My love of nature started early

Growing up, my Dad was always taking us outdoors. He had so much curiosity towards nature and enjoyed watching all animals interact and how plants grew. In fact, you could say I inherited my love of nature from him. 

One of my first jobs was as a Penguin Tour Guide. This led me to study a Bachelor of Science in Ecotourism where I learnt about the process of plants and animals, geographic formations; from the microscopic… to the universal. I took great pleasure in learning about what I had been brought up to watch. 

Time in nature changes us

The first time I really witnessed the impact the natural environment could have on your state of mind, was in the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest where I worked for two years as a Tour Guide. I took people deep into this ancient rainforest and after they had spent time looking, learning and seeing, there was this connection that couldn’t be removed. The feeling driving home from a tour was calm, slow and soft – very different to the hustle at the beginning of the day. 

I worked closely with the Indigenous people of the area where I truly learnt the respect that nature and natural processes deserve. There is so much we can learn just by looking at the formation of plants, the design of leaves and the communication of trees between fungi. Everything is interconnected. Nothing is separate. I feel that once people really narrow their focus on the smaller details it enables a perspective that I have yet to fault. 

Days off in this lush tropical rainforest were an opportunity to explore barefoot up a creek with a backpack and tin of tuna. Nothing was more important to me than taking time out to sit and watch the natural world go about its business around me. 

Touring became a lifestyle for me

Following my time in the Daintree, I went back home to Adelaide and began taking bus tours of 24 people (yes, just me and 24 people, bus, trailer for 4 days) from Adeladie along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne. During these trips we experienced the vastness of Australia that only a long road trip can offer. I was able to connect with travellers from all different nationalities and that sparked a travel bug where I saw myself head over to Europe. 

I based my life in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I regularly walked up Arthur’s Seat to unwind and relax after days in the city. I worked in various jobs from the Hop on Hop Off bus through the city, to a ski season in the French Alps. 

Witnessing nature is a gift

On my return home, I began working with dolphins, whales, turtles and the ever elusive Dugong at Tangalooma Island Resort in the Marine Education Centre. The sheer intelligence of these animals was just incredible. We worked with the same family of Dolphins every day and they became part of my family. This was, again, another place I witnessed people in awe of animals just by being in their presence. 

But the travel bug hit again and I jet set off for a six month trip through South America. I was able to fulfill my dreams of seeing the Galapagos Islands, trek Machu Picchu, gaze over Iguazu Falls in Argentina, freeze almost to death at the salt flats in Bolivia, volunteer with Pumas in a Bolivian rainforest hike and enjoy Chilean Wine. 

My greatest tour was within

However, as Dorothy says in the Wizard of Oz, there is no place like home! I was yearning for Australia so I returned home to begin a new life on the Sunshine Coast. I began working in mental health and completed my Yoga Teacher Training. I learned many things studying the foundations of yoga and experienced huge amounts of personal growth where the most important learning was about connection. Connection with self, connection with others and connection with nature. Everything is interconnected. Fast forward a few years, and here we are with Grounded Explorer.

My vision

I want everyone to connect with their natural surroundings to assist mental and physical health, creating a stronger sense of responsibility to the natural world, thus encouraging preservation and conservation.

My mission

I’m here to help you develop a curiosity towards nature and realise how you can feel in nature to help preserve the natural environment.