Police defend rescued pig hunting dad

Police are defending the actions of a father who became hopelessly lost with his deaf daughter and asthmatic son, after they went pig hunting in dense Northland bush over the weekend.

George Barbaer, 40, his 13-year-old daughter Trinity and six-year-old son George Junior built their own shelter and survived on chocolate and berries for two days as wild weather pounded the region.

The trio were found safe and well about 2.30pm yesterday, after going into the bush on Friday morning prepared only for a day walk in the Mangamuka Ranges, about 40km southeast of Kaitaia.

They wore light clothes and had very little food with them.

When they were finally found more than 48 hours later, they were doing "remarkably well" despite being very cold, Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe, who led the search team, said today.

"They're used to living in this environment up here and they sought shelter at night and held it together."

He did not think the trio were unwise to go into the ranges on Friday morning as the stormy weather was not forecast to hit the region before the evening, he told Radio New Zealand.

"On this occasion they got caught out by the weather."

He said George Junior was not necessarily too young to be out pig hunting with his dad.

"I believe they teach them very young up this way and that's quite normal behaviour for rural kids in any environment I believe."

The area the three were found in was very thick bush and even the most experienced of hunters could become disorientated, Mr Metcalfe said.

It was an excellent result given the weather the region had had in the last three days, he said.

"Certainly searchers were fearing for the worst and this result's just come out of the blue."

A search base had been set up at a local marae, and police iwi liaison officers and victim support staff were called in.

As the three arrived at the search base the children were grabbed from their seats by family members and hugged and kissed over and over.

Wrapped in blankets, they appeared none the worst for having survived two nights in bitterly cold temperatures in thick bush.

One aunt, Maria Speers, said Mr Barbaer was "a very experienced bushman and the kids are very hardy".

Another aunt, Maria Tau, said: "None of us could sleep last night – my heart is still racing. Once we know George is good, we are going to shake him for giving us a fright."

- NZPA