A Wife on Gorge River

 In 2010, through the writing of Robert Long — aka ‘Beansprout’ — New Zealand met its remotest family and were intrigued. Now Beansprout’s wife, Catherine Stewart, tells her side of the story of the adventurous life in remote Gorge River.

On the coast of New Zealand’s South Westland, Gorge River is two days’ hike — fifty kilometres — from the nearest road. Relatively isolated, the only company is the odd tramper or hunting party who have come into the region and many weeks can go by without seeing any other people.

Born in Perth, Western Australia, Catherine came to live in New Zealand, aged twenty-two, to work at the Otago Medical School as a research Scientist at the Autoimmunity Research Unit. She has a Bachelor of Science in Pathology and Microbiology with Honours in Immunology from the University of Western Australia. It was while she was in Otago (in 1987) that she met Robert Long and tramped for six days in to his home on the remote South Westland coast between Haast and Milford Sound.

Two years later — after travelling in USA, Canada, Britain and Europe — Catherine returned and rekindled her friendship with Robert. She joined Robert at Gorge River in 1990 and they were married and had two children. Catherine has lived for twenty-two years on the coast of South Westland, while Robert has now been there for more than thirty years. The children, Christan (aged twenty) and Robin (aged seventeen), have grown up at the mouth of the Gorge River surrounded by untouched forest and native birdlife.

In A Wife on Gorge River Catherine answers many of our questions. Why did she decide to join Robert on the wild West Coast in such an isolated spot? Why and how did they raise their family there? Was it terrifying to be so far from medical help? How do they get enough food and supplies? How did she manage to join Robert, who had lived isolated for so long — and had his own way of doing things — and manage to make it a happy home? How did she home-school the children? And how have they all fared now the kids are young adults, forging their own way in the world?

With dry humour and fascinating insights, Catherine paints a vivid picture of her life at Gorge River and beyond. She tells us of the difficulties and triumphs of forging such a remote life and shares this unique take on raising a family.

A follow-on from the bestseller A Life on Gorge River by Robert Long, this is an intriguing tale of a family living off the grid that will leave you wanting to know more…