Your Hosts

Kathy Gilbert and Neil Ensor have built Paramata Lodge as an environmentally sustainable venture. Sharing a love of the outdoors, the land and its history, they are involved in conservation projects, eco tours, and living off the land as gently as they can.

Neil was born on the West Coast, worked in forestry and is a sculptor of wood, metal and found objects, exhibiting locally and in Auckland and Christchurch. His botanical knowledge and horticulture skills are invaluable and his artworks often bring delight to guests.

Kathy comes from a New Zealand and Central European heritage and has extensive world travel experience and has lived in North America. In New Zealand she worked in developing tertiary education programmes including teaching New Zealand Treaty of Waitangi history.

Kathy is the chair of the local West Coast branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand and she runs a local wetland conservation trust.

Phoebe is their little energetic part fox terrier dog and there are also two cats at Paramata Lodge.