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Mary Varnham

New Zealand writer, press secretary, journalist and founder of Awa Press

Writer Public relations consultantPress secretary
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About Mary Varnham

Mary Varnham was a New Zealand writer, public relations consultant, press secretary, publisher, council member and politician.

Mary Varnham (born 1946) is a New Zealand writer and publisher. She was a Wellington City Councillor from 1998 to 2001.

Biography Varnham was raised in Paekākāriki until she was 8 years old, when her family moved to Wellington. She attended Paekākāriki School, Hataitai School, Wellington East Girls College and Woodford House. She studied a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English and political science at the University of Otago, graduating in 1969. From 1972 to 1978, she lived in New York City, where she worked as a writer, public relations consultant, and book publicist at Simon & Schuster.

In 2003, Varnham established Awa Press, a publishing company focusing on non-fiction works by New Zealand and overseas writers. She edited Peter Adds' book The Transit of Venus, which was shortlisted for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards in the Reference & Anthology Category in 2008.

Publications

Varnham, M., & Woodford House (Havelock North, N.Z.). (1994). Beyond blue hills: One hundred years of Woodford House. Havelock North, N.Z: Woodford House. Kedgley, S. J., & Varnham, M. (1993). Heading nowhere in a navy blue suit: And other tales from the feminist revolution. Wellington, N.Z: Daphne Brasell Associates Press. Varnham, M. (1979). Bhutan: Himalayan Kingdom. Thimphu: Royal Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Personal life Varnham married Paul O'Regan, a solicitor, in 1986.

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Important facts

Born
Wellington
Nationality
Education
Woodford House, Paekakariki School, Hataitai School, University of Otago
Employers
The Evening Post, Awa Press

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mary Varnham?

New Zealand writer, press secretary, journalist and founder of Awa Press

When was Mary Varnham born?

Mary Varnham was born in Wellington.

What was Mary Varnham's occupation?

Mary Varnham was a writer, public relations consultant, press secretary, publisher, council member and politician.

What nationality was Mary Varnham?

Mary Varnham was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mary Varnham

· Wikidata: Q106252726

· DBpedia: Mary Varnham

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mary Varnham. https://biography.guide/mary-varnham/

MLA: "Mary Varnham." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mary-varnham/.

Chicago: "Mary Varnham." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mary-varnham/.

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