Catherine Stewart of Gorge River | Interview | Wild Kiwi Adventurer

[@raynesbr]

Absolutely love this family’s view of being humble, grateful and living in peace- something money can’t buy . Sending continued peace and good health

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you!

[@raynesbr]

WildKiwiAdventurer Thank you for sharing and inspiring

[@kuianderson965]

YOUR mum is beautiful wonderful interview, BLESSINGS to her.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you!

[@tonysullivan1603]

Your mom is SP interesting to listen to and both she and your dad would have to be very hearty souls.

[@kathyshepherd7117]

I love your mom. Amazing woman. I love when she says i work hard to put the food directly on the table other than working hard in the office, buying food from the super market. Why can't we be more like her? I think of it sometimes, but i don't have the courage. But she had the courage. That's what makes her extraordinary!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes it is a different way of getting foo, a much simpler way! And works if you have space to grow food. It's very rewarding. I encourage you to try, you can always go back the the old system very easily. I encourage you to give it a go

[@bedeudy149]

you can see she loves her kids very much

[@vdickeson]

Your mom is beautiful, awesome and brilliant! My mother heart could relate to her pride and joy in her children. Thanks for agreeing to do the camera interview. I enjoyed hearing your perspective so much!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Haha thank you! I will pass that on to her!

[@lunan491]

I second what you feel Vivian!

[@scottbalsom4490]

This place is where I long to be right now … looks like paradise

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! Yes its a pretty cool spot

[@user-rn3ur4wn1n]

I love imagining your life. Seems so purposeful.

[@selfreliancejourney-jacksi7349]

Can still smell the fire and the bread she made for us. Regards to your mum.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Haha! Thanks

[@qafworm]

I lov looking at your mum face when she talk, she had a sincere look & caring face. Do sent my regard to her, from Zul Malaysia.

[@Shadow_10707]

TY very enjoyable conversations..cheers Auckland

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you!

[@OO-qt7ec]

Your mother is an intriguing and beautiful woman. She is so engaged with life. In love with your families life style!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! I will pass that on to her,I'm sure she will be glad to hear that :)

[@HotPixelsPhotoVideo]

Chris; we love your Mum! I’ll always regret heading inland to the Pyke rather than north to visit the Longs. Our motto is: “Contentment is not having what you want but wanting what you have.’

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes exactly! That's a shame, you will have to visit another time!

[@khashy87]

beautiful mother

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes she is!

[@musicisbrilliant]

Bless this woman!! I think in general it'd be easier for a guy than a girl to give up life in modern civilization, what a strong, awesome woman. Dont know many who would be on board to do that.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! Yes she is pretty tough haha to survive out there!

[@elizabethflynn8455]

I've got what I need. Wow. Great thing to say. Great thing to acknowledge.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you!

[@nr1785]

Your mother is truly blessed. She gets to work in her own home.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes!

[@ramesh7019]

In complete harmony with Nature, loved watching it. Chris , thanks for sharing 👍

[@astondriver]

I read your dad's book on my ereader when hunting in haast region. Awesome and inspiring.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@casandrasarvis-kersey288]

Love it

[@yahushaiscoming7468]

I want your lifestyle 💖 definitely living the dream.

[@zingzimik5340]

What a lovely mom! I enjoyed watching your videos .Love from India

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! She ia a great mum!

[@wengwengtv1440]

Like how the way they live here.. God bless this family.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you!

[@kariwattsup]

I'd like some insight about the psychology of being this isolate. I see smiles and positivity in all these videos. Was there times that flared up as friction because maybe one or anothers certain needs required a creative approach tbat was learned along the way? You dad mentioned it gets lonely. Did anyone of your family ever become affected by this or any other thing us city slickers are forever plagued with. Not assuming there were, I'm incredibly curious. Not to be able to know for any other reason than a sociological pov. A bit personal but you are all well balanced and I don't feel afraid to ask. Obviously your family is quite happy and exude a strong sense of purpose from working daily for food and other necessities. That's what I feel our lives should be like all over. What a clean life! Amazing.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Than you! Yes ofcourse there can be friction living so close to eachother and isolated but there are lots of problems caused by having too many people around that you dont have to deal with aswell. Its easy to be happy isolated, just as much or more than in a city.

[@MissAshten]

These videos are awesome. It will be interesting to see how family life on the island changes when grandkids come

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Grandkids?? At this stage they are a long way off, maybe Robin will have children oneday. I am not planning on it...

[@MissAshten]

@@WildKiwiAdventurer haha that's what they always say! Well, when your sister has kids I'm sure your parents will be over the moon!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

@@MissAshten Yes that would make it easier for me not to haha!

[@jeffcameron3192]

I would love to visit, I used to live on Stewart Island back in the day and always wanted to see more of the remote parts of the South Island.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

You are always welcome at Gorge River

[@janao7753]

Thank you for a great video! It’s so fun learning all these little things about your lifestyle since it’s so different from everything I’m used to. Your family is amazing. Love all the way from Russia❤️

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! I want to visit your country next year!

