"I fell in love with the bush, the rugged terrain, the loneliness and wildness all rolled into a parcel and wrapped with the excitement of unknown territory. I was 14 and from that day, wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in the isolation"

Marnie’s diary entries have been woven into a story about the isolated, wild environment that helped create a young woman free herself from wretched feelings of social inadequacy.
Kept busy with mustering, fleeco-ing and fencing, her poignant and entertaining reminiscences are interspersed with tales of pig-hunting, pig-hunters, horses, boyfriends, fires, working dogs, life in the valley and the wide-open hilltops where the sky was the limit.
Over a period of 8 years, this ‘bird in the bush’ came to find her true self - through solitude, exploration, risk and adventure. Developing physical and emotional strength, she ultimately built the confidence to commit to a life beyond her beloved Pakihi valley.