Emilie Bruce has been tramping in the NZ bush with her mum since she was four years old. So when her mum decided to tramp from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand, Emilie was ready for an adventure.

This journey is called the Te Araroa Trail. It is 3,000 kilometres long, and it took them six months. Emilie was only seven years old!

They began at a special place called Cape Reinga,

“…a sacred place where Māori believe spirits leap into the ocean to return to Hawaiki.”

and finished their journey at Bluff, celebrating with an ice-cream.

Along the way, Emilie and her mum crossed many types of terrain. There were beaches to walk along, rivers to cross, mountains to trek over and lakes to walk around. Tracks through the extensive NZ bush weren’t lonely because they sang silly songs as they walked, and native birds kept them company. They hiked through valleys and across wire swing bridges, canoed down rivers, and shot through rapids.

Sometimes the trek was tough, with stinging sand kicked up by wind, driving rain that crept down necks, no matter how many clothes or waterproofs they wore, or through mud that sucked at their feet, threatening to steal their boots.

Home was a little yellow tent, back country huts, or sometimes a ‘trail angel’ would offer them a meal and a bed for the night. Food had to be carried, so was light and specially dehydrated. Emilie’s favourites were tomato soup before dinner and she really enjoyed ice cream when they reached a town or city.

Tramping can be dangerous, and Emilie had a couple of scares along the way, a run in with some wasps and a sudden slip that resulted in a scar on her knee. But the beautiful wildlife, birdsong, people along the trail and many swims in rivers and streams made up for all the tough bits.

Emilie and her mum raised over $20,000 for charities through their trek. 2,200 kilometres of it was on foot.

Their tramping didn’t end there. Emilie and her mum continue to go on smaller tramps into the bush and NZ Ranges.

What an inspiration! Emilie Walks Through Te Araroa is a true tory told in Emilie’s voice as she tramps the entire length of NZ in 2021 with her mum.

In diary format, it begins with a quick introduction how the tramp began, how much they had to carry (shown in a great photograph), and their goal to fundraise for The Mental Health Foundation of NZ and Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ.

With maps of their journey and full colour photography throughout, Emilie tells her story. We see her in rivers, streams, on wooden tracks and mud. She sits on rocks overlooking steep valleys and eyes up ice creams in towns. She tells it like it is, not enjoying the cold, the rain or the mud that sometimes just can’t be avoided.

But her enthusiasm for the incredible adventure they have, and all she learnt about New Zealand nature along the way – shines through this amazing journey.

This A4 size diary allows plenty of room for a clear font for young readers, clear photo labelling, and even full page spreads of Emilie in spectacular NZ scenery. Photos of NZ native birds and Emilie’s own artwork from her actual tramp diaries are sprinkled through the book, illustrating different events in the tramp.

Emilie Walks Te Araroa is sure to inspire any young adventurer keen to get out into the NZ bush.

Authors – Emilie & Victoria Bruce

Age – 6+

Publisher – Potton & Burton

Non-Fiction

Take a look inside here

(2025, Potton & Burton, Aotearoa NZ, Adventure, Courage, Family, Real Life, New Zealand, Trek, Tramping, Hike, 6 months Hike, Nature, NZ Bush, Wildlife, Tent, Back Country Huts, Mountain Trails, River Crossings, Ninety Mile Beach)

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