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00:00From the windswept cliffs of Australia's course line to the ancient silence of the New Zealand bush
00:10I'll venture the places where the landscape still calls the shots
00:23Every decision is shaped by the elements
00:31And the isolation
00:36Look how beautiful this is, that is unbelievable
00:40What I've discovered isn't just clever design
00:45It's passion
00:48This is a healing house, it's like our marriage
00:51It's creativity
00:54Looks like some alien ship that's landed from outer space
00:59And it's survival
01:02On an island that doesn't have a corner store
01:05You can't just shoot down and get a little side of something
01:08Because out here
01:10You meet a different kind of person
01:14Friend or foe?
01:16Definitely friend
01:18Daring
01:19I want Pat's house, I want her house, I want her shower, and I want her bathtub
01:24Innovative
01:26And deeply connected to the land they live on
01:32My grandfather must have really loved my grandmother
01:36To have built a room like this for her
01:39Should we move on?
01:41Because we're going to cry
01:42Join me, George Clark
01:47And together we'll discover
01:49Some of New Zealand and Australia's wildest hauls
01:53Now this is how you do a morning commute
02:12I'm on a private boat
02:16Heading out into the wilderness of the Horaki Gulf
02:20I've honestly got that buzzing feeling you get
02:25When you know you're at the start of an adventure
02:28While my journey is a mere 40 minutes from Auckland City
02:34I will be leaving behind all of its big city conveniences
02:39Like shops, restaurants and electricity
02:43Who needs them?
02:45I am feeling a bit weary though
02:50I'm told that out here
02:52Southern gales and tropical storms rule
02:55And the weather can change its mood
02:59At the drop of a hat
03:00But luckily for me
03:04Today the sea is calm
03:05The sky wide
03:08And clear
03:09And I'm in the safe hands of my skipper, Steve
03:14Who makes this trip several times a week
03:17So Steve, I'm on a bit of a journey of discovery
03:21Tell me about Raquino
03:24Raquino is a beautiful little island
03:27With a colourful collection of locals
03:30And how big is the island, roughly?
03:33It's about two and a half kilometres long
03:36And about just over one kilometre wide
03:39So that's pretty tiny
03:40And the number of permanent residents?
03:43I think there's 18 people that live here full time
03:4518 people?
03:47Yeah, yeah
03:48So they all know each other pretty well, I'd say
03:50That is incredible
03:51Raquino is the smallest inhabited island in the Horaki Gulf
03:59Its permanent population may be small
04:06But on weekends, its 76 dwellings
04:09Welcome visitors looking to escape the city
04:11And reconnect with the quiet simplicity of island life
04:17Thank you very much
04:22You're a superstar
04:23Awesome
04:23Take care, look after yourself
04:24Good on you, mate
04:25Unsurprisingly, there are no taxis or buses
04:30No hospital or emergency services
04:36And the ferry only comes every few days
04:41This should be an experience
04:45Now, unlike some of the islands I've been to
04:51Raquino does have roads
04:53Not many
04:53And they're very small
04:55But they do have lots of cars
04:57And what's slightly weird
04:59Is they're all just hanging out in the same place
05:02Now, because there's only one car ferry a month
05:08When people do get their cars here
05:11They tend to just leave them
05:13Unfortunately, some of these have been here
05:15For a long, long time
05:17Most of them probably don't even move
05:20But the good thing for me
05:22Is I get to borrow a car
05:23I think it's this one
05:26I just hope it starts
05:29Yeah, this is it
05:34Look at the cobwebs
05:35It's covered
05:37I don't think this has been used for a while, actually
05:40I won't bother
05:42Now, this might look like I'm stealing someone's car
05:47But don't worry, I'm not
05:50It's been loaned to me by a local
05:53I wonder when this car last moved
05:58Looks like it's been a while
06:00Come
06:02That
06:03Should
06:05Awfully
06:07Work
06:09Woohoo
06:12She starts
06:14Thank God for that
06:16I mean, the number of cars for an island this small
06:23Is kind of ridiculous
06:24Let's get away from all this
06:26And then
06:28Mother Nature
06:31When the island was divided and sold off in 1965
06:39The public had a choice
06:41Claim a sprawling ten-acre block
06:44Or stake out a modest plot for a single home
06:47This, along with the minimal amount of roads
06:52Resulted in small clusters of houses
06:54In all shapes and sizes
06:57So the house I'm about to see is bang on brand for me
07:02It's a tiny house
07:04But what makes it so special is that it's been inspired by the space-saving ideas of a boat
07:10So here it is
07:18This is a tiny house with huge personality
07:27Sitting in an elevated position
07:30With a roof line that mirrors the gradient of the site
07:34This beautiful two-bedroom home
07:38Is far beyond what I was expecting
07:41Hello
07:45You there, George?
07:47Hey, how are you doing?
07:49Architect and homeowner, Arch
07:51Along with his wife, Anna, a lawyer
07:53Have broken the moulds of how a holiday home should look and feel
07:58Isn't it special?
