Meet Helen and Harley

16.03.17 By
This article is more than 7 years old

This September, a group of adventurous Climate Council supporters will head to Cape York Peninsula. (Click here if you’re up for an adventure too!)

Participants will have the chance to cruise the Great Barrier Reef, hike through the UNESCO World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and explore some of the diverse islands in the Torres Strait. Along the way, there’s the opportunity to learn about the impacts of climate change in this region – hearing from local Indigenous elders and other experts. Our adventurers will also be raising vital funds for the Climate Council – with each participant aiming to fundraise $4,000.

Mossman River, The Daintree

Chief Climate Councillor Tim Flannery will also be joining the trip. Tim’s been visiting the Cape York Peninsula for many years and will share his personal stories with the group. There’s also the chance to have Q&A sessions with Tim and learn from his abundant knowledge on climate action in Australia and beyond.

Tim speaking in the Kimberley on a previous trip

We recently caught up with Helen and Harley, who went on our Kimberley Adventure with Professor Tim Flannery. We chat to them about their experience.

Helen

It’s always great to be invited anywhere, but to be invited to go on an adventure into the remote Kimberley and spend time with Tim Flannery and other knowledgeable committed environmental guardians is simply magical. In my sixties I don’t get many direct challenges. I decided it was an offer too good to refuse. It was a great chance to see and learn more.

I felt really challenged by the idea of trekking, but the tour was so well organised and flexible –and our guides so helpful and considerate – that I managed really well. The trip was also a great motivator for increasing my fitness level in preparation – I definitely need motivating!

The fundraising challenge really scared me at first, but it strengthened and deepened my relationships with people around me. I discovered very many people – family, friends and friends of friends – were very happy to support my efforts. So that was a very rewarding part of the exercise. Another adventure I had never expected to have.

Now I have new friends from the trip too – like-minded people but with a wide range of different perspectives on the natural world. There is a special bond after a shared adventure.

One of my fellow trekkers took my favourite photo – I had just trekked into my first gorge, and swum in its beautiful waterfall pool and was totally elated and thrilled!

 

Harley

Our time away truly reinforced what a special part of the world we’re so lucky to have in our own backyard. It also emphasised the importance of our current generation’s responsibility in ensuring its protection!

We had amazing contact time with Tim who shared of himself so warmly to all.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciated meeting the group. Spending 10 days together with such an outstanding group of people working to support the Climate Council on the greatest dilemma of our time – climate change – was a fantastic experience. These trips [Harley has attended two!] were absolutely up there amongst the most outstanding trips I have ever experienced in my life, it was a magic experience to share.

We’d love for you to join us on this once in a lifetime adventure! For more information and to sign up, click here.