On the cover of this book Matt Chisholm, in Swandri and red band gumboots, holding a delightfully swaddled newborn lamb and faithful dog at his side, looks comfortable and at home in a farm paddock. Initially I had no idea who he was but as I read, I discover that this is a man who has spent a large part of his adult life as a TV journalist and host of such TV shows as Celebrity Treasure Island and Survivor New Zealand. Matt Chisholm is well-known to many Kiwis in this role, and a quick search refreshed my memory of a warm and engaging Sunday programme reporter. In particular, I remembered his brave and honest stories on his brother Nick’s journey navigating life with locked-in syndrome after a debilitating stroke as a young man.
In Matt’s first book Impostor published three years ago Matt describes how he became well-known and successful as a TV journalist and then, despite the appearance that everything was golden, with a great career and wonderful family, Matt owned up to the fact that he was suffering with depression, battling self-doubt and really unhappy. Matt and his wife made the decision to leave Auckland and build their own home and a simpler life in Central Otago.
The Road to Chatto Creek follows on from this memoir and describes 'leaving the rat race for life in the country'. Matt recounts how he spends his time on his farm at Chatto Creek, and juggles speaking events across the country as a spokesperson for mental health and an Ambassador for the Rural Support Trust. Matt sinks his teeth into the learning curve of farming. There is lifestock to be bought, bred and cared for and land to be managed. Discovering the intricacies of feeding , irrigating , fencing and animal management are balanced with building a new home post-Covid, involving himself in the community, locally with children’s sports and supporting fundraising events, along with managing the pressure of bringing in an income Matt also spends time away from the farm speaking about his experiences and supporting mental health initiatives, both in the rural community and New Zealand wide.
Reading this book is like sitting down for a friendly chat with a likeable and solid Kiwi bloke who at the same time is open and honest about struggling with mental health and openly seeking support. This is an easy, conversational view of his life related through anecdotes and musings as he and his wife and three small children refocus their life on a small block of land in the south.
Matt comes across as an affable, garrulous character with social energy and someone who gets a buzz out of people. He has a lot more than the one “best mate”, finding the good in almost everyone he meets, and an appreciation of the kindnesses and generosity that others have bestowed on him. He is honest about his mistakes and failings and the difficulties of juggling all these elements of a new lifestyle. So we wince as things go pear-shaped with sick animals, expensive feed, long days of lambing and conflict as the kids’ football coach and smile along with him in his achievements and satisfactions with sale prices for animals, winning prizes at the local show and looking out over his own piece of paradise at the end of the day.
Whether you read The Road to Chatto Creek after his first volume of memoir or on its own, you can be uplifted by his account of living the best way he can, by being both brave, vulnerable, honest and very human and admire his positive and generous approach to life.
Reviewer: Clare Lyon
Allen & Unwin