English adventurer Ben Southall was the envy of travellers around the world when he scored the ‘Best Job in the World’ 10 years ago and became one of the original ‘influencers’, paid to travel throughout the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef for six months and share his experiences online as part of a tourism promotion. It reportedly generated more than $200 million in global publicity for Queensland and Southall has since made his home in the Sunshine State. However, his taste for adventure has not dimmed. When his job as ‘island caretaker’, based on Hamilton Island, was over Southall continued his expeditions, filming as he went, completing a four-month, 1600km kayak along the Great Barrier Reef retracing the route sailed by Captain Cook back in 1770; setting a world record, along with two mates, for the fastest ascent of the tallest mountain in each state in Australia – the Aussie 8 – and following that with the nine Great Walks of New Zealand, completing 545km in nine days; and, after marrying in his beloved Whitsundays, he took to the road with his wife Sophee and his 11-year-old Land Rover driving 55,000km from Singapore to London, through 33 countries. It’s not surprising then that Southall, now living in Queensland, has started his own Best Life Adventures business, hosting tours that include bike riding the highest road in India, a tri-nation Arctic Challenge and a digital disconnect in Mongolia for entrepreneuriallyminded business types. But it’s Queensland he now calls home.
Where do you live? I’m really lucky to now live in the gorgeous Currumbin Valley. As soon as we had our baby boy, we talked about where the perfect place in Queensland would be to bring up our little man and decided we could get the ‘city’ life that Brisbane offers anywhere in the world. So, to celebrate the best bits of the state we needed to find a contrast between beach and mountains and Currumbin Valley was the perfect solution.
What do you like about your neighbourhood? I love the fact I can be on the Border Track (a famous trail-running route that runs all the way to the summit on Mount Cougal) within one minute of leaving my front door. When I get home I look out from the balcony, across our rainforest to the ocean and then can be on the beach 15 minutes later. It’s simply nirvana.
Cougal Cascades
Where and what would you recommend to visitors? For someone who runs an adventure travel company it’s all about the great outdoors for me. Living on the border of the Gondwana Rainforests and Springbrook National Park we’re spoilt for choice for places to head to when we want to digitally disconnect. I’d have to say visiting the Cougal Cascades at the end of our valley to refresh and cool down or watching the sunset from Currumbin Alley as surfers catch the last light and waves at the end of the day are must-dos. We also have amazing cafés where I go for meetings and catchups with friends – Dust Temple is a funky little architectural space in Currumbin Waters, and Freeman’s Organic Farm, a few hundred metres up the road from where we live, makes the perfect dog walk where