Phil’s HIStory

In 1960 when Phil was a young lad of 15 he read the book “Coopers Creek” by Alan Moorehead.  By coincidence it was later realised that this was exactly 100 years since Burke & Wills departed Melbourne. This was real adventure, but unfortunately it had a tragic ending. However, the inspirational seed had been planted, so years later he explored the Innamincka and Dig Tree area where Burke & Wills languished for two months before their deaths.

Phil has challenged himself many times throughout his life and in 1996 his new year resolution in his 50th year was to run 50 km a day from the lowest point, sea level to the highest point in Australia running 600 km in 12 days while his wife Susan supported him by car from St Kilda to Mt Kosciuszko. It was tough but rewarding. Later on he read that the lowest point in Australia was in fact Lake Eyre North, minus 15 metres below sea level.
So in 2014 to celebrate the 100 th anniversary of Sir Douglas Mawson’s return from the Antarctic, Phil ran and walked the Mawson Trail through the Flinders Rangers and beyond. A total of 690km in 16 days from Port Augusta, sea level to Lake Eyre North. He raised $25,000 for their niece Kate to help in her fight against breast cancer. She is still receiving treatment.

In 1986 Phil rode his heavy original 1880 Penny Farthing 512 km in 24 hours.
 

In 1988 he rode his Penny Farthing 15,000 km around mainland coast of Australia, plus Tasmania, raising over $100,000 for Rotary Polio Plus campaign.

Both these rides gained entry in The Guinness Book of Records.

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1997 – 2016 Phil & Susan ran AllTrails Bicycle Tours for twenty years taking cyclists throughout Australian States, also European and Asian highways and backroads. During this period, Phil and Susan with the generosity of their cyclists and sponsors donated over $450,000 to Charity, part of this to The Fred Hollows Foundation.
We now enjoy our time preparing for the Burke & Wills Walk and Phil’s Burke & Wills Trek helping raise money for The Fred Hollows Foundation mission to restore sight, independence and dignity to people around the world and to Indigenous Australian Communities.