Everett Thorburn’s story is closely tied to South Auckland, and the land his family called home for generations.

His book, Sunrise Over Whitford Hills, grew from a desire to preserve the story of Firmount, an eighty acre East Tamaki farm on what is now Ormiston Road. Purchased in 1864 by his great great grandfather, William Valentine Ralph, the farm remained in family ownership for 113 years.

For Everett, the story of the farm is also the story of the people who lived and worked there. It is about family, daily routines, dairy cows, crops, working sheds, early settlers and the changing rural landscape of South Auckland.

Everett’s life later moved beyond the farm into new chapters, including London, music, opera and international dairy cattle breeding. These experiences gave him a wider view of the world, while his connection to the land and earlier generations remained deeply important.

Through Ev’s World, Everett shares memories, reflections and family history that might otherwise be lost. His writing is grounded in gratitude for the resilience, courage and opportunity carried through the generations before him.