Wild Dunedin. He has been a Councillor on the Otago Regional Council since 1998, and was its Deputy Chairperson from 2004 to 2007.
In 2004, Peat was behind moves to create an official flag for Otago
Flag of Otago
Otago is one of the few regions of New Zealand to have officially adopted a flag.Otago has long been associated with several symbols and colours. The St. Andrew's Cross is one such symbol, in recognition of the former province's Scottish settlement...
. This culminated in a competition run through the auspices of the Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times
The Otago Daily Times is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand.-History:Originally styled The Otago Daily Times, the ODT was first published on November 15, 1861. It is New Zealand's oldest surviving daily newspaper - Christchurch's The Press, six months older, was a...
newspaper and Otago Polytechnic School of Art towards the end of that year.
In 2007, Peat was awarded the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers' Fellowship, New Zealand's largest literary award. It allowed him to complete two major works, a comprehensive book on the Tasman Sea, and the third story in the "Lark" trilogy exploring the nature of southern New Zealand.
External links
- Neville Peat - the authors website.
- Smithsonian Study Tours' Neville Peat biography