What do you hope to achieve this year?

Barry | Te Tai Poutini

For Barry, the West Coast means belonging. Belonging to a community that cares, and to a place where nature is right at his doorstep.

“We’ve got a decent section in Hokitika and we’ve pretty much raised our kids to be as free-spirited as possible.

At the moment, my wife and I have four kids but we’re all sort of crammed in a self-contained shed to a certain extent. It’s been a love-hate relationship with building a house by myself. I’ve had a few friends and relatives come up and help, but it’s been pretty hectic.

We’ve got a family farm up the Arahura, and that’s been our main connection to go get kai and stuff for dinner. We’ve got deer that just literally roam round, and then my father’s house is up there as well. So we have deer literally walking on the actual patio, which is a bit of a shock in the morning when you wake up, there’s a stag just sitting there looking at you through the kitchen window.

I wouldn’t change it or swap out anything. It’s definitely been the main part of my life just being here, and I definitely wouldn’t move away. The whole West Coast, it’s like a family vibe. So if anything goes wrong, there’s always someone to help.

Even if you don’t know them, you’ve never met them, they’ve always got this welcome-home feel about them. They’re just very inviting. That’s one thing I’ve always loved. We just reciprocate love.”