Arawata Bill

Arawata Bill (1865–1947) was a pioneering folk hero. He spent decades in the unforgiving mountain country of New Zealand’s South Island, prospecting for gold and other minerals and making new tracks in unexplored areas. His astonishing feats of endurance and tenacity, coupled with his charming eccentricity, have captured the imagination of generations, and Denis Glover immortalised him in his famous poem, ‘Arawata Bill’. Recently, a Californian Country Rock act have added his story to their ballads. This new edition of Ian Dougherty’s landmark biography includes information about O’Leary’s life that has only recently come to light.



Ian Dougherty is a Dunedin-based journalist and writer. He was born and educated in the southern city and has an M.A. in history from Otago University. After studying journalism at Canterbury University, he worked as a print and broadcasting journalist and journalism tutor, and as an historian with the Historical Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs in Wellington. He is the author of 20 books on New Zealand history, biography, culture and society, including ‘Heart Of Gold: The People And Places Of Otago’, and ‘Southern Sting: The Team That Inspired A Region’, both published by Exisle Publishing.