Alumni
Throughout its long history, Rangiora High School has produced students who have gone on to make a national and international contribution to:
- academia
- religion
- the military
- the civil service
- politics (including four NZ Cabinet Ministers)
- sport (including seven All Blacks).
Notable former students of Rangiora High School include:
- Professor Dr John Abrahamson - First person to find and characterize Carbon Nano Tubes
- Lieutenant Colonel John Anderson, OBE, Military Cross (and 2 bars) - Soldier and Engineer
- Associate Professor John Ayers - Massey University, Winner of the 2004 Thomson Medal (Royal Society)
- Gary Ashworth - Recipient of the International Cricket Council Centenary Medal (for services to cricket)
- John Ashworth - All Black (1977-1985)
- Ralph Ballinger, OBE, AHRIH - Chairman, President, and Vice-Patron of Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture
- Todd Blackadder - All Black (1995-2000, including All Black Captain 1997-2000)
- Dr Ian Blair, MBE - Head of Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Lincoln College (1936 -1973)
- Dean Brettschneider - Professional Baker and Patissier with an international following
- Dr William Bryden, CBE - Principal of Knox Grammar School (Sydney) and Director of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
- James Borrowdale - Journalist and Writer
- Paul Brydon - Road and Track Cyclist (Olympic Games 1972 and Commonwealth Games 1974)
- Professor David Buckingham - Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Otago
- Sir Malcolm Burns, CBE, KBE - Agricultural Scientist, Principal of Lincoln College (later Lincoln University) and President of the Royal Society of New Zealand
- Ron Chippindale - Chief Inspector of Air Accidents
- Professor Malcolm Clark - Emeritus Professor of Engineering and Environmental Geochemistry, Southern Cross University (New South Wales)
- Air Marshall David Crooks, CB, OBE - Chief of Defence Force
- Dr Ian Cruickshank - Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO (Canberra)
- Berkeley Dallard - Under-Secretary of the Department of Justice, Controller-General of Prisons
- Professor Margaret Dalziel, CBE - First female Pro-Vice Chancellor of Otago University
- Dr Robin Dunlop, QSO - Chief Executive of the Ministry of Transport and the Secretary for Transport
- James Eder - Soldier, Firefighter and Author
- Professor Alan Ellis - Professor of Anatomy, Singapore University from 1958-1960
- Macey Fraser - Footballer (represented NZ at 2024 Summer Olympic Games)
- Detective Senior Sergeant John Gott, QPM - Lead Detective, Red Fox Tavern murder
- Mary Goulding - Professional Basketball Player
- Professor David Gunby - Dean of Postgraduate Studies, University of Canterbury (Christchurch)
- Brian Ford - All Black (1977-1979)
- Frederick W Furby - Private Secretary to Prime Minister William Massey (1912-1919), later the Chief Postmaster of Christchurch
- Henry Garrett - Rhodes Scholar (1940), Associate Professor and Head of Farm Management Department, Canterbury Agricultural College [later Lincoln University] (1939-1964)
- Jeffrey Harris - New Zealand Artist, winner of the James Wallace Art Award
- Tony Hawke - Canterbury Rams basketball player
- Don Hawkins - Author of "Beyond the Waimakariri" (1957) and "Rangiora" (1983)
- Hon Rodney Hide, QSO - former ACT Party leader, Cabinet Minister, MP for Epsom (1996-2011)
- Graeme Higginson - All Black (1980-1983)
- Trevor Hapi Howse, QSM - Member of the Ngai Tahu Trust Board
- Roger James - Thoroughbred Racehorse Trainer
- Cecilia Jenkins (nee Womersley) - Alpine Skier (represented NZ at 1960 Winter Olympic Games)
- Andrew Johnstone - Canterbury Rams basketball player and national U20 basketball representative
- The Most Reverend Bishop Edward Joyce - Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch (1950-1964)
- Alex Kennedy - Rower (represented NZ at 2016 Summer Olympic Games)
- Professor Bob Kirk - Emeritus Professor of Geography and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Canterbury (Christchurch)
- Dr Colin Knight, ONZM - Principal, Christchurch College of Education (1986-1995) and President, NZ Council for Educational Research
