When people say ‘we’ lost someone, it more often than not refers to family and friends of the person who has died. But with Shaun Barnett, ‘we’ can be said to encompass, if not all of New Zealand, certainly the entire Wilderness community. 

For here was a man who devoted himself to the great outdoors through his personal contribution to conservation and recreation, through the books and stories he wrote, and the photographs he took that have inspired and encouraged countless others to journey into the wilderness and discover a love for the outdoors that otherwise might not have occurred.

Shaun was a singular talent. There are very good writers and very good photographers, but seldom do the twain meet. Shaun was different: he had great knowledge of all things outdoors – natural history, human endeavour, cultural significance – as well as a wonderful story-telling ability and the patience and eye for composition and light that made him one of the country’s finest outdoor photographers.

We will all miss Shaun’s articles (though there are a few more yet to be published). I will also miss his kindness. Things that stick in my memory: the card he sent after I acknowledged at times a strange feeling of unease before starting a tramping trip. I’ve kept that card in my bedside drawer for more than 10 years, and I read it before every trip – I’ve never felt that uneasiness since. Knowing my daughter to be a voracious reader, he would gift her books from his writer friends, often signed by the author with a personal note starting ‘Dear Alice’. This is not some afterthought, it’s premeditated, and it is this alongside so many other acts, as much as for his professional qualities, that I have always had the highest regard for Shaun for he was an extremely generous and kind person. We all live and feel better when there are people like him around us. 

We were fortunate to have Shaun contribute to every issue of Wilderness for more than 25 years. He leaves a great hole, but through his support and tutelage of aspiring writers and photographers, he has also paved the way for others who love the great outdoors to express their experiences through words and images. That is part of the legacy he leaves behind.

Thank you, Shaun.