07:59Very special
08:00It's a little bit of a shift, actually
08:02Because I've seen lots of houses by the sea where the roof goes up
08:05You know, it's like
08:06Let's have that kind of view thrown open as much as possible
08:09Yeah
08:09But yours drops down
08:11Yeah
08:11And really draws your eye down to the bay
08:14Right down into that view
08:15I mean, I can hardly see the horizon
08:17Yeah, yeah, very much intentional
08:19It's kind of like a lens
08:20Concentrate that view down into the bay
08:25With no building merchant on the island
08:30Arch and Anna's home had to be pre-built on the mainland over four months
08:35But in order to fit it on the board, they had to get creative
08:40Most of it is prefabbed
08:43And we had that initial constraint of a 3.2 metre width
08:46And a 4.2 metre height
08:48It was the sort of easiest size before it started to get really complicated
08:52With pilotage and the route you have to take
08:54I see
08:54So I'm a real kind of believer that constraints actually drive really good solutions
08:59Archer's solution
09:01Completely fit out the interior of the structure
09:05Before shipping it to Rikino
09:07Saving on build time and costly trips back and forth
09:12We went out a few times while the prefabs were being put together
09:16And then you stand in them and go
09:18Oh yeah, I can live here
09:20Everything up to the edges of the walls came out on the back of a truck
09:25Which in turn was put on a barge
09:29Which then sailed out here, drove off
09:31Puffer squeaks were
09:33There's a couple of vehicles that were left by the side of the road
09:36And had about an inch to spare
09:38We were asked if we wanted to be here for the day that it got installed
09:42And we were like, no one's
09:43Did you say no?
09:45No one's lives are improved by us being there
09:48Our builder was fantastic
09:51Really trusted Scott
09:53We got WhatsApp updates through the day
09:55It's coming up the hill
09:57We get it slung off the crane
09:59They haven't dropped it
10:00They put it on the footings
10:01The building's the same size as the footings
10:03Perfect
10:04So did you not come here for that part of the build
10:08Because you didn't want to put pressure on the builders
10:10Or you couldn't bear to see it if it went wrong?
10:12I think it was my heart rate
10:13Your heart rate?
10:15Yeah, like
10:16Nope, leave them to it
10:18Protect my heart
10:19Yeah, yeah, yeah
10:20Well then, let's explore your mini miracle
10:24Love to show you around
10:25Love to show you around
10:27Oh, that's very cute indeed
10:31This is a tiny 30 square metre house
10:36Huge on innovation
10:38Lovely little spot to be in
10:41Just facing out to the sea
10:43I like that because you haven't got any hinge mechanisms
10:45Or anything like that
10:46It's literally lift the panel off
10:47Clip it in
10:49Yeah
10:49Pull the legs down
10:50Very spatially efficient
10:54I mean, your living space
10:56Which is probably one of the tiniest I've ever seen
10:58Is tucked right in the corner there
11:00Yep
11:00Then you've got a whole kitchen run down this side
11:03Staircase that side
11:05To a little kind of mezzanine level
11:07Little bedroom up there
11:08And then what's at the back?
11:10Just a teeny little bathroom
11:12What else have we got?
11:14I know you love a window seat, George
11:15I do love a window seat
11:17I'm glad you picked up on that
11:18Yeah, so we've got a big kind of storage locker in here
11:21Which is more kind of valuable space
11:23And just kind of perch ourselves in here
11:25This is one, really one of my favourite kind of spaces
11:27Morning sun comes in
11:29It's really beautiful
11:30And, you know, if the mood really takes you
11:32And you're absolutely tuckered out after a day at the beach
11:35You can just stretch out into there
11:38And catch 40 winks
11:41There you go
11:43Maybe after an afternoon gin and a day's swimming
11:47So, yeah
11:48By utilising space where other people wouldn't
11:53And lots of storage everywhere
11:55Look at that, full-eyed pantry
11:57Cramped in everywhere
11:58Arch has made this home
12:00Which is barely the size of a large caravan
12:03Film more than twice the size
12:06Very simply done, but very efficient
12:09That's the idea
12:11And I think one of the really big influences was
12:13Anna got us into sailing about 10 years ago
12:16And one of the wonderful things about sailing is that
12:18That spatial efficiency
12:19Nothing is wasted
12:21So, you know, you use every space
12:23And there's lots of ingenious little devices
12:25Inns and unders
12:26And that really influenced what we did here
12:28And just like on a boat
12:31The sleeping quarters are tucked away out of sight
12:34Kind of like the forward berth, if you imagine
12:38So, a really tight little space nestled up in the roof
12:42Really close to the ceiling
12:43That's very, very, very cosy, isn't it?
