This text file contains detailed information about an audio recording on PrideNZ.com. It includes the following sections: DESCRIPTION, SPEAKERS, SUMMARY, KEY CONTENT TIMESTAMPS [HH:MM:SS], TRANSCRIPT WITH TIMESTAMPS [HH:MM:SS], HUMAN VERIFIED TRANSCRIPT, KEYWORDS, REFERENCES, RELATED CONTENT AND FOOTNOTE. 

## START DESCRIPTION
The title of this recording is "Vinegar Hill - Darby Bracken". It is described as: Will Hansen talks to Darby Bracken about camping at Vinegar Hill. It was recorded in Vinegar Hill / Putai Ngahere Domain, Manawatū-Whanganui on the 29th December 2025. The duration of the recording is 6 minutes. The content in the recording covers the 2020s decade.
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## START SPEAKERS
Darby Bracken is being interviewed by Will Hansen.  Their names are spelt correctly but may appear incorrectly spelt later in the document.
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## START SUMMARY
In conversation with interviewer Will Hansen, Darby Bracken reflects on attending Vinegar Hill for the first time in 2025, describing the emotional impact of arrival, the experience of queer camping community in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the deep importance of belonging after many years living in the south. Awareness of Vinegar Hill stretches back many years, with earlier near visits that never quite eventuated. After fifteen years living and working across Southland, Otago and Fiordland, a move north for employment created the opportunity to finally attend. Arrival on 27 December marked a long anticipated first experience for Darby of this iconic rainbow gathering. Driving into the site proved unexpectedly emotional for Darby. Passing over the bridge and through the bush tunnel before emerging onto the open flats created a sense of transition. The visual impact of flags, tents, vehicles and people spread across the grasslands felt overwhelming in the best way. In small town and remote New Zealand, visible rainbow symbols can be rare. Seeing an entire landscape filled with queer flags and openly LGBTQIA+ campers generated what Darby describes as “sweaty eyes” and a surge of feeling. The realisation that this was a whole space belonging to queer people carried significant weight. The layout of the camp itself adds to the atmosphere. After turning off the road and crossing the bridge, the bush corridor opens into a large green area divided informally into different sections, including what is colloquially known as the gay side. Across the flats, colour dominates, with rainbow flags and other queer symbols flying above campsites. The scale of the gathering surprised Darby. Initial expectations of a small group of a few dozen people gave way to the reality of hundreds. The camp feels expansive, almost magical in size, with new faces constantly appearing. Life at Vinegar Hill quickly settled into a relaxed rhythm. Days have included resting in a hammock, cruising around the grounds, reconnecting with acquaintances and meeting many new people. River tubing provided adventure and laughter. Participation in organised activities such as a murder mystery event added structured fun, while informal socialising created ongoing connection. Even simple routines like sitting at a central table with a coffee and striking up conversation demonstrate the openness of the community. The campsite itself reflects a preference for simplicity and comfort. Positioned at the far end of the gay section, slightly elevated above the river and surrounded by willows and trees, the site offers shade even during hot weather. A gazebo set against a vehicle, fairy lights for atmosphere, a seat and a hammock create a cosy retreat. Sleeping in a car keeps arrangements straightforward for Darby. Observing the diversity of camping styles across the hill, from elaborate caravans to minimal pop up tents, adds to the sense of creative expression within the gathering. One of the most striking aspects of Vinegar Hill is the sheer number of people present. For someone accustomed to rural and remote communities, the density of queer campers feels extraordinary. Yet despite the numbers, friendliness prevails. Greetings of kia ora and good morning are common. Smiles are easy. There is a sense that even strangers share common ground. Dogs roaming between campsites add further warmth and delight. Weather challenges, including rain and forecast wind, form part of the experience. Concerns about sleeping under trees during gale force conditions sit alongside acceptance that weather cannot be controlled. Even with damp and chill in the air, departure holds little appeal. The reason for staying extends beyond events or scenery. At the core of this interview lies a powerful reflection on community. After fifteen years in Southland surrounded by friends and family, Darby distinguishes between friendship and community. Moving north, including to the wider Wellington region, was motivated partly by a search for deeper connection. Vinegar Hill provides tangible evidence of what community feels like. People look out for one another. Shared identity under the rainbow umbrella creates immediate understanding. Even without prior acquaintance, there is recognition and solidarity. Age brings heightened awareness of the necessity of connection. The interview expresses a clear realisation that life cannot be navigated alone. Queer community spaces such as Vinegar Hill offer more than entertainment. They provide belonging, safety, visibility and shared resilience. In a country where rural isolation can limit LGBTQIA+ visibility, the hill stands as a vivid counterpoint: a temporary village filled with colour, conversation and mutual care.
