Anyone fascinated by wild and remote environments, dynamic landscapes and unique fauna and flora cannot help but love New Zealand. I have explored much of this extraordinary island nation, from the far-flung tropical atolls of Tokelau – what I call ‘Farthest North’ – to the snow and ice of the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. These journeys and experiences have formed the basis of my books – more than 40 titles, spanning a quarter of a century.
Through my words and photographs, and at times in collaboration with other authors and illustrators, I have tried to convey something of the essence of New Zealand – its nature, its geography, its ability to astound and inspire. Most of my books still in print have a Southern New Zealand focus. Natural history and geography are major themes – the Wild series, for example, and a series of visitor guides. A number of my titles have been published as e-books. These include the Lark Trilogy – all three titles – and Shackleton’s Whisky.
My home lies within one of the country’s best-known nature precincts – Otago Peninsula on the ocean outskirts of Dunedin City. A short distance away are populations of Royal Albatross, Yellow-Eyed penguin, New Zealand sea lion and New Zealand fur seal, about which I have written much.
From my study I look out on Otago Harbour, where my Scottish ancestors, both sides of my family, arrived before the Otago goldrushes of the 1860s. I live at Broad Bay, Otago Peninsula, with my wife Mary.