- Professor Christopher Lind - President of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
- Nuk Korako - National Party List MP
- Murray McCaw - Chairman, New Zealand Rugby Union (1999-2000)
- Ian MacRae - All Black (1963-1970, including Vice-captain 1967) and President, New Zealand Rugby Union (2013-2015)
- Dr Arthur McIlrath - Senior Scientific Officer, Physics and Engineering Laboratory, New Zealand DSIR
- Bishop Gordon McKenzie, OBE - Bishop in Cathedral Church of St Paul's, Wellington
- Luke Malpass - Political Editor, stuff.co.nz
- Brigadier Reginald Miles, CBE, DSO and Bar - Military Leader, Prisoner of War
- Jeremy Morriss - Paralympian, Boccia (represented NZ at Athens Games 2004 and Beijing Games 2008) and World Champion (Rio de Janeiro, 2006)
- Fletcher Newell - All Black (2022)
- Guy Newton, DFC - WWII Fighter Pilot / Director of Operations, RNZAF / Managing Director, General Motors Limited (UK)
- Angie Petty (nee Smit) - Middle Distance Runner (represented NZ at 2016 Summer Olympic Games)
- Tim Price - Equestrian (represented NZ at 2016 Summer Olympic Games)
- Professor Roger Reeves - Head of Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Canterbury (Christchurch)
- Gabi Rennie - Footballer (represented NZ at 2020 & 2024 Summer Olympic Games)
- Henry Richards - First Rhodes Scholar in Canterbury (1914) [killed in The Great War, 1918]
- Edward Roberts, MBE, JP, SBStJ, GCLj, KCLj, GCrLj - Farmer, culturalist and "Community Champion"
- Professor Graeme Schofield, OBE - Dean of Medicine, Monash University (Melbourne)
- Marion Saunders - Pioneering NZ Speech and Language Therapist (and mentor to Dr Jean Seabrook)
- Dr Jean Seabrook, OBE, MBE - Educationalist, Director of Speech Therapy at University of Canterbury (1964-1972)
- Scott Shadbolt, NZBM - Firefighter, recipient of the New Zealand Valour Medal (only the fourth recipient since its inception in 1880) for "exceptional personal courage" during the February 2011 earthquake.
- William Sheat - Horticulturist and Author
- Ian Sinclair - Test Cricketer (1956)
- Hon Dr Nick Smith - Cabinet Minister, MP for Tasman/Nelson (1990-2020)
- Brent Snellex - NZ Ironman Triathlon Champion 1987, NZ Ironman triathlete representative 1987-88, NZ Dragonboat Team 1995 (3rd in World Champs), Coach of NZ Dragonboat team 1996 (World Bronze medallists)
- Dr Clifford Stubbs - Quaker Missionary, Professor of Chemistry at West China Union University [murdered 1930]
- Henare Rakiihia (Rik) Tau, ONZM - Ngai Tahu kaumatua
- Cary Taylor - Chief Engineer for Brabham Motor Racing Team and Denny Hulme's number one engineer for the win at the Monaco Grand Prix. Denny Hulme and Cary Taylor moved to Bruce McLaren's Team in 1965 and Cary became Chief Engineer for the McLaren Team
- William Taylor - Senior Trade and Tourism Commissioner to Australia (1935-1942)
- Barry Thompson - All Black (1979)
- Dr Helen M S Thomson - Senior Lecturer, School of Home Science, University of Otago (1931-1961)
- Hon Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, ONZ - member of the Order of New Zealand, Cabinet Minister, MP for Southern Maori (1967-1996)
- Professor Michael Trebilcock - Professor and Chair in Law and Economics, University of Toronto
- Philip Trusttum - Leading New Zealand figurative expressionist artist
- Henare Uru - MP for Southern Maori (1922-1928)
- Dr Sarah van Eyndhoven - Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow
- Hon Bert Walker CMG, KCLJ, JP - Cabinet Minister, MP for St Albans/Papanui (1960-1978)
- Donna Wilkins (nee Loffhagen) - Silver Fern player and Tall Fern captain
- Katherine Williams (nee Fagerlund) - award-winning photographer
- Dr J Morgan Williams - Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (1997-2007)
- Professor Ralph Winterbourn - Chair of Education, University of Auckland (1945-1975)
- Chris Womersley - Alpine Skier and Winter Olympian, 1972
Rangiora High School wishes to acknowledge the work of Mr Ian (Ted) Piner (RHS: 1955-1957) whose research has allowed us to add to our list of notable former students.
If you are aware of other notable Rangiora High School alumni, please email us their details by clicking here.