12:46Yeah, and the central skylight
12:47Like you can look up
12:48Look through, see the stars at night
12:51And it's so cosy
12:54You know, in a storm
12:56You hear the rain beating on the roof
12:57Which we just love
12:59We find that really soothing
13:00It's beautiful
13:02Well done, Nick
13:03What I love is clearly for Arch
13:06This was even more than a passion project
13:09He was absolutely meticulous
13:14In his planning and overall design
13:17And it shows
13:20I'm on Rakino Island
13:30Off the east coast of New Zealand
13:33Checking out a tiny house
13:36That's being cleverly inspired
13:38By a boat
13:39It's really cute
13:42And I'm told
13:46Homeowner Arch and Anna
13:48Have an even tinier structure
13:50That's right up my alley
13:52So this was
13:54I mean, that's like
13:55I was gonna say
13:57That's as cute as the actual building
13:59In the palm of your hand
14:00Probably more cute
14:01For some reason I feel like
14:03I'm living inside an architectural Russian doll
14:05You've kind of got this one
14:07And then this one
14:07Is there another one inside there
14:09And then another one
14:09There's one in there
14:10At a table
14:11That's just this big
14:12Yeah
14:12That is a beautiful model
14:15Talk me through
14:16Those lovely triangles
14:18That go down the side elevation
14:19They kind of give us a third space
14:22Outside the building
14:23It's that arrival corridor
14:25And it was really lovely
14:26Having the side of the building
14:27On one side
14:28And then this geometry
14:29That wobbles up and down
14:30And frames that kind of view
14:32And they also play
14:34A really important structural role
14:35Because it braces the whole thing together
14:37Yeah
14:38This is in what's termed
14:39An extreme wind zone
14:41Which is the highest wind zone
14:42You can design to
14:43And it gets a real lashing
14:44And so that big
14:46Kind of triangular beam
14:48If you like
14:48On the side
14:49Is strapping the entire thing down
14:51Yeah
14:51So of course triangles
14:52Are perfectly structural right
14:54So the whole thing
14:54Is this big bracing line there
14:56You really don't know
14:58Until you've sat through
14:59The howling gale
15:00And wondering how it's going to go
15:02And now we're
15:03You know
15:03We're really comfortable
15:04It's very secluded
15:09It's not too far away
15:12From Auckland
15:12But it still feels quite wild
15:14And remote
15:15Doesn't it
15:15Not many people come here at all
15:17Because it's not easy
15:18You've got to go
15:20Get your gas bottles refilled
15:21And clamber up the hill
15:23You know
15:24You've got to bring everything
15:24Every couple of months
15:25Everything you need
15:26There is nothing you can buy here
15:28So you've got to be quite resourceful
15:30And how respectful of the community
15:33Did you need to be with the build?
15:35I think it came naturally
15:36From our constraints
15:37That we weren't going to build
15:38A three-storey house
15:39Obviously
15:40But I think we never
15:41Would have considered that
15:42Because it's got to be
15:44In keeping with the landscape
15:45From the silhouette
15:49That sort of
15:50You know
15:51Mimics the landforms
15:52To the colours
15:53Which blend in
15:54I suppose you've got to be
15:58Respectful of
15:58The landscape
15:59As you mentioned
16:00But also
16:01Of the people
16:01Your neighbours
16:02And the other people
16:03On the islands
16:04Yeah
16:04Because you're all sharing it
16:05You're all part of it
16:06Aren't you?
16:06Yeah
16:07That's right
16:07I've only been on
16:14Rakino Island for a day
16:16But already I'm struck
16:19By the creativity
16:20And determination
16:21Of its residents
16:23Nothing really
16:26That tall
16:26Everything's like
16:27Two storeys
16:28Low lying
16:30Beautiful
16:32And this couldn't be more the case
16:38Than at the next house
16:40On my journey
16:41Dramatically poised on a sheer bluff
16:50Overlooking the breathtaking West Bay
16:53This extraordinary piece of architecture
16:57Commands both attention
16:59And all
17:00Just how beautiful
17:04And minimal
17:05Is this?
17:07But for owners Stephen
17:09The company director
17:11And his wife Stacy
17:12This place has more than just
17:15A two bedroom weekend hideaway
17:17From their home in Oakland City
17:19It's a statement piece
17:23A stunning work of art
17:26Grounded
17:28Right at the edge of the earth
17:30Hello
17:33How are you doing?
17:36Stacy, lovely to meet you
17:37Good, I do
17:37How are you?
17:38You well?
17:39Yeah
17:39Stephen, nice to meet you, mate
17:40How's things?
17:42I mean, the house is staggering
17:44We'll talk about that in a second
17:45But hang on
17:46Look at that
17:46That is unbelievable
17:49What a location you're in
17:50You are unbelievably lucky
17:52Very lucky
17:53It's really special
17:55Because as soon as I've walked up to it
17:58It's like looking at a modernist pavilion
18:00How did you come up with this architectural design?
18:04Darren Jessop came up with the concept
18:06He wanted the glass house look
18:08And he's the architect
18:08He wants a pavilion here
18:09And he wanted it as open as possible
18:11It lent itself to basically being a pavilion on the water
18:15So it's all about that horizontal
18:17There's hardly any verticles in this at all
18:20The verticles have been played right down
18:21There's no walls
18:22No walls
18:23There's no walls
18:24There's glass
18:24You don't need much artwork
18:25Exactly
18:26Well, why do you need artwork when you've got that?
