On the way to south from Timaru take a detour via Esk Valley, about six miles along the Blue Cliffs Rd, from St Andrews, and view the countryside. Esk Valley, is approximately 15 miles south from Timaru, about half way between St Andrews and Bluecliffs Station. In October the valley is absolutely beautiful and the Church is really appealing. On the main highway south to Dunedin just before St Andrews turn inland onto the Otaio River Rd which turns into the Esk Valley Rd and look for Church Hill Rd, take a right. Another way is to turn at St Andrews, turn inland at the old post office and go up the Blue Cliffs Road for a few miles and go across the 1st ford, Grays Crossing Rd [road name] turning at Creamery Corner [on Blue Cliffs Rd] and up Esk Valley Road to the Church Hill Road.

Do not use the Church Ford [on Church Hill Rd] across the Otaio River, it's not reliable, has a very soft bottom.

Very easy to find even for visitors. Drive up the hill to the church and park. There are closed gates often with magpies sitting in the trees lining a driveway down to The Anglican Church of St. Mary, Ryan's Road, Esk Valley. Open the gate and walk or and drive right up to the church. The church and churchyard cemetery are still utilised and there are quite a few folk are buried in the cemetery in the lovely grounds of the church. The church is firmly locked. Church is held there fortnightly.

This small limestone church, designed by B.W. Mountfort (1825-98), a distinguished architect, was consecrated 11th May 1880 for the late Mr Charles Meyer, former owner of Blue Cliffs Station (1870-1878) to honor his wife's wishes. She died 30 January 1878. Mr Meyer died in Scotland on 30th August 1878 at Loch Inver, Scotland but before he left New Zealand, he made arrangements for a church to be built on five acres and left £6,000 as an endowment for the Waimate Parochial District and £1000 for building a church in memory of his wife. He never had the chance to come back to view his gift to the district. Mrs Ellen M. Meyer would take walks over the sloping ground and view Esk Valley to the east and the Hunter Hills rising to the west. She had wanted a church to be seen from the original homestead site, seven miles distance, on the old Blue Cliffs Rd. The Rev. Laurence C. Brady arrived soon after and served this parish for thirty-six years. In 1879 the estate was sold to Robert Heaton Rhodes and was appointed church warden along with John Bradshaw in 1880 by Bishop Harper. A church was built at St Andrews in 1887, followed by a vicarage, and a church at Pareora in 1915. In 1917 a motorcycle was provided for the vicar to travel around the parish. St Marys has remained the focus of the parish but in the 1950s a church hall at Maungati was built and dedicated and a combined Anglican-Presbyterian Youth Hall was built and dedicated at Pareora in 1971. The parochial district joined with the St Andrews Presbyterian Parish, and formed the St Andrews Co- operating Parish. Rev Straun Duthie conducted the inaugural service on July 13, 1975. With changing social patterns, and rural economic downturn and depopulation and in 1998, the parish lost the services of a full-time minister. Rosie Staite was the lay ministry supporter in 2005.