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Huw
Kingston plans to link the Australian state capitals in a series of seven
journeys following the wildest, most remote human-powered routes. On foot
or ski, by mountain bike or kayak, linking modern urbanism with the open
landscape, the city with the bush.
The Journeys
- Melbourne to Sydney
(completed Aug-Oct 1997)
- Sydney to Brisbane
- Brisbane to Darwin
- Darwin to Perth
- Perth to Adelaide
- Adelaide to Melbourne
(completed Oct-Nov 1998)
- Melbourne to Hobart
Outline
Australia: one continent,
one country. All terrain, all climates: hot deserts, snowy mountains, temperate
forests, rainforests, tropical islands...
7.6 million square
kilometres, 18 million people. One of the most sparsely populated countries
on earth. One of the most urbanised: 11 million living in five cities.
Plenty of wide open space.
This is a major
challenge; one that will throw up many hard times, that will require constancy
of purpose. But it is also one that will present the best this country
has to offer. It is in no sense a race. Each journey will follow the most
interesting routes. It will not look for the quickest or easiest. The
total distance covered will be approximately 20,000km.
Approach
It is planned to undertake
at least one City2City journey each year until the project is complete in
around 2002/2003. Each journey will be treated as a separate expedition.
Indeed any of the seven journeys would be considered a major undertaking
on their own. This approach allows each journey to be well planned to ensure
the maximum chance of success. The key self-imposed rule is that mechanised
transport cannot be used on any stage of the route selected. Deviation from
a route using mechanized transport is allowed as long as Huw returns to
the point where he left the route. He will be carrying the food and equipment
required for each stage.
Walking, ski touring,
mountain biking and kayaking (river, lake and sea) are allowed. Each journey
will thus seek out the best terrain suitable for these activities.
Huw will complete
each City2City journey but may be accompanied by others for stages of
each journey. On each journey there will be a number of changeover points
(eg mountain bike to kayak, kayak to foot etc).
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