Great Lake Tales with Steve Gurney

We're thrilled to have partnered with Taupo Chamber of Commerce in bringing kiwi icon Steve Gurney to Taupo for a special After 5 event at Hilton Lake Taupo.

Steve's new book, Eating Dirt, is released in August and he will be here to share adventures and yarns from the book...

Gurney believes that New Zealand society has morphed into an ‘OSH culture’; one where children are ‘cotton-wooled’ and everything is over-regulated, including adventure sport.

His challenge to us is to let children take risks — even if that means they fall out of trees occasionally — ‘eat dirt’ during a game of playground bull-rush and make mistakes, so that they’ll know how to find their limits in later life; as he has done.

Gurney is the living embodiment of a ‘V commercial’: high octane and fun. His adventures are extreme, his innovations are pioneering, his dreams are big. He is also very resilient. Like many Cantabrians, he lived through the major Christchurch earthquakes, lost property and had to take stock of his life. This journey led him to connect with his local community in surprising new ways and inspired him to undertake extensive research into the area of resilience, so that he could share his practical tips for recovery after any crisis.

You may remember Steve as...
He won the Coast to Coast a couple of times…
Invented a record breaking Pod bike, a kayak with wings and an anti-gravity paddle levitation device.
First nudist on NZ breakfast TV
Poisoned by bat dung while racing in Borneo jungles. Nearly died.
Fought back to win the Coast to Coast 7 times more in a row, a record 9 total.
Waxed his entire body for Dancing with the Stars.
Awarded an MNZM (Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit) gong for services to Endurance sport.
Wrote a best selling autobiography called Lucky Legs.
Crossed the searing Sahara by wind-power.
And travels the world adventuring and speaking.