Skiing the length of the Australian Alps, skiing every snow resort, raising funds for Our Yarning
I acknowledge that throughout this journey I am travelling on traditional lands, the sovereignty of which has never been ceded. I hugely respect the incredible culture and knowledge of the Gunai-Kurnai, Jaimathang, Taungurung, Mitambuta, Dhudhuroa, Ngarigo-Monero, Ngarigu-Currawong, Wongalu and Ngunnawal people on whose land I will cross in the Australian alpine country.
Back during Easter 1997, 25 years, I was hiking through the Budawangs in NSW. With glow worms dancing above my head in the rock overhang where I was camped, I began to dream while awake.
By the time I drifted off to a real sleep I had a plan, a plan to ski the maximum length of the Australian snow country that coming winter.
The following morning, by the time my hands were wrapped around the first mug of coffee, the plan had grown. Grown to the idea of incorporating that ski traverse within a journey from Flinders Street Station in Melbourne to the Opera House in Sydney. By ski, foot, kayak and bike.
The 700 kilometre ski traverse section on (and sometimes off!) skis was an epic and tough journey in so many ways. Indeed for over 2 weeks, from Mt Baw Baw to Mt Hotham, I didn't see a soul. The Melbourne2Sydney journey then grew into my City2City project - 7 journeys totalling 25,000km linking each state capital by the most interesting and challenging human powered routes via our mountains, rivers, deserts and oceans. It was the grandest way to explore my adopted country.
25 years on, I’m certainly older but perhaps no wiser. In the winter of 2022, I again skied and walked the full length of the Australian snow country. But this time, en route, I tasted the Skier’s Dozen, enjoying a ski at each of mainland Australia’s snow resorts. This was my Alpine Odyssey.
I started at the end of July 2022 on an odyssey that I ultimately took 52 days and that raised some $65,000 for Our Yarning.
