Sharon Evans – Walking New Zealand's 3,000km Te Araroa Trail at 58 and Inspiring Women to Embrace Outdoor Adventure

Aug 4, 2025

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In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we're joined by Sharon Evans, also known as the Free Wheeling Kiwi—a 58-year-old adventurer, storyteller, and passionate advocate for women embracing the outdoors, especially later in life.

Sharon shares the incredible story of walking the full Te Araroa Trail, a 3,000km thru-hike stretching the length of New Zealand. Alongside her partner, she tackled harsh weather, blisters, foot pain, and relentless terrain—proving that age is no barrier to adventure.

Five years ago, Sharon made the bold decision to walk away from her rural real estate career and pursue a life filled with purpose, exploration, and connection to nature. In this conversation, we explore her motivations, the magical (and muddy) moments on the trail, and her mission to empower women over 50 to step into the wild with confidence.

Sharon also shares practical tips for low-cost adventuring, content creation on the go, and how she's continuing her journey by heading to Australia's rugged Larapinta Trail next.

If you're looking for inspiration to follow your passion—no matter your age—this episode is for you.

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Show notes

Who is Sharon Evans aka Free Wheeling Kiwi
Based in New Zealand
Going on adventures and telling stories
Spending time in the outdoors - often being uncomfortable and wet
Spending time at the beach
Gen X, 58 years old
Having a huge amount of freedom and spending time outdoors
Her passion for travel
Living in the jungle in Borneo, Malaysia
Growing up without social media
How technology has advanced
Her first camera (film camera) at 15 years old
Deciding what to do with her life
Being shy and introverted
Where did the name/brand freewheeling kiwi come from
Working as a rural estate agent
Riding bikes
Deciding to make a change 5 years ago
Planning to go to Everest Base Camp
How plans got derailed because of Covid
Making the transition and changing your career to follow your passions
Planning…..
Lowering her cost of living, being a careful spender
Wanting to encourage more women to spend more time in the outdoors in nature
Especially women over the age of 50
Focusing on her why
Te Araroa Trail, 3,000 km, the long walk in New Zealand
Being concerned about the cold
Starting on the 2nd October
Walking with Andrew - as a couple
Having their 1st anniversary on the trail in the Richmond Rangers
Keeping the pack weight down
The highlights, challenges and magical moments from the trail
Not wanting to quit
Advice for new hikers
Keeping costs down and sending resupply boxes
Big food carries
The extreme conditions and the impact on gear
River crossings and being cautious
Gusting winds and being blown off her feet
Wet feet…. Sand walking, mud walking, road walking
Blisters…. Losing toe nails
Getting off her feet and dealing with unbearable foot pain
Palette fatigue with food
Coming to the end of the journey and what it was like
Creating content and stories during the journey
Creating a 1 min reel/tiktok every day
How to connect with Sharon
Final words of advice
Believing in yourself and your abilities
The next challenge and heading to Australia to walk the Larapinta Trail (230km trail through the outback)

Social Media

Website www.freewheelingkiwi.com

Instagram @freewheelingkiwi/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/freewheelingkiwi

Threads: @freewheelingkiwi

TikTok: @freewheelingkiwi

YouTube: @FreewheelingKiwi