18:29Exactly
18:29I mean, that's the greatest landscape ever
18:31Exactly
18:31And you're surrounded by the most gorgeous nature
18:34Talk me through what we've got
18:35Well, the funny thing is
18:36These two big bodicards
18:38My wife calls them the guardians of the bay
18:41And they're probably 400 or 500 years old
18:44Guardians of the bay
18:51Yeah
18:52What a lovely phrase that is
18:54Now you know that
18:55And you look at them again
18:56Absolutely
18:57They've been there for hundreds and hundreds of years
18:59They were pretty much all that was here
19:02When we built
19:03Because originally Rekino was cleared for farmland
19:07Every tree on this property
19:11That you see now that's huge
19:13We've planted
19:14In recent years
19:18Property owners like Stephen and Stacey
19:20Along with local councils
19:22Have been actively trying to reforest the island
19:26Which has thankfully seen many bird species return
19:30That's incredible
19:35Yeah
19:35That is incredible
19:37So can I see the house?
19:39Can I have a little mini toast?
19:40Stephen, should we do it?
19:41Of course you can, George
19:42Come on
19:43Let's go for a walk
19:44There's a cover charge there, George
19:46I'll tell you what
19:51It's nice just walking into the shade
19:53It is hot out there today
19:56But it's brilliant
19:57The roof is just like one huge shading device, isn't it?
20:00You've even designed it
20:01With these amazing big overhangs
20:04Either side to give a little bit of protection
20:05From the summer sun
20:07Yeah, it's very much a big umbrella
20:10One massive umbrella
20:12And everything in between
20:13Just look at it
20:13It's just floating
20:14That is a floating roof
20:16Over the top of the simplest, most minimal steel structure
20:19Very clean, isn't it?
20:20What timber have you used?
20:22That cedar in the roof
20:25All the sacking
20:25And then this is French oak
20:27Skipped
20:28It's a little bit unusual
20:29And what they do is
20:30They put it down rough sawn
20:31And sand it afterwards
20:33So you end up with this rusticated
20:35Oh, I like that
20:36In New Zealand we're always trying to create
20:38Sort of a bit of history
20:39And a bit of Europe now
20:40Because New Zealand doesn't
20:42Sort of have the depth
20:43I love that
20:45So it's a way of doing floors
20:48That look like they're 100 years old
20:50This home may not be steeped in history yet
20:55But it does have a layout
20:57That's all about bringing people together
21:00Because you've got your living room
21:02Your dining table in the middle
21:04And then the kitchen at the end
21:05And then opposite the kitchen
21:09A beast of a fire
21:11It's enormous
21:12The big focal piece, really
21:14It's absolutely enormous
21:16I mean, that's like
21:16One, two
21:17That's three metres wide
21:18We did fill it up one night
21:20And have the whole thing going
21:21And we couldn't
21:22We had to stand behind the kitchen
21:24It was too hot
21:25We've never been able to do it since
21:27I'm not surprised
21:28That will belt out so much heat
21:30During the winter months
21:31It's true, isn't it?
21:31It's beautiful, mate
21:32Beautiful
21:33Can we see some more?
21:35Should we do the bedrooms?
21:37Certainly can
21:37How many bedrooms have you got?
21:39Two bedrooms
21:39How many bathrooms?
21:41Two en suite
21:42So bedroom two's there
21:48So this is your primary bedroom
21:51Look at that
21:55That's beautiful, mate
21:57There's so much thought
22:00Behind every detail
22:02Welcoming
22:03And properly homely
22:05It's so simple
22:08It's like
22:09Solid wall
22:10Solid wall
22:11Full height doors
22:11Which I love the full height doors
22:13To be honest
22:13I've got exactly the same detail
22:15In my house, by the way
22:15Glass
22:16Glass
22:17Thin column
22:19Thin column
22:19Just propping up that gorgeous roof
22:21And then view
22:22It's very timeless, isn't it?
22:24When I consider we built it
22:252007, 2008
22:27We haven't done anything to it
22:29That's like
22:29So, yeah
22:30That's 15, 17 years later
22:32And then it all opens out
22:34Onto the deck
22:35Every room does, doesn't it?
22:36Every single room in the house
22:38Opens out of the deck
22:39And even your toilet
22:42Has an amazing view, mate
22:43You can sit on that loo
22:45And look out at that
22:47This home may look calm and effortless now
22:54But the path to get here
22:56Was anything but
22:58Just a short 40-minute boat ride
23:08From Auckland City
23:09Sits Stephen and Stacey's
23:11Remote clifftop hall
23:13The bedroom, too
23:15I can even see your fireplace
23:17Just down there at the end
23:20Everything opens out of the deck
23:22And then gets the reward of the view
23:24It was this unique bit of coastline
23:28That brought them to Racky, North Island
23:30And I'm dying to know
23:33What building out here
23:34In the thick of the wild
23:36Threw at them
23:38Crikey, look at that
23:42Is a building site
23:43Completely blank site
23:45Right next to the water
23:47Steep as well
23:49You've got the barge
23:51You've got the massive digger
23:53You've got the piles going in
23:54You've got a huge amount of groundworks
23:56It's quite a feat of engineering, actually
23:58Yeah, especially when you consider the piles
24:01How deep are they?