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## START TRANSCRIPT WITH TIMESTAMPS [HH:MM:SS]
I actually can't remember when I first heard about it, but I know it was a really long time ago. And, um, I almost got here about three or four years ago when I was walking Tiarra Aurora, but I ended up going past in a car instead of walking. Um, and didn't get get there. So, um, I I, I, for the last 15 years I've lived down south, um, in Southland, Otago, Feland. And so I, I came up to the company, coast area for work. Um, [00:00:30] about eight months ago. And so I was like, oh, I'll go to Vinegar Hill. Um, and finally sort of had a chance to go. Uh, can you tell me about, um, some of your first impressions? Uh, so this is, so this is your first year. Yeah. Tell, can you tell me some of your first impressions of the Hill? Um, I, I drove in and just seeing all the flags and everything was actually quite emotionally overwhelming. Like I got like sweaty eyes. It was like, oh my God, this is amazing. Um. Having lived and worked in sort of small [00:01:00] town and remote New Zealand, um, you just don't see anything generally. And, you know, usually I'm like, oh, I'm going to Wellington to visit and, you know, you see a rainbow flag and you're really a, you know, it's exciting. Um, so seeing like a whole space, which is ours, which that is just. So just so awesome. Yeah. Can you describe a bit more what this whole space looks like? Like it went from when you come in, going through the gay side, straight side, all of that. Um, so when you turn off the road, you [00:01:30] come across a bridge and then you turn down into a tunnel through the bush and it's, um. It's amazing. You immediately are just sort of like, it's like a tunnel and then you pop out and there's a big green area and you go to, um, what was it, the left or was it the right? I can't remember. Um, but you, um, you go to one direction and suddenly across the flat grass, there's just flags and tents and cars and people everywhere. Um, and it's all, it's all queer flags. It's great. [00:02:00] So, uh, what, what date did you get here? Uh, I got here on the 27th. Oh, very good. So you've been here today, days, and uh, what have you been up to for the last few days? Oh, I've been lying in my hammock and cruising around talking to people and yeah, meeting a lot of new people, but also, um, catching up with a few people that I know as well and went in a tubing yesterday down the river. That was pretty awesome. And, um, and taking part in a few of the events that are on as well. So, um, did the murder mystery last night with a [00:02:30] few people. It was awesome, fun. And so, um, uh, when I was going for a walk last night, I came across your campsite and you had it beautifully set up with some lovely fairy lights and things and the outlook on the river. Would you, would you de well, I've kind of described a bit of it, but would you describe it please a bit more for me? Yeah. It's just a wee spot by, um, by the river, up above the river a bit, um, completely surrounded by trees. It's down the far end of. The, um, the gay end of the camp. Um, and it's in trees. There's a lot of willows around. [00:03:00] And, um, so it's shady all the time, even when it's hot. Um, when it rains, there are very large drips. Um, and, um, I just had a gazebo up against my car. I'm sleeping in my, in my, um, car and just, yeah, a seat and a hammock set up. And yeah, really, really simple, really comfy. It's, um, some of the people set up here is amazing. Like, I've really enjoyed walking around, just checking out how people have, you know, the massive caravans or, um, really [00:03:30] elaborate things right down to a pop-up tent and a car and it's, yeah, it's really cool. Is there anything that surprised you about the hill? Just how many people are here. I, when I first heard about it, I was like, I thought, oh yeah, there'll be like 20 people or 50 people or a hundred people. Um, yeah. And it's, the reality is I don't know how many people are here. I have no idea. A thousand. Do you reckon it's about a thousand? I have no idea. But there's heaps of people. Someone shouted out a thousand and [00:04:00] another person said it's a tardis. So it gives some filling out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, and what has been your favorite part of the hill so far? Meeting, meeting other awesome people. Um, there are so many cool people here, so many smiley friendly people. Everyone says Kiara, everyone says good morning. Um, you can just sit down at the central table and have a coffee and talk to people and it's lovely. It's really, really good. Oh, and all the dogs, I've enjoyed meeting everyone's dogs. It's great. Um, and [00:04:30] can you tell me about what you're looking forward to for the rest of your stay here? Um. I'm hoping the wind today and tomorrow doesn't come to as much as it's forecast. Um, 'cause I don't wanna have to move my car, but I, I don't also don't wanna sleep under trees and gale force winds, so, um, I'm hoping it's gonna be, um, not as windy. Um, but, you know, you also can't fight the weather, so, um, I'll just enjoy whatever's happening and yeah, just continue. I'm really looking forward to, um, [00:05:00] I haven't sat around the bonfire at night yet, so I'm quite looking forward to doing that. Yeah. And so even though it is rainy and it's pretty chilly right now, you're still here. What keeps you staying here even though the weather's kind of cramp? Oh, it's not cold. Maybe for me it being a weakling, but, um, I think it's just the community. There's actual community here. A really large part of why I moved up from Southland and took a job up in the North Island again after 15 years [00:05:30] down south was because. I have lots of friends in Southland and family, but I don't have community. And, um, so coming to, well, the wider Wellington region, but also coming to things like this, there's community here. Um, even if we don't know each other, we look out for each other. Um, we have stuff in common. Um, yeah, it's, it's really important. Um, and as I get older, I'm realizing how important it is. You can't do the shit by yourself. Um, so yeah.
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## START HUMAN VERIFIED TRANSCRIPT
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## START KEYWORDS
2020s, Aotearoa New Zealand, Darby Bracken, Events, God, Job, Kapiti Coast District, Manawatū, Manawatū-Whanganui, Otago, People, Rainbow flag, Space, Stuff, Vinegar Hill / Putai Ngahere Domain, Wellington, Wellington region, bonfire, camp, camping, cars, coffee, community, cruising, fairy, family, flags, friends, fun, gay, murder, other, queer, rainbow, seat, sleep, straight, tent, time, walking, wind, work.
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## START REFERENCES
The original recording can be heard at this website https://www.pridenz.com/vinegar_hill_darby_bracken.html.
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## START FOOTNOTE
Generated 2026-02-25T20:21:54+13:00.
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