About Us

Marieke Hilhorst and Dave Hansford make up Origin Natural History Media, working from home in the small and elemental coastal community at Makara Beach, near Wellington, New Zealand.

Both of us are keen outdoors people. We tramp (hike), climb, dive, ski, cycle and sea kayak, and travel when we can.

Marieke is a writer, with a background in journalism. She has expanded on these skills and now also writes information for visitors to New Zealand's prime natural areas, and provides communications advice and services for a range of environment-focused organisations, including govenment agencies. This can be anything from developing websites, to writing brochures, to editing reports.

And she swears there's a book in her.

Dave is a photographer, cameraman and writer. Twelve years as a press photographer for a national daily newspaper honed his eye, which is now fully focused on natural history subjects. Alongside his skill with a stills camera, Dave has also worked on a number of wildlife documentary films.

In 2001, he picked up a pen for the first time and is carving out a career as an acclaimed free-lance travel writer, as well as an environmental and conservation journalist. Today he provides the pictures that tell a thousand words, and the thousand words.