24:0315 metres
24:0315 metres?
24:04So they basically go to the bedrock
24:06You could build a 30-storey building
24:07And it would stay up
24:08The councils, they're very weary of coastal builds
24:12Well, if I'm honest
24:13If the island got washed away
24:14I think the house would still be here
24:15With all those piles
24:16It would be like an oil rig
24:18Yeah, it would
24:1815 metre deep foundations
24:20Do you get battered by the elements?
24:22When it blows, it blows
24:24Because I can feel it even today
24:25It's quite a calm day
24:26This is nothing
24:27This is nothing
24:28For you soft English people
24:29This is only five knots
24:32That's a fair point
24:35Every home here is shaped by the raw power of the elements
24:42But that's only part of the story
24:44What truly defines life out here is isolation
24:49And look at the barge bringing all of your house here
24:53Yeah, so this was once we had the slab done
24:55The ceiling barge came and pushed up against the rocks
24:58And sat there
24:58Literally here
25:00Yeah, right off those rocks
25:02I'll tell you an interesting story with this
25:04So the fireplace is shuttered concrete
25:06So old boards behind it
25:08They had 20 tongues of concrete
25:11Reacher pour
25:12Sitting out there
25:13The pump would sit out on the barge
25:15The pipe would go along the sea floor
25:17Come up here to pump
25:18An hour into the first pump
25:21The pump broke down
25:22So they had to dump all the concrete
25:25Not in the sea, obviously
25:26They'd taken it back to it
25:27No, I hope not
25:27And so it was just a write-off
25:29I can't believe that you had to send a whole delivery of concrete back to the mainland
25:35What are you doing when the pump breaks down?
25:36Pump goes and that's it
25:37We should have bought two pumps
25:39Yeah, but you'll have to buy two of everything now
25:42Yeah, yeah, yeah
25:42Building on an island
25:43You have all these logistic issues
25:45That you have to overcome
25:47The logistics of doing concrete
25:48Those things you say
25:49If I knew what I knew now
25:51You wouldn't do the build
25:53But my word it was worth it
25:55It's so peaceful
26:07It's so quiet
26:09Even just sitting in this position now
26:14You've got land steeply sloping down to the coastline
26:20And then this very simple piece of architecture just slotted in between
26:24And it's mind-boggling how close it is to the water
26:29What a special place
26:32I could sit here
26:36For weeks
26:38Honestly, I really could
26:42Look at that
26:43It's the stuff of dreams
26:46And when your front yard is the Pacific Ocean
26:51You might as well explore it
26:54Check this out
26:56So you're literally going to drive this across land
26:58And then put it in the water
26:59Oh my God
27:01That's amazing
27:02Do you know what?
27:06I've never really wanted a boat before
27:08Until now
27:09Makes it pretty easy for us
27:16You know
27:17Come in and drive straight up
27:19That is absolutely brilliant
27:21So far, Rakhino Island is more than living up to the hype
27:28There's a raw strength in the people
27:32And their homes
27:34The kind that comes from living in complete isolation
27:39How old are you?
27:46I wish I had this boat when I was 11
27:48Ready?
27:54One
27:55Two
27:55Three
27:56Now that is amazing
28:04There's something about waking up on an off-grid island
28:16All you can hear are the waves
28:19And the birdsong
28:22And also the island's only tractor
28:26Now to get an idea of what it's like living on a wild island like Rakhino
28:32I want to meet some of the full-time residents
28:35Now there aren't many of them
28:37There are 18 to be exact
28:39And I'm being picked up by Tom
28:41And I'm being picked up by Tom
28:41Who's the local garbage collector
28:43Mr. Fix-It as well
28:45And his trusted assistant
28:47Pat
28:48That's a great truck
28:52Love that
28:54Hi
28:55Hello
28:55Pat
28:56Hello
28:57What a lovely surprise
28:59You look so elegant to be a garbage collector
29:03Can I be really honest with you
29:06You're going to kill me with this
29:07I thought Pat was a bloke
29:08When I thought I was meeting Tom and Pat
29:09And you turn up
29:10I mean you're beautiful and amazing
29:11So I'm really happy about that
29:12Far more elegant
29:14Tom
29:15Nice to meet you man
29:16How are you?
29:16You alright?
29:17We can hug it out if you want
29:18I mean do you not do that?
29:19Do you not do that?
29:20Is it all like manly on the island?
29:21It's gone
29:21Come on
29:22Oh my god
29:24Here we go
29:25Oh is that for me?
29:27Yeah
29:27You're going to put me to work today yeah?
29:28We're going to collect some garbage
29:29We're going to have you on the back of the truck
29:31I'm going to work you to death
29:33You haven't never collected garbage before
29:35So this is a first for me
29:36Yeah
29:37Should we do it?
