UA-76545833-1 Chris Long, WildKiwiAdventurer, from Gorge River, New Zealand

Hi I'm Chris

I grew up super isolated 2 long days hike (50km) from the nearest road in the wilds of South Westland, New Zealand at a place called Gorge River.  We live off the land and try to be as sustainable as possible.  To do this we grow a huge vegetable garden, catch fish, and hunt deer in the wilderness surrounding our home.

As children, we didn’t have a TV, computer, or cellphones.  Instead my sister Robin and made our own fun and learned a unique range of skills from living in one of the roughest and wildest places in the world.  We both did our schooling at home and would leave twice a year with our family to visit the “city”.  Sometimes we would visit family in Auckland and even as far away as Brisbane, Australia. 

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The skills I had gained from living at Gorge River gave me a huge head start and along the way, I easily picked up the skills I had missed out on from growing up in isolation.

Since 2011 I have been on the road and have been incredibly lucky to experience more things than most people do in a lifetime.  I have worked through a long dark winter with husky dogs in Tromso, Norway, taught extreme survival skills at -40°C in Antarctica I have also sailed across the Arctic on a yacht and had so many other crazy adventures.

As I travel I make videos for my YouTube channel.  This way other people can join my adventures not just around the globe but also whenever I return home to Gorge River

Order my Autobiography

The story of how an extraordinary childhood shaped an extraordinary life.

On the West Coast of the South Island, past deep fiords and snow-capped mountains, Chris Long grew up two days’ hike from the nearest road. He was born into the country’s most isolated family, his parents committed to freedom from capitalist society and connection to the natural world.

In this inspiring memoir, Chris describes a childhood with nature on his doorstep – helping his father catch crayfish and his mother grow vegetables, playing with toys crafted from driftwood and jade, and learning to live in the wild – until, in his teenage years, he began to wonder: could he survive in the wider world?

By the son of the authors of A Life on Gorge River and A Wife on Gorge River, The Boy from Gorge River is an enthralling account of chasing adventure while forever staying true to where you come from.

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20 Comments

  1. Roger says:

    Thanks for the story Chris…

  2. Gary pye says:

    Hi Chris fantastic read we’re in the coromandel where are you these days I can only imagine the joy and interest sitting and talking with you one day I turned 80 last mon the 3rd. Maybe . Cheers for now

  3. Rowan Renouf says:

    Hi Chris, I really enjoyed your book from start to finish. It’s beautifully written with a lot of ‘pictorial english’ that puts the reader right in the frame. You and your parents did a great job with the grammar, editing and facts!
    Your progression from shy kid to ‘out there’ adventurer and story teller is inspirational. Keep up the good work and YouTube Wildkiwiadventurer blogs. Cheers n beers – Rowan 🙂

  4. David Farmer says:

    Hi Chris , Have just read the first chapter of your book , I enjoyed . I have read both your mum and dads books which I really enjoyed . I went to school in Papatoetoe with your farther so one day when your in Wanaka we could catch up . Good Luck and Best Wishes to all the family. Best Regards David .

  5. Estelle Marr says:

    Thanks so much Chris. Your book arrived today. Read the 1st chapter and throughly enjoying it. When read it will be in pride of place along side your parents books in the bookcase.
    I also have a Lilliput library outside my gate and I lend my special books to friends in the area of Karitane.
    Best wishes to you Chris and to your special family.
    I do hope you can talk Robin into writing a book.

  6. Estelle Marr says:

    I throughly enjoyed your parents books and now I look forward to your book Chris.

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