[@janao7753]

WildKiwiAdventurer That's wonderful! Will be waiting for the vlog from that trip😊

[@koikitchen8935]

Superwoman 😍😍

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes she is!

[@lorenherrera6988]

💓💓💓

[@lunan491]

Thank you for sharing, Catherine.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

I will pass that on to her

[@freerangewhanau]

Have just found your channel Christan, what an awesome bunch of people. I'll hike in there someday with a few blocks of butter and some oranges for your old man.

[@ebat5069]

Very interesting thanks (mom):)

[@xolotlmexihcah4671]

Could you please do a video dedicated to talk about how you deal with health issues and hygiene by living off grid? I wish you, your father, mother and sister health, prosperity and happiness by living in balance with Nature. BEST REGARDS TO YOU ALL FROM AN AMIGO FROM MEXICO!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Hello to you in Mexico! Thank you next time I am home I can do that

[@xolotlmexihcah4671]

Thanks for your consideration! Blessings to you and your family!

[@shapienails3067]

Yes that sounds good , I wondered also if you or anyone in your family has ever gotten seriously hurt ? What about medicines , cuts , broken bone's .. so many things can happen do deal with ..

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

No we have never had an accident or medical emergency that needed immediate evacuation. Just a couple of times one of us has gone out to the doctors but nothing urgent. I grew up remote and knew I should never get hurt. So i didnt. And have kept that same attitude to life right through to now. I have still never hurt myself, which is pretty amazing considering the crazy things I do.

[@suleymanovnamidin918]

Wishing u and your family the best from Dagestan

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! Hi from Arctic Norway where I am at the moment :)

[@antjetautkus5506]

Still living between the sandflies ? 2024 Thx for sharing Hope you are all well Aroha🎉😊

[@janmccracken3954]

Just watched Ben Fogle's programme about returning to River Gorge after 7 years. Really enjoyed it. So followed up by watching your videos on here. I stayed with a family in Marlborough Sound, in 2007 who I thought were remote but your family far surpass them!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Oh interesting,I know one family who live in the sounds up there who mostly fly in and out and are quite remote. They have been down to visit us before

[@janmccracken3954]

@@WildKiwiAdventurer the family I stayed with were the Shands. It's actually Port Ligar, Pelorus Sound,Raewyn and Tim (sadly passed a few years back). They'd 10 children. I went in by water taxi but there was a road out to Nelson. Their kids hunted, fished and learned all the great skills you have! You're family are way more remote than them though. I stayed at their fishing lodge in Waterfall Bay to work there. With my 6 year old daughter. I got a little taste of living far from resources .... and powdered milk!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

@@janmccracken3954 awesome! That sounds like a very cool place, I like it up there

[@denbones1234]

Well done mum much appreciated I’m from the west coast (taranaki) ..originally( living in Australia 40 years..) but somehow I feel like you guys are slightly younger cousins...thanks for these vlogs ☮️👍🙂

[@kjgukibau412]

We would love to do this. Thanks for sharing your life story with us.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Your welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@homerg2724]

Slowly watching your videos without devouring them in all one sitting. My goal to stretch them out till summer of 2021 ...

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Oh nice one, so happy to have you watching! I try to publish every week too

[@brucemathewson6304]

Great stuff love to come see you one day

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thank you! Yes come and visit!

[@Kardoxification]

Just a tip, you can sun dry tomatoes, store them and use them during winter.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

For us drying things doesnt work that well because we live in a very wet climate and the house can be quite damp when we go away for a month. So yes its a good idea if you live somewhere dryer, for us we are still able to have green vegetables through winter so that is good enough for us. Oh we also bottle lots of zucchinis and beetroot. They last easily a year.

[@Kardoxification]

@@WildKiwiAdventurer thank you for the reply, wishing you and your lovely family all the best in the future.

[@mereanawi6194]

This is the kind of lifestyle that, especially in modern times, would only suit a select group of people. For everyone else it would be disastrous 😂 that's what I find most fascinating, how wellbeing & lifestyle looks different for everyone.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes it can look so different for everyone!

[@Katarina23]

Such an inspiring family you are. I couldn't imagine lasting in the wilderness. Its great that you have a chicken but doesn't the poor chicken feel lonely. Afterall all animals need other animals. Perhaps adding a rooster could not only boost your egg supply but also give her much needed company

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

She was very scared of other chickens, she thought she was human and therefore was very happy with our company.

[@chenoah7963]

Thank you for the video. great way to live and what beautiful work with all those possum skins Catherine!nothing wasted!

[@MegaMr28]

would love tocome and surf there..looks like a couple of waves.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes we have a good surf break on the river bar sometimes! You are always welcome

[@salpimienta10]

In my society we are very close family, I don't know, adults decide to get away from everything and everyone, but to decide for a child? I doubted if he's okay or not, but I see them so happy that I guess he's okay

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

I hope you can see after watching my videos that I am more than ok, I was given an incredible opportunity to live differently and gain a unique perspective on the world.

[@08really]

Love it!!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Thanks!

