Just by heaven’s door there is a peaceful land of green

Under Southern Cross and where the day’s first light is seen

Fields and ferns and forests rare, with snow-capped mountains high

 Surrounded by Pacific blue, beneath the clear blue sky

We call her 'God’s own country', ‘cause He kept her ‘til the end

 Treasure in the Long White Cloud we call New Zealand.

 Two ancient peoples met peace beside Pacific’s shore

And there they made a covenant, they joined forever more

Justice and prosperity and freedom are our aim

And in this hope the children of every nation came

To build this land, our home, this is our place to stand

Keeping faith and hope and love, in our New Zealand.

Freely men and women came to build their lives anew

Not judged by class or creed or race but just by what they do

With courage, self-reliance, and ingenuity

Alone, or in their teams, they faced the world, and so will we:

We'll honour those who work hard, and those who lend a hand,

and those who serve with pride will say "We are New Zealand!"

(c) 2005 Barry McDonald, North Harbour, New Zealand.