What inspired you to go on this journey?
This particular odyssey is the culmination of shifting dreams. Prior to the pandemic, we both had trips planned overseas, though with the prospect of international travel on hold it forced us to look to what is possible in our own country. The more we researched, the more we found there is limitless wilderness and scope for adventures in Australia - and we wanted to showcase this.
What have you guys been getting up to on the road?
We embarked from Queensland a month ago, tracking our way down the New South Wales coast, surfing countless breaks and drinking a lot of coffee. As the swell shrunk we steered inland to the Blue Mountains, where we climbed sandstone big-walls and worked on our climbing projects. After a couple weeks in the mountains we had little to no skin left, so we made tracks for the Australian Alps. We are now in the small town of Jindabyne at the base of the Alps, eagerly preparing to venture into the snow-laden backcountry.
Who have you partnered with and why was it important to partner with these companies?
I’ve partnered with Blackboard Coffee Roasters, Zorali Clothing and Mammut Equipment on ‘Southbound’. Entering into this project, and this season, I wanted to start afresh. I stepped back from my current sponsors, wanting to simplify and gain some clarity on who I wanted to interact with and my work to be associated with. I set myself some parameters, the brand needed to inspire me, be inline with my approach to adventure and their products needed to be reliable in an expedition environment. With this in mind, I began the search.
Learned anything along the way?
Perhaps the biggest realisation has been that you don't need much to explore and push your limits. In many ways the “inaccessible” frontiers are more accessible for a bunch of broke van-lifers, you just need to procure the right team, skills and ethic.
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@kitalewilson | @jxrdanpearsxn
Credit: Photography by Kit Wilson
