[1][2] A small Anglican church, known as St Peter's Church, was built by Bert Weenick and Harry Bush at Jacobs River in 1931, on land donated by local farmer Bob Ritchie.

[3][4][5] The church was opened on the morning of 13 December 1931, following by a picnic lunch, and the first service with a congregation of 62 worshippers took place that afternoon.

[6] It was later taken over by the Roman Catholic church when the Anglican congregation in the area declined, and renamed Our Lady of the River.

[5] Two years later, on 1 February 2020, a memorial on the site was blessed by Anglican and Catholic bishops of Christchurch, Peter Carrell and Paul Martin, and the Māori Anglican bishop of Te Waipounamu, Richard Wallace.

[8] The school buildings and land were subsequently purchased by Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio.