New Zealand's Last Hippie Commune

Katajuta was founded in 1971, after six friends travelled to New Zealand's West Coast in search of cheap land. They found an abandoned farm near Fox River, purchased it for $6000 and set up a small 'hippie' commune. Since then, hundreds of people have been and went, attracted by its sense of freedom and communitarian ideals. There are now around ten people living at Katajuta. However, the group is getting old and the community is involved in a legal dispute that could force the land's sale. We went down to the West Coast to talk to its members and see what was going on.
Katajuta: / foxrivercommunity
/ thedepartmentofinforma...
/ department.ofinformation
Made by Gryffin Cook, Noah Ferguson-Dudding and Louis Macalister.

[@liberateyourslack]

Old mate's advice for the younger generation is golden: "harden up a wee bit and have a good look around." RIP Ross.

[@1112-g1x]

shit did he die?

[@sirfer6969]

Watch the Sun and the Moon, sounds like a kind of paradise to me

[@RandomNirvanaSXE]

"harden up" ahh yes the words told to men in this great country with significantly high suicide rates. Don't kill yourselves kids, just harden up! 🥱🙄

[@liberateyourslack]

@@RandomNirvanaSXE that's not the context that he said that in though, not even close. So either you didn't watch the video and are over reacting, or you are being brutally disingenuous and slagging a dead man's character. "Take a look around" champ.

[@fabiankawau3362]

@@liberateyourslack he's no champ, he's a chump, a modern day keyboard warrior i believe they are called ✌️

[@branbermingham9722]

Wow thank you so much for making this, Ross is my grandfather, katajuta is where is was born it’s been hard losing Ross from our lives but seeing this was very comforting for me so thank you.

[@kenmcculkin]

Sorry for your loss. What is a property worth there.

[@Threekayz]

@@kenmcculkin free

[@kenmcculkin]

@@Threekayz I was thinking of moving to NZ and looking for a place far from towns.

[@Threekayz]

@@kenmcculkin if you are a young person who still wants to live there life, or a first time business setup don't come here. You cant really do much here its boring as fuck and its very hard to be 100 percent independent without a job etc cuz small business here don't get money its a struggle to pay rent we got a crisis. im 23 i have begged and all for the opportunity to just leave this country.. and start overr in the US

[@Skatted]

@@Threekayz lol don't go to the US

[@jacquiwmch]

Rest in peace Ross. I grew up in the hippie communes that dotted the North Island of NZ in the 70's. My father returned home to pass away a few years ago and my mother finally left after a stroke. I'm not sure this is a good representation of the communities still left, there are plenty still in the North Island and it is those that I return to. The people I grew up with were hard workers, they worked hard on the land, they fished and they looked after each other. Nothing has changed, as always they prefer to live quietly without fanfare.

[@brandonlee1181]

So as a teen someone in Qld Australia, how realistic is it for me to eventually just go and live in a commune?

[@jacquiwmch]

@Brandon Lee Hi, I'm not sure how realistic it would be now in NZ. The communities I go home to are old friends/family. There are plenty of communities all over Australia, perhaps that would be a better start for you. All the best 🌞

[@David-og7di]

@@brandonlee1181 Not at all easy.

[@mattkay946]

incredibly high quality work boys

[@cerealspiller6168]

In my mid 20s, I contemplating going deep bush. It's good to know that other people in NZ feel that way

[@freeeflow333]

The bush is all that's true

[@angelakenning9285]

You will achieve great freedom to NOT BE PART OF THE WORLD social media what others think .live your life be who you are !!!!!!

[@theboraxbandit9563]

"deep bush" as a brit I found that hilarious...

[@harlequinn8392]

@@theboraxbandit9563 right up the crevasse my love.

[@BOON2785]

Same here !

[@GTTemperd]

That poem/affirmation-"Desiderata"- that the lady was reading in the intro is awesome.I grew up with it on the toilet door to read each morning and it totally used to set me on a good vibe for the day.Thats a beautiful place

[@lindasands1433]

I'm also a hippie from way back (still am actually) The communes all connected up with each other, and you knew you had a bed and a meal when you went travelling. It was a good option for a single mother. I've never lived an 'ordinary' conventional lifestyle. Now I live off-grid in the mountains & bush. It's hard work, but I love it

[@jackmiller8851]

Wow guys. What a pivot from JPEGMAFIA taking bud from strangers in an auckland mall, to mega deep and meaningful insight into NZ cultural history. Your skill and depth increases with every upload, I can't wait to see where you go from here. As always, a quality upload. I don't really do Patreon but if you can figure out some sort of one-off donation medium I'll be happy to send some gas money to keep you lads going. Much love and respect, keep up the great work.

[@TXiCN]

So sweet. They seem like a lovely bunch. RIP Ross.

[@thegreenlandshark6086]

Awesome video guys they keep getting better and better. The style in this one was cool it reminds me of Vice a bit, but you have a unique spin on the mini documentary that's really fun to watch.

[@tobinbh3940]

rest in peace Ross.what a beautiful legacy and memories you've created. amazing empathetic and understanding interviews..love your channel..

[@mr200mg]

The entire project, the systems, the situation, the environment, the beautiful people, how unique. What we've just witnessed, via this fantastic film, is the life of those wondrous souls heading into oblivion. We're seeing a threatened species at the end of their existence. They're coming to their equilibrium, as must we all. We should be taking notes, we should be preserving their views and opinions, we should respect their positions and achievements and we should call by with scones and biscuits for a cup of tea because we could only become ever richer for the experience. I feel saddened for your collective loss re Ross. Sorry, that rhymes. That wasn't my intention. He should have changed his name in anticipation. How thoughtless of him? Huge love and respect to you wonderful people.

[@tb3491]

So awesome to watch this. Fox River has always been my 'home' & it is because of you Billy, & Ross (so sadly missed) & Maj, Jane, Frank & Jane - I love you guys so much. Those years with you created the rest of my life.

[@theegwana2103]

I enjoy living like this I wish there was more place’s like this I’m 35 just starting off grid living quit my job n loving the life style there’s always work to do gardening and taking care of the animals that provide for us I do odd jobs 2 pay for the land No stress living is great :)

[@kyle3895]

Where abouts?

[@arn_lorraine_8612]

I'm wanting to live off grid too, live off the land. No people, no traffic, no police sirens.. Where do I start?..

[@theegwana2103]

@@arn_lorraine_8612 I got a camper van to start off because i can not afford $$ to build a house or cabin and no hassles from council for permits ect then … I now have a old barn with 2nd hand solar and wind mill set up private renting/lease or lease to own a slice of land off a farmer was my best option as can’t afford to buy/own the land

[@theegwana2103]

@@kyle3895 east coast

[@rogdav]

I feel like I would absolutely love to live like this... I mean, I can't say for sure, but everything just feels so personal and connected to nature. They seem like lovely people, I really hope that they continue to have ownership of the land... also, their vegetables look delicious...!

[@viewsONTRENDING]

Good on you young guys, getting out shooting stories, allowing us to view things we never knew we wanted to. Subbed

[@pirimoretukariri6256]

Everything about this place is magical and enchanting

[@OMDAT]

Love the respect you guys show for these folks. Lovely to watch.

[@sherylhokianga6075]

I Remember When I Was Bought Up On a Farm In Coroglen Where There Was a Hippy Commune Across The River From Where We Lived!..I Dreamt Of Becoming a Hippie After Seeing How They Lived!.lol…I Was Only 11yrs Old At The Time!..That Commune Maynot Be On That Gentle Annie Road Anymore!..I Have No Idea If It Still Exists Today!..Wonderful Memories!

[@keithwalker5452]

Yes I lived there.

[@MsAlien911]

Cool to see these folk on film. Good sorts Billy, Jane, Suzi And RIP Ross, long may fox river commune last.

[@tdb7992]

I was surprised to hear the nice older woman say "pack a sad". We always say "have a sad" in Australia. Brilliant documentary - New Zealand is such a great place.

[@dragomilosevic4823]

I forgot we would day that

[@FountainBeee]

What a blessing to have lived my first 14 years on the West Coast.

[@djhazzawazza43]

Thankyou for sharing this experience you had.

[@superchargedjay]

One of my favourite channels on the platform, and I loved this video. Glad to see such quality stuff coming from my home country :)

[@gabrielavonkanelfyfe74]

Beautiful documentary honouring the diversity of these people and their chosen lifestyles 🙏. Thank you.

[@lochlancampbell4364]

Awesome video yet again. Keeps getting better. You guys should have a look into the community’s Moehau and Mahana. Both up the tip of the coromandel peninsula, and both similar yet also different to this one. Vice has done a video on Mahana but it went in a unpleasant way and didn’t show at all what it is at the moment. Anyways cheers guys keep up the great work 🤙

[@NewZealandWild]

Great work guys ! I first stayed here in the 80's with Bukko, then down at thhe Stone House at White Horse Creek. Got married on the bridge in 2012 ... both since collapsed. Must go back and visit soon. Jane is great. Billy is back in Thailand I think.

[@vizbuck]

Theres heaps around my bro. I go to two that are near Palmerston North.

[@KonFry]

i see these guys going a long way in the broadcasting industry. quality content as always.

[@Mantras-and-Mystics]

Did anyone else cry at the beginning when she was reading Desiderata? 😮‍💨 Those idealistic days ...

[@illi_346]

Awesome video about exceptional people and community

[@johnboy384]

Wonderful story about wonderful people living free. All the best to all of them.

[@Fruppelkungen]

Well done, what you're doing here is really amazing and captures NZ in a way I've never seen represented before.

[@joetownsend4517]

bigger fan than the other guy

[@justjane805]

Thanks for the video. A lovely quiet story of people living well.

[@timmathers1749]

Awesome mini docs keep em coming love the content

[@pampossum9431]

I loved Ross immensely, he had a massive influence on my life along with many others at Katajuta, beautiful people.

[@finnjackson4083]

really high quality fantastic coverage thank you so much

[@Dannyjonesss__]

always look forward to these

[@VALTRY3K]

my god this is beautiful, great story guys, keep it coming

[@TheDepartmentofInformation]

thank you very much

[@watermelon2223]

Great video guys, keep this up and you’ll be pros in no time

[@juicee828]

Your projects are incredible you guys are soon to be huge much love❤

[@keepitstreet8662]

Bro's chillin with the 30m mic cable

[@scotishjohn]

Ffs hshahaha ffs

[@tahuaroa]

5:11 Papatūānuku being mentioned warms my heart… Arohanui, Tahuaroa

[@GTTemperd]

The Fox River is such an incredible place I would recommend visiting and walking there.There are awesome caves,bush, tracks and of course rivers.oh can't forget the blue meanies;-)

[@bush600r2]

What are the blue meanies? lol, sorry I don't get out much

[@bushmanphotos]

@@bush600r2 magic mushrooms

[@GTTemperd]

@@bush600r2 haha they're lovely little shrooms m8

[@bigsteve2052]

Quality of these vids goes up with every new upload, rate the work lads. Rest in Love Ross

[@reudy8518]

I absolutely love the Machinarium soundtrack in the background, great work

[@TheDepartmentofInformation]

thank you thank you

[@kiwinzdebz]

Yep I recognised it instantly too, one of the best game soundtracks ever, IMO

[@MisterChappy]

really good storytelling. really insightful. fantastic.

[@boji_03]

Guys, this was really beautifully done. Today we're all stuck in the aether. Sitting down and playing in the dirt is where we ought to be. Whether you guys believe in what they talk of doesn't matter. You showed them respect and covered it wonderfully. Keep up the exceptional work. Love from Aus

[@davidwilson2543]

This is excellent work ...really enjoyed it ! Thank you!

[@xjet]

Good work guys, I really enjoyed this video.

[@LuuvYouLongTime]

These people are so wise and insightful

[@E024_]

I hope places like this still exist when I grow up. I hope to live in a commune like this :))

[@hamishgraham4133]

Beautiful video, you guys are killing it and only getting better. Looking forward to the next one

[@Rjackw]

Great vid guys, this style of content I haven't seen done in a while.

[@MitchBragg-fi9ey]

I lived next door as a kid next to the comune at Coroglen up the gentle Annie, rangihau road

[@tripodfish92]

wonderful folks, wish them nothing but the best

[@terrymadams8591]

I lived there for 3 months in the mid 70s, it was a golden era.

[@terrymadams8591]

When I was there Ross had built a lovely dome house up on the hill and had a flying fox cable to winch materials up , it later featured in the NZ film Goodby Pork Pie . RIP Ross.

[@Michan4206]

Please never stop uploading

[@tvguy9041]

This is brilliant, I hope this blows up.

[@ngairemartin9753]

Beautiful generation I remember with love.❤ Arohanui.❤ from Queensland Australia ex Picton.

[@burgurxburgur5319]

Never heard someone use the machinaruim soundtrack for a documentary. Amazing video thank you for sharing this

[@hagathacrusty8995]

Awesome. love the old hippies, they know whats up.

[@anjalir75]

Great work and thank you for this video. Wonderful people all

[@KevinLJ-Photography]

Great doco team! I loved the portraits.

[@ViscousMeniscus]

Always excited to see an upload for you guys, keep up the amazing mahi!

[@monkeypig9458]

Brilliant work, so much B-roll gold!. I love what you are doing, thank you.

[@cassbarker1966]

Aaaaaawwww this place needs an injection of youth ! And such a shame that it hasn’t evolved as people age 😢 I’m absolutely positive that there is plenty of youthful likeminded people out there! 😊 maybe a marketing campaign to highlight this beautiful area! 😊 I’d be there in a flash if I didn’t have the responsibilities I do now! Maybe in a few years I could make the effort ❤❤❤❤

[@bushmanphotos]

what a beautiful place

[@daveroberts1099]

Nice doc.. but not the last Hippie commune , I’m in the north Coromandel and I count seven ! 🤣✌️

[@mikeryan4552]

how u guys only have 24k subscribers is beyond me

[@somenerdpng]

This feels like new zealand channel 5, and it’s fire. Love these so much!

[@Williamottelucas]

Might one solution to the problem of selling up be to find someone prepared to 'buy' but then donate the land back to the community? It's a shame to see those ugly red lines of ownership superimposed on that native bush landscape.

[@AlexCameron-q7z]

Really enjoyed this video I would so love to bring my kids up in this environment Sending love

[@kacp]

this video feels so calm

[@barron204]

Sad turn towards the end. Interesting video. Looking forward to more.

[@threeethreeethreee]

jolly good show - keep doing what ur doing and i will keep watching and keep telling others i know where the good stuff is ⋮)

[@Roughnready8]

Beautiful part of the world. Lived up at the Stone house for a while ❤

[@cheeseisdelicious111]

This is really well made and interesting. Great work

[@mrmrboundy6566]

you guys are making great stuff keep it up

[@goldtutch]

beautiful! oh i would love to find a way to be part of this! auckland is getting really sucky now, where is this? dam im missing out, sad to here about ross!

[@oddtings]

Powerful video guys. Great work!

[@loganlucas2052]

Well done fellas. Enjoying the content!

[@KahurangiSteez]

lol trippy i live like 30km from here. also definitely not the last hippie commune in nz, not by a long shot. ;-)

[@tanyaaldridge9695]

Voidseeker. Did Ross have a lot of children in his younger days. Long black hair and wear a leather hat and a poncho by any chance? I think I recognise him

[@slim9768]

Another great video, keep up the good work!

[@The__serpent.6.6.6]

I Would Love To Move There. I Live In Tauranga Now But I Have Always Wanted To Live In Nature Again. I Was homeless At 17 & I Moved To Omaio Down The East Coast Of The North Island.

[@jonathanmoeg1202]

More great characters and some awesome scenery to boot. Dropping the channel intro is a good move I think, straight into the meat.

[@haziyo]

Heard that Machinarium song, love it, good vid

[@carlingram1003]

Is ahh 40 considered young by their standards? I'd move my family there in a heart beat.

[@willlovell247]

Thanks for this legends!

[@paganmoon8540]

What a beautiful spot to live so tranquilly.

[@andreteodorescu7196]

Suzie's house seemed to be much more minimalistic, very nice looking house.

[@julianalderson3938]

Great queskions. An great vid. Thankyou

[@Corithaniel]

Patreon? Yeah, fuck it. You guys deserve it. I want to see you guys grow.

[@SPWILLY]

I feel like I'm from here but I've never even bin there. Buzzy as thanks for sharing mate 🌻

[@antonmorgan8031]

Great work again guys. Keep it up.

[@dubemccready7438]

Committment by these Kiwi is immense. I love how they are happy with their lot, do not make demands on themselves and expectations were /was what they made for themselves. Awesome cars Vanguards, Holden etc no doubt other names that have vanished. The future's not ours to see' words that are a mark of all humans on this planets. There is no distinctive difference in lives - We are all the same

[@ShaneYoungMMA]

Binging your videos, keep it up lads 🎉

[@mitchmcgreal1986]

Beautiful place and people xxx

[@robinbanks610]

Go the hippies✌️❤️. At 64 yo I’m still living the way I did in the 70’s here in australia. Never got caught up in the BS as time move forward😉. Just living on the farm on the nsw mid north coast man✌️