[@Absinthiiii]

Amazing video, thank you for sharing. My mom also have moved from the city apartment to a house couple of years ago and grows her vegetables, haves chickens and goats, ancient latvian breed of "sugarchickens" that is almost gone, only few people still have some left. They are small an also very friendly, curious, sit in the lap and follow around often. What vegetables in particular does your family eat in winter time and spring? I am interested how does your parents get the possum skins tanned? Does the helicopter takes them and than brings them back already tanned? Also beautiful works with fur, those kinds of hats are the best in cold weather. How does your parents take them to the city to sell? Not by foot apparently. Greetings from Latvia!

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Latvia! I was in your country a couple of years ago. They pay a professional to tan the skins. Its a hard job to do at home. And pet chickens are just the best! We had one for years when I was young.

[@babyblue6743]

I’m curious, I don’t know if anyone’s put this down in the comments, I’ve looked but can’t see a question exactly like this. what would happen in an emergency like appendicitis, a heart attack, or a fall, where someone is injured and needs urgent medical attention. Have u got methods, or people in place for these events?

[@spicydragon04]

@00:49 is that malunggay? (moringa / horseradish) I love simple life. I'm working overseas right now and I'm saving for my future I want to live far from a city someday.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Hey! It's actually carrots. I hope you can one day live a simple life. My parents started with nothing, they never saved money to move into isolation

[@mulyanimartha739]

Hapyy famely

[@craigperry7376]

Chris where were you kids born? In town or in at Gorge River? My Dad was born in Invercargill, but lived 1st 2yrs in Port Craig sawmill community. I thought that was isolated but you guys take the cake. Haha

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

I was born in Queenstown and my sister on a farm in Southland. Home births but not at our "Home"

[@anitakarklina2129]

♥️

[@piayootoob]

Being off the grid, does you family still attend regular (at least annual) medical and dental checkups as well as the weekly and monthly checkups when Catherine was pregnant?

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Dentist yes every year, medical much less often, Mum went out once or twice when pregnant for a checkup. Both Mum and Dad have a solid medical knowledge both modern and natural. Dad did 3 years medicine school diploma in natural medicine. we have had very few medical problems at Gorge River, we are away from most bugs. Mum and Dad go more regularly now that they are getting older but for many years the ONLY time we would get sick was when we were in a town. NEVER at home. People underestimate the power of living super healthy lives and how having a strong immune system prevents you from having medical problems. If we needed we could always get a flight out to the hospital or doctor. And honestly 90% of problems have been chipped teeth or broken fillings. I personally have done a lot of crazy wild things and have never ever had an accident. That's a skill I learnt from living in a place where getting hurt was not really a good option.

[@babyblue6743]

I wondered about these things, but that’s been covered m.

[@nr1785]

Where is Robin now?

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

She workes for the department of concervation around the south Island, NZ

[@kolomi909]

Please do daily routine, what your mom cook

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Ok i will try sometime

[@kjgukibau412]

How much does it cost to fly in food? Sorry if that's too personal a question.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Oh it varies in price but it's at least a few hundred dollars each flight

[@111mckenzie]

How do your parents make money to buy the things when they go into town?

[@anneofgreengables1619]

How come you didn’t get a boat?

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

The ocean where we live is always rough. The smallest waves ever are still 1-2m powerful breaking waves on shore. And then you have to travel for 80km through the southern Ocean to get to the closest town. Boats are very dangerous in our part of the country. Helicopter is easy.

[@davidkennedy3297]

Great interview with your mum. I was wondering do you or anyone ever surf at you place, it looks like it could get incredible waves. Thanks for your videos they’re awesome

[@orangestars701]

At 8:11 your mom said she paid your dad for the skins, why does she have to pay him? Lol maybe I understood wrong .

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

That's just the arrangement they have between them for the skins

[@orangestars701]

WildKiwiAdventurer oh nice. 👍🏼 much love to you and the fam!

[@lijeposovagajic4553]

I think if I am there I will have a goat for milk and left her alone ..will not escape..

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Great idea but because we are in conservation land we are not aloud any livestock, especially a goat!

[@thebobystop]

The End of the world

[@melinehhacopians1184]

Killing possums is murder.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

Yes I don't like doing it but unfortunately if we don't there is no way to grow a vegetable garden and there isn't any other away to get vegitables where we live other than by flying them from the shop in an airplane which is very expensive and bad for the environment at the same time...So i hope you can understand that we don't have a lot of choise

[@OO-qt7ec]

Its natural to hunt for your food. Not murder.

[@WildKiwiAdventurer]

@@OO-qt7ec very true! I got your other comment about a carving. Send me an email. [e-mail] and we can talk more :)

[@Hannah-no8yh]

Tbh , animals eat animals and humans are animals so it’s not a big deal really . The only reason why we care so much is because of how conditioned most humans have become to not killing the food they eat , if anything it’s better because it means your conscious of the value that meal or skin etc has and are less likely to be wasteful of it . It’s not nice but if it’s necessary then it’s necessary .