2016 – Our year in review
2016 – Our year in review
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What a year! 2016 was a big year for Inspiration Outdoors with many highlights and a huge amount of challenges. We are very proud of what we achieved in 2016 and really excited about 2017 and beyond.
Our walkers covered a combined total of 33,223km this year. Not bad going. Another 7,000kms and we could have walked around the Earth at the equator!
We had new tours, new people, new vehicles and lots of happy hikers.
Here is a review of what our year looked like.
Summer 2016
The year started with a new office. We have worked out of a home office from 2011, and in January we finally ditched the dressing gowns and put an office into our warehouse. It’s certainly no palace, but it has reduced the distractions… and access to the fridge.
Emily and Simon then celebrated the new office by going hiking in New Zealand for 2 weeks!
In February we ran our second ever Tasmania’s Best Day Walks Tour. Great weather is usually an oxymoron in Tasmania, but we timed it to perfection.
In WA, our Cape Le Grande Tour went off without a hitch and our guests were treated to an encounter with killer whales that they will never forget. See the video.
We then welcomed our newest recruit Rachelle to the team as our East Coast operations manager.
As the summer drew to a close and the weather started to cool down, we started our Cape to Cape and Bibbulmun Track tours. We also completed our very first Victorian High Country tour. Adam and Emily ran the tour and the weather in Bright was unseasonably hot. But like the professionals they are, the team managed to shuffle the itinerary around to be in the shade on the hottest days.
Autumn 2016
More Cape to Capes and Bibbulmun Track tours followed by our first tour in our new 4wd truck!
We decided to retire our old truck “Shackleton” at the end of 2015 and upgrade to “The Beast”. With 21 seats and space for luggage, camping gear, food and water for 10 days, there is nowhere the Beast can’t go.
We sent the Beast to Karijini and the Pilbara for its first expedition.
By this time, our newest guide Laura the explorer was part of the furniture. Soon after, our office person Leana left us to have her second child and we welcomed Hannah into the role.
Winter 2016
As the weather cools right down in the southern states, the Kimberley turns into an absolute paradise.
Mike drove the Beast up to Broome and we then ran 5 Kimberley tours over the winter period. For many of our guests, it would be the trip of a life time.
Mean while, the Perth office was requiring a little extra space as Emily (one of the owners of IO) reached full term.
On the 6th of August, Simon and Emily welcomed their first child Mathew into the world. Weighing 3.62kgs, one of the first purchases was a hiking harness for the little one.
Spring 2016
Our walkers covered a combined total of 18,917kms in just three months! Whoa!! Good going team, that’s incredible.
Many parts of Australia had a colder wetter spring this year. This didn’t worry us at all though as it actually meant our walkers were treated with one of the best wildflower seasons in living memory in the South West. Not only were the wildflowers prolific this year, but they seemed to hang on for much longer, with plenty of orchids still out in November.
Spring also saw our small team expand by one more, with the addition of Sarah Nishanto to the team. As a highly experienced hiker, Sarah took to the role like a duck to water and we couldn’t be more proud of her.
So as the weather heats up across Australia and it becomes too hot to walk, we say goodbye to 2016. It was a fantastic year and we can’t wait for 2017.
Many thanks to all our beautiful walkers. Hope to see you again in 2017.
