Prof Brooking (69) did his undergraduate degree at Massey under a scheme where he received tuition in exchange for working as a secondary teacher.
However, after coming to Otago to do his PhD Prof Brooking ended up a tertiary teacher instead, with a career so long he has taught the children of some of his earlier students.
While he is fascinated by the Italian Renaissance and interested in American and Latin American history, Prof Brooking's reputation has been forged in the field of New Zealand history - a topic he would like to see made a compulsory element in several degrees.
His works include an environmental history of New Zealand, a history of the Scots in New Zealand, and an acclaimed biography of former Prime Minster Richard Seddon.
''History is now the seventh biggest subject in schools - it's bigger than geography - so it's not doing too badly,'' he said.
''Interest in genealogy has been a big driver on the pakeha side and whakapapa in the Maori world ... and there is a lot more New Zealand history in the curriculum now.
''I would like to see more: so far as I know we are the only country in the world which doesn't make the teaching of its history compulsory.''
Several students paid tribute to Prof Brooking's service.
''Being a student of yours has always been a pleasure and never a chore,'' Ben Sinnamon said.
Clare Sullivan said being taught by Prof Brooking was a privilege.
''The interest you show in all of us and how you help us to be at the very best of our abilities, with a whole page of comments on any assignment we did, is much appreciated.''
Acting head of department Mark Seymour said reviewing Prof Brooking's file he found an early assessment of his teaching.
''It said he was 'unusually infectious', which I think captured everything.''
While he has retired as a lecturer, Prof Brooking still has a lot of work ahead of him.
He is co-editing a volume in a series on the cultural history of democracy and is about to embark on a major new history of rural New Zealand.