29:38Yeah
29:38Why not?
29:39Let's go
29:39Lovely to meet you both
29:41We're off
29:44Tell me about your jobs
29:57What we're doing today
29:58What we're doing today
29:59I'm Rekino's waste management engineer
30:02Waste management engineer
30:04That's correct
30:05And Pat's title?
30:07She is the cardboard coordinating chief
30:11I'm the cardboard coordinating chief
30:15Chief
30:15And so what are people like on the island?
30:19Are they quite unique characters?
30:21Oh there's 15 to 20 permanent residents
30:24So it's sometimes like living in an episode of Everdale Farm
30:28I live in Everdale Farm
30:30But everyone chips in and helps each other out
30:33Yeah
30:33You relinquish privacy and anonymity
30:37And how did you become rubbish partners?
30:40Well Pat was doing it before
30:42Were you?
30:43Yeah I was
30:43Before I was
30:44It was your job first part?
30:45No
30:45Yeah
30:46Well
30:46No
30:46I've just been helping the guy
30:48Voluntary
30:48Helping the guy
30:49Voluntarily
30:50For years
30:51He was an old guy
30:52So I traded him in
30:54For a younger version
30:56And the younger version really knows his stuff
31:00Alright come on George
31:04I'll explain to you the mysteries of the rubbish
31:07Now it works
31:09We have a look
31:10Yeah that's a goer
31:11Right
31:12So I can lift that out
31:13That's empty
31:14You pull that one out
31:15And that's a goer
31:18I just broke it
31:21Look
31:21Don't tell anybody
31:22Just broke the bed
31:24And we'll replace them with a couple of empties off the track
31:26So you literally swap over
31:27You don't actually empty these
31:29You put that on the van
31:31And that one comes off
31:32No the magic happens somewhere else
31:33I like that
31:34I lift it or do I have to wait for you to come down
31:39I don't want to break any health and safety laws you know
31:42No you're a big strapping boy
31:43Alright
31:44Now if there's one place
31:50Where you'd be very happy for many years to collect rubbish
31:54It'd be here
31:56I never thought I'd take so well to rubbish collecting
32:01Have we got the job?
32:02You've got the job then
32:03Get in
32:04Hey
32:04Just use my Yoda power
32:06There must be something special in the air on Rakino
32:09Or maybe it's Pat's Pearls
32:12Either way I'm just itching to visit the next house
32:15Which as it happens is Pat's house
32:18We're there Doc
32:19Hey
32:20Pat's way?
32:21Yeah
32:21Is that your place?
32:23Yeah
32:23Oh fantastic
32:24I'll have to take a look
32:26Sitting on a ten acre block with its own exclusive coastline
32:33The lovely Pat's house is one of the island's originals
32:38It's beautiful
32:42Thank you
32:43I mean it's really magical
32:45I feel like I've just kind of walked through the wilderness
32:48And discovered a lovely little prairie house
32:51Nestled in a gorgeous spot
32:53Yeah
32:53Did you even come across this?
32:55Oh a friend
32:55A friend's got a place here
32:58That we bought about 40 years ago
33:00At what point did you decide to live here permanently?
33:04I think after Christmas in 2016
33:07When the children were here
33:08And we'd had Christmas
33:10And we'd done all the party thing
33:11And they were heading home
33:13Back to work
33:13And I thought
33:15Oh what am I going to do?
33:17You don't have to leave
33:18No
33:19I don't have to leave
33:20So I didn't
33:21And what's your favourite part of living here?
33:24Because you're here full time
33:26What do you love about it?
33:28I think I probably like the peace and quiet
33:30Just doing what I want to do
33:34Home with the garden
33:36I've got a few sheep
33:38I've got a couple of chickens
33:39What more do you need in life?
33:41Not much
33:42Can we go inside?
33:47Yes
33:47Come after you
33:48Shall I take my boots off?
33:49No
33:50Are you sure?
33:50I'll wipe my feet
33:51Oh Pat it's wonderful
33:54It's really beautiful
33:56This two bedroom home
33:59Is truly a reflection of Pat
34:02Warm
34:04Homely
34:05And a little bit quirky
34:08Inside and out
34:11It's a shower
34:17And that is fantastic
34:21You don't need anything fancy
34:23Pull that off
34:25Beautifully made actually
34:26Turn that tap on
34:28That is brilliant
34:30You literally have to have
34:32Your shower
34:34From one bucket of water
34:37It's quite ecological that
34:39Water saving
34:40In every corner of Pat's property
34:44There's a little bit of magic
34:46Waiting to be discovered
34:48What's this?
