Geoff Chapple (writer)

Geoffrey "Geoff" John Chapple, ONZM, is a New Zealand author and journalist. His article in a Sunday newspaper began the volunteer movement to put in place a New Zealand-long walking track. He mapped the track, then walked it and wrote the book 'Te Araroa – The New Zealand Trail' (Random House 2002). He founded Te Araroa Trust, the organisation that began construction of the various links for a continuous off-road track 2,920 kilometres long. Chapple was also a member of the music group From Scratch. Chapple was a leading figure in the anti-apartheid protests surrounding the 1981 springbok rugby tour. In 1984 Geoff Chapple published 1981: The Tour, a book chronicling the above events from the protesters' perspective.