Building an off-grid cabin in the Coromandel bush is teaching us far more than construction skills. Surrounded by native forest, wildlife, and the daily realities of tent living, every stage of the build requires patience, adaptability, and respect for the environment.

From muddy tracks and changing weather to the sounds of ruru at night and kākā overhead at dawn, the bush shapes every part of the process.

In this post, I share the experience of slowly building our cabin at Shambhala while living closely with nature. It is a story of simplicity, resilience, and learning to work with the rhythms of the bush rather than against them, all while surrounded by the untamed beauty of the Coromandel ranges.

Living off-grid in the New Zealand bush is both beautiful and slightly unnerving. At Shambhala, the forest hums with life, from the soft calls of ruru at dusk to the sudden rustle of pigs moving through the undergrowth. Each day brings a deeper awareness of the land and its rhythms, where moments of serenity are balanced by reminders that the bush is wild, unpredictable, and very much alive.

In this article, I share the reality of life off-grid in the Coromandel bush including the wildlife encounters, the challenges of tent living while building a cabin, and the lessons learned from living so closely with nature. It’s a story of connection, resilience, and the quiet beauty found in the untamed corners of New Zealand.