Zillah Bethell was born in the shadow of the volcano Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea. She grew up without shoes, toys or technology; consequently she spent a lot of time in the sea swimming and in canoes - and occasionally, to earn money, she took tourists gold-panning in the highlands of Wau and Bulolo.

Zillah's family returned to the UK when she was ten, and she was eventually educated at Oxford University and now lives in South Wales with her family.