Community Session: History and a Life of Storytelling with Author John Steele

Join us for an inspiring conversation with John Steele, whose journey has taken him from journalist to business leader, to community historian and author.

John began his career in journalism with the NZ Herald and NZBC before moving into senior leadership roles across New Zealand’s automotive industry.

Retirement in 2009 was not the end of John’s story. Instead, it became the beginning of a deeply meaningful new chapter focused on community connection, local heritage and storytelling.

Drawing on a lifelong passion for history and people, John returned to writing and became an accomplished local historian and author. With three books already published and a fourth in the pipeline his work continues to preserve and share the stories that have shaped communities across Auckland and Mercury Bay.

In this engaging session John will explore:

• reflections on life after a successful career
• finding purpose through creativity, writing and community involvement
• insights into researching and writing local history
• why preserving community stories matters for future generations

John is the author of the following titles:  Smailes Trail (2011), When Toawaka Met Cook (2019) with co-author Richard Gates, No Ordinary Man (2019)

Event Details
📅 Date: Monday, 18th May 2026
🕥 Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Kowhai Lounge | HBH Senior Living | 139 Union Road

RSVP: Click the link below or email virtual.village@hbh.org.nz to register.