About our guides

John Rich

Owner and Guide

John decided he was going to be a park ranger when he was fifteen years old, the day his tent got buried in an out-of-season December Mt. Ruapehu snowstorm. He graduated with a Masters of Science degree with honours in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and completed his early training with the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

His career has taken him to jobs all around the world, including working as a park ranger and fire fighter for the United States Forest Service and as a senior park ranger in Great Britain at Lee Valley Regional Park in Hertfordshire, England. He has a wide interest in New Zealand natural history and heritage, and is very passionate about the scenic Coromandel Peninsula region.

In his spare time, John is the co-owner of a cycling coaching business, and enjoys cycling, mountain and bush running, and tinkering with his two vintage cars.

Rose Ward

Guide

Rose began guiding in Wellington, taking visitors Soames Island and into the Rimutaka Ranges to the north of our capital city. She graduated with a Masters of Science degree with honours in Parks, Recreation and Tourism and completed her early training as a park ranger with the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

She lectured recreation and tourism management for five years at Writtle University in Essex, England, and has worked as a specialist recreation park ranger in New Zealand and the United States Forest Service, where she also worked for two summers as a member of a Forest Service fire fighting crew based in Idaho.

When not leading tours and guiding, Rose indulges in her passion for walking, and belongs to the local Toastmaster’s club. She proudly lives on the Coromandel Peninsula and enjoys sharing her local knowledge with visitors.

Christine Friis

Guide

Christine is passionate about conservation and sharing the beauty and knowledge of the Coromandel with you. She also works part time for the Department of Conservation at the Kauaeranga Visitor Centre meeting trampers and visitors needs and answering their varied questions. Christine started bird watching as a child and has continued this interest throughout her life.

Now she traps predators for her local Kiwi Care Group and volunteers at Tiritiri Matangi Island monitoring the rare hihi (stitchbird) population. Christine completed a Bachelor of Science in 2012 majoring in Ecology and Environmental Science. Coromandel is an awesome place to live combining Christine’s interests of bush, conservation with beautiful beaches.

Christine’s other interests and passions are her family (4 children, 5 grandchildren) walking NZ’s Great Walks and surfing. She looks forward to meeting and sharing with you, her knowledge and enthusiasm about the Coromandel and NZ ‘s unique history and natural wonders.