HBRW 2026 - Surviving White Island

The eruption of Whakaari White Island in December 2019 was a devastating event that shocked Aotearoa and the world. Among those caught in the disaster was young tour guide Kelsey Waghorn, whose life changed forever that day. In her powerful memoir, Surviving White Island: And Everything That Came After, Kelsey shares her experience of the eruption and the long road that followed. She joins author Lauren Keenan (The Other Catherine) to talk about her physical and emotional recovery, and a remarkable journey shaped by acceptance, strength, perseverance and hope. About the Author Kelsey Waghorn grew up in Whakatāne, where she developed a passion for the sea and marine life while still at high school. She went on to gain a diploma in marine science and a degree in biological sciences. After graduating, Kelsey accepted a summer job guiding visitors around Whakaari White Island - an opportunity that allowed her to spend her days travelling across the sea to the island she had come to know so well. Five years and one day later, she was still working as a guide when the eruption of 9 December 2019 changed her life forever. Her memoir, Surviving White Island: And Everything That Came After, tells not only the story of surviving the eruption, but of everything that followed - recovery, rebuilding and learning to navigate a profoundly changed life.