34:52Everything that Pat has at her home
35:05Is very special
35:07And very magical
35:09And playful as well
35:11It's fun
35:12It just puts a smile on your face
35:14Look at this for a bathtub
35:16You can build a fire under there
35:18To heat up the water
35:19And then it's a piece of engineering
35:22That is fabulous
35:25I'll tell you what
35:27To sit in that location
35:29In that bath
35:31With a drink in your hand
35:33And that view
35:34It's nothing short of being
35:37Absolutely staggering
35:38I want Pat's house
35:41I want her house
35:42I want her shower
35:43And I want her bathtub
35:44And I've saved the very best
35:48For last
35:49Look how beautiful this is
35:55It's tiny
36:00I thought Pat's house
36:02Was small
36:02But this is even smaller
36:04Oh my word
36:07It doesn't get
36:11Any better than that
36:13What I really love
36:20About New Zealand
36:21Is someone like Pat
36:23Says
36:23Yeah go on George
36:24I've got a little sleep
36:25Go and check it out
36:27And you turn up
36:29And it's unbelievable
36:31The view is staggering
36:34Its position is mind-boggling
36:36It couldn't be any better
36:37In many ways
36:41This is quite a humble
36:43Piece of architecture
36:44In other ways
36:46It's spectacular
36:59Now whenever I visit
37:20Anyplace
37:21I always like to check out
37:22The local establishments
37:23But on Rayquino
37:25There's absolutely
37:26Nothing
37:28But I've managed to track down
37:38The next best option
37:39Food obsessive
37:40And award winning
37:41Restauranteur
37:42Michael Durf
37:44What a lovely place
37:47To meet and greets
37:47Michael
37:49Hey George
37:51Hey man
37:51So nice to meet you
37:52Nice to meet you
37:53Really good
37:53Who's the dog
37:54Who's the dog
37:54Oh this is Marlo
37:55He's the keeper
37:57Of the piquecos
37:57Keeps them all in line
37:59Hey Marlo
38:00Where's your place
38:01So my place
38:03Is just over the hill here
38:04It's a bit off road
38:06Okay
38:06So just stay close
38:08And don't be nervous
38:09Enjoy the ride
38:10A bit bumpy
38:11Yeah
38:11Okay
38:11I'll let you go first
38:13I'll back up
38:13Hang on
38:13Very bumpy
38:22You alright there?
38:26Now I've been on dirt roads before
38:28But Michael's driveway
38:31Is something else
38:32Oh
38:33Slipper sliding
38:34I feel like I'm driving
38:38Off the edge of the earth
38:40Absolutely beautiful
38:44What a spot
38:46Michael and Annette's
38:52Three bedroom slice
38:53Of Rackino paradise
38:55Is the perfect escape
38:57From Auckland's
38:58Big city life
38:59Anchored into the hillside
39:03And given them
39:04A 270 degree view
39:06Annette
39:08Come meet George
39:09Hi
39:10Annette how are you doing?
39:11Hi
39:12How are you?
39:12Thanks for having me
39:13At your beautiful batch
39:14Thanks for coming
39:15Nice to meet you
39:15Thank you
39:16And you
39:17It is stunning
39:19It's absolutely gorgeous
39:20Thank you
39:21Thank you
39:21Even down to your light fitting
39:22Which I've just noticed
39:23That's unique
39:24That was our first beach walk
39:26With the family
39:27And we found this
39:29Excellent piece of driftwood
39:31That reminded me of like
39:32Gandalf's staff
39:34And so now it lives above our table
39:36I'm a bit of a collector
39:37What's it like being here?
39:39I love it
39:40I love it
39:41I just
39:41Everything
39:42My energy just comes down
39:43Switch off on that crazy
39:45Hectic life
39:46Yeah
39:46Because you two must be
39:47Very very busy
39:49On the mainland
39:49Yeah at the moment
39:51We have two restaurants
39:52We have a lot of staff
39:54We are a team
39:56So Annette does a lot of the
39:58Back of house
39:59Yeah
40:00And do you actually bring
40:01Any work here
40:02Or do you switch off completely?
40:04No I always do the wages
40:05On a Monday
40:06So today's wages day
40:08You're going to be doing the payroll
40:09I'm halfway through
40:09I've got to finish it up
40:11And where do you work from?
40:12Do you set the dining table?
40:13Right now I'm in my bed
40:14You lie on your bed
40:16Yes
40:16And I look at the sea
40:17Because that's the best spot
40:18That's like the greatest office ever
40:21Isn't it?
40:21Just lying on the bed
40:22That view
40:24Paying the bills
40:24Exactly
40:25And what's it like being here
40:26All year round?
