From fossils to farming families: Children's book raises $1000 for rural support

A childhood spent exploring the limestone cliffs of North Otago has come full circle for children's author Mary Duff, whose book about the region's prehistoric past has now raised $1000 for Otago Rural Support Trust.

Mary, who grew up on a farm near Duntroon, pledged a dollar from every copy of her book A Discovery in the Rocks to support rural communities. Behind that decision is a personal understanding of the challenges rural families can face, shaped by the loss of several people from her rural community to suicide during her younger years.

Later, while completing postgraduate studies in public health, Mary became increasingly aware of the barriers rural people face when accessing healthcare and mental health services. "I was just seeing the stats, all of the data that shows the gaps in healthcare that rural people face, and the mental health consequences of that." She believes recognising the need for help can be difficult enough, making accessible support services especially important.

The inspiration for her book came from a rather different part of her childhood. Growing up among the limestone cliffs near Duntroon, Mary regularly explored the rocks searching for fossils, long before she understood their geological significance. Her family's farm was in the same valley where the discovery of an ancient whale fossil in 1994 helped spark greater interest in North Otago's prehistoric past. That discovery, and the work of University of Otago palaeontologist Professor Ewan Fordyce, would later inspire her book.

Mary initially wrote a homemade book  for her young nephews, who were growing up on the family farm and facing the same challenges of farming around limestone outcrops. The story followed a child frustrated by rocks that wouldn't grow grass, until he discovered the treasures hidden within them. Encouragement from the local museum eventually saw the simple Christmas gift grow into a self- publishing project.

Released in October 2025, A Discovery in the Rocks follows Sophie, a young girl whose curiosity leads her into the region's ancient past. The book also brought Mary back to her former primary school community, with 110 local children taking part in art workshops at Duntroon's fossil museum. "We had 110 kids through that room, and they were prolific," Mary laughs. "At one point, I had to say, 'Okay, that's enough whales, everybody!'"

For Mary, the decision to support Otago Rural Support Trust was part of giving something back to the community that shaped her childhood. Although self-publishing has been an expensive undertaking, she was determined to honour her pledge.

Otago Rural Support Trust chairman Phill Hunt says the Trust is grateful for Mary's generosity. "Contributions like this help ensure our team is ready to support farmers and growers when they need us most."

The Trust's five facilitators are currently helping more than 30 farming families across Otago with challenges including bereavement, farm succession, health and mental wellbeing. "Donations like Mary's also help us respond quickly when adverse events affect our rural communities. We're incredibly grateful for her generosity and her commitment to giving back," Phill says.

Mary hopes to continue supporting the Trust through future book sales.

For more information about A Discovery in the Rocks, visit www.maryduff.co.nz.