- New memoir chronicles Neville Wooderson’s remarkable life from the 1953 Isle of Man TT to humanitarian work in Nepal.
- The former Hamilton Motorcycle Club racer later helped Sir Edmund Hillary build Khunde Hospital and other vital infrastructure.
- Grandson Levi Sheehan will retrace part of Wooderson’s Himalayan journey later this year during the hospital’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
A new memoir is shining a light on the remarkable life of New Zealander Neville Wooderson QSM – a man whose passion for motorcycles took him to the Isle of Man TT before he went on to help Sir Edmund Hillary build hospitals and schools high in the Himalayas.
The extraordinary life of New Zealand plumber, motorcycle racer and humanitarian Neville Wooderson QSM has been captured in a new 350-page memoir containing nearly 300 photographs, personal journals, letters and historical records.
Riding Through Life: A Journey Fuelled by Passion and Service follows Neville from the hardships of growing up during the Depression to racing in the 1953 Isle of Man TT, building a successful plumbing business and contributing to Sir Edmund Hillary’s humanitarian work throughout Nepal’s Khumbu region.
In 1953, Neville competed in both the Junior and Senior Isle of Man TT races on a BSA Gold Star.
Neville grew up on a farm in the Waikato during the Depression. As a young man, he bought a succession of motorcycles and developed a lasting love of British bikes, despite their tendency to break down. The BSA eventually became his favourite. He joined the Hamilton Motorcycle Club and raced at Seagrove, Pukekohe, Waiheke and throughout New Zealand, before being selected to represent the country at the Isle of Man TT in 1953—fulfilling one of his greatest dreams.
Just over a decade later, his life took a very different turn when he travelled to Nepal to support Sir Edmund Hillary’s work in the Himalayas.
In 1966, Neville helped lead the team that built Khunde Hospital. He also contributed to schools and other practical projects throughout the Khumbu, helping establish services that would continue benefiting local communities for generations.
Neville’s years of service in Nepal and within his own community were later recognised with the Queen’s Service Medal. Neville lived a full life with many highs and lows; he touched many lives. When he received a call from the Governor General’s office telling him he had received a QSM, he hung up on them, thinking it was a prank.
Neville belonged to a generation of practical, quietly spoken New Zealanders who rarely made a fuss about what they achieved. He simply got on with the job and allowed the work to speak for itself.
Later on in life, he brought a 1960 BSA Goldstar 500 single and ended up sponsoring Paul Dobbs (Dobsy), and later Chris Swallow. These were some of Neville’s greatest adventures as his passion for motorbikes kept him young.
A Largely Untold New Zealand Story
Two of Neville’s children, Joy Sheehan and Mark Robbins spent 18 months piecing together his story from photographs, old diaries, slides, voice recordings and memories gathered from New Zealand and overseas.
The result is a richly illustrated memoir that preserves not only Neville’s personal story, but also a lesser-known chapter of New Zealand history involving Kiwi tradesmen, volunteers and adventurers who supported Sir Edmund Hillary’s work in Nepal. “I thought publishing Dad’s memoir would close a chapter,” Joy says.
“It turns out it was the beginning of a whole new one.
“Dad lived such a full life, but like many men of his generation, he did not talk much about what he had achieved. It was only when we began working through his journals, photographs and records that we realised the true scale of his story.”
The book traces Neville’s life through motorcycle racing, business, family, community service, travel and his years working in Nepal. It also reveals the contrast at the heart of his life: the thrill of speed and adventure alongside a deep commitment to practical service.
He raised a family, built a strong plumbing business in Papakura and certainly had a busy life. He carried out 7 trips to Nepal between 1966-2000, not just building schools and hospitals, but installing Solar Panels, water systems and even building a bridge in the Khumbe District.
Riding Through Life was officially launched at the Edmund Hillary Library in Papakura on 27 June 2026, with Peter Hillary among those attending.
Since its launch, Riding Through Life has begun reconnecting people from many different parts of Neville’s life. Through his long-running plumbing business in Papakura, his community involvement and the many clubs and organisations he belonged to, Neville came to know people across South Auckland. The book has reached friends, former customers, club members, acquaintances, motorcycle enthusiasts, readers interested in Nepal and people connected with the Himalayan Trust, showing just how widely Neville was known and how strongly his story continues to resonate across very different communities.
A New Chapter Begins
As the memoir introduces Neville’s story to a new generation, his grandson Levi Sheehan is preparing to follow part of his path through the Himalayas. This November, Levi will travel to Nepal as part of the In the Footsteps of Hillary II: Return to Everest Basecamp expedition.
Led by Peter Hillary, the journey will take the group through the Khumbu region, including Khumjung School, Everest Base Camp and Khunde Hospital. The official programme includes a visit to Khumjung School, the first school established through Sir Edmund Hillary’s work in the region, followed by the formal 60th anniversary celebrations for Khunde Hospital on 21 and 22 November.
For Levi and his family, the journey will be a deeply personal opportunity to see the places that shaped an important part of Neville’s life. The publication of the memoir has also given Levi a much deeper appreciation of what his grandfather experienced and achieved in Nepal.
“I’ve always loved climbing mountains here in New Zealand, but after reading Grandad’s book, I came away really inspired by everything he achieved in Nepal,” Levi says.
“I always knew I wanted to make it to Everest Base Camp one day, but getting the chance to walk into the Himalayas with Peter and Alexander Hillary, visit the places Grandad worked and connect with that part of his life makes it even more exciting. It’s a massive opportunity—and pretty epic.”
As part of the journey, Levi is aiming to raise $5,000 for the Himalayan Trust and is already off to a strong start. You can find his fundraising page here: https://fundraise.himalayantrust.org/leviplaysdrums
With nearly 300 photographs across its 350 pages, Riding Through Life tells the story of a man who chased speed on some of the world’s greatest race circuits before dedicating much of his later life to helping others.
It is available now for NZ$55 through the book’s website.
Riding Through Life: A Journey Fuelled by Passion and Service
Price: NZ$55
Website: www.nevillewoodersonbook.com