40:28Because we're seeing it
40:28At the peak of summer
40:29The winter time is wonderful here
40:31Because it does get windy
40:33And wild
40:34And crazy
40:35And actually the bat shakes a little bit
40:37And
40:38So it is pretty wild
40:40Yeah
40:40Yeah it does
40:41So the wind comes in
40:41We have a little wind turbine as well
40:43To help charge the batteries
40:45And when you have this fire going
40:47It's so comfy
40:49It's just
40:49This whole place
40:50It's just magical
40:52The hard thing is just getting here
40:54In the winter
40:55Because the sea can be really rough
40:57And you could get trapped here
40:58And you can get trapped
40:59Which is a good thing
41:00Yeah
41:00That is a great thing
41:01We've been trapped
41:02Yeah
41:02For the past five years
41:05Michael and Annette
41:06Have spent as much time on Rackino
41:08As they can
41:10One way they make that possible
41:13Is by having a garden
41:14That's always ready
41:15To feed them
41:16So we have some beautiful avocados
41:20For breakfast
41:21And they're really going off
41:23Got our little grove of trees here
41:26Nectarine
41:28Two varieties of plum
41:29But this is one of my pride and joys
41:31This is our fig tree
41:32They are huge
41:34I mean they must grow in abundance
41:37In this location
41:39Because look at the size of them
41:40We get figs in the UK
41:42And they're like that big
41:43Look at that
41:45You can eat it like an apple
41:48What straight in?
41:50Yeah
41:50I like the skin and everything
41:52You just eat it like an apple
41:53I've never bitten into a fig through the skin
41:54We normally do that
41:55Yeah just eat the whole thing
41:57That's outstanding
42:03It's a Rackino fig
42:05That's amazing that
42:07I think I might give up architecture
42:11And do a food show
42:12Can I present it with it?
42:13I wouldn't know what I was talking about
42:15I am genuinely quite jealous
42:19You've got your beautiful batch
42:21And I love it
42:22I really love the humble side
42:24Of a beautiful kiwi batch
42:26And you've nailed it
42:27But to have such a gorgeous garden
42:29And be producing food
42:30On an island that doesn't have a corner store
42:33You can't just shoot down
42:34And get a little side of something
42:36Yeah because there is nothing
42:37That's magical stuff
42:39Magical
42:40I'm glad you see it
42:41And I'm glad you appreciate it
42:42And you've taught me one or two things
42:43About plants and gardens as well
42:44Great
42:45Winning
42:46Everyone on Rackino is winning
42:49And honestly
42:50It's no wonder
42:52This place feels like
42:54One of Auckland's best kept secrets
42:56I've spoken to many people in Auckland
43:00And when I even mention Rackino
43:02They say
43:03Oh I'd love to go there one day
43:05And I'm like
43:06How long have you lived in Auckland?
43:07And they go
43:07All of my life
43:09Yeah
43:09And they're in their 40s or 50s
43:11Yeah
43:11And they've never been here
43:12Never
43:14Which is fine by me
43:15Yeah
43:16Stay on the mainland
43:19Yeah
43:20And why does the wildness of the island
43:23Connect with you?
43:24Why did you come here?
43:26I'm not a New Zealander
43:28We've moved here over 20 years ago
43:30Yeah there's something in the accent
43:31That told me that
43:32Yeah but where I'm from in New England
43:33We would go camping all seasons
43:35So I've always loved the outdoors
43:37And when I came to Rackino for the first time
43:41So there's a saying in the local
43:43Tereo Maori
43:44It's called Terengo Wai Wai
43:46It literally means where you stand
43:48But it means really that it's calling you
43:51Yeah
43:51So when I came here
43:53Rackino really called me
43:55And this is like
43:56No this is where you have to be
43:58Rackino is calling
44:01Yeah
44:01I like that
44:07Oh that sizzle
44:17Oh the smell
44:20If only you could smell this
44:22Everyone I've met on this island
44:25Including Michael and Annette
44:27Seem to have found something rare
44:29A quiet kind of contentment
44:33That's so good
44:34I could nearly swear
44:37To describe how good that is
44:39And it doesn't come from
44:41Grand architecture
44:42Or endless luxury
44:43It comes from connection
44:46Come on up guys
44:47Pat how are you doing?
44:50To the land
44:52To each other
44:54I mean
44:56Thank you
44:57Come on
44:58Doesn't get as bad as that
44:59And to the freedom
45:01Of living simply
45:03But fully
45:04Cheers
45:06Thank you
45:07The most fantastic few days
45:09Yeah
45:09To Rackino
45:10On this island
45:23I've seen some wonderful architecture
45:26From the most humble
45:27To the most modern
45:29But what I adore about Rackino
45:31Is its size
45:32A small island
45:33With a small tight community
45:35Who depend on each other
45:37So much
45:38Through all the elements
45:39It just goes to show
45:41That small
45:42Really is beautiful
45:44It just goes to show
45:44That small really is beautiful
46:09And it just goes to show
46:14That small really is beautiful
46:15And it just goes to show
46:16That small really is beautiful
46:17And it just goes to show
46:18That small really is beautiful
46:18And it just goes to show
46:19That small really is beautiful
46:20And it just goes to show
46:21That small really is beautiful
46:22And it just goes to show
46:23That small really is beautiful
46:24And it just goes to show
46:25That small really is beautiful
46:26And it just goes to show
46:27That small really is beautiful
46:28And it just goes to show
46:29That small really is beautiful
46:30And it just goes to show
46:31That small really is beautiful
46:32And it just goes to show
46:33That small really is beautiful
46:34And it goes to show
46:35That small really is beautiful
46:36And it goes to show
46:37That small really is beautiful
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