Researcher biography
After an eye-opening experience hiking the Overland track in Tasmania, I had a “small” quarter-life crisis, quit my highly paid corporate job in Sydney and moved to Tasmania to become a hiking guide. This experience was my first real introduction to the natural world, and I became obsessed with learning more about the trees, birds and mountains around me. Taking this passion back home to Sydney, I launched my own hiking company, Freeland Hiking Co., offering day and multi-day hiking tours in the beautiful national parks surrounding Sydney City. Unfortunately, the impact of both the Black Summer fires, and then COVID-19 crushed my baby business, and I was forced to close it for good. But fortunately, as one door closes, another opens, and I am currently completing a Master of Conservation Biology at The University of Queensland, with a vision to take my passion for the beauty of nature and turn it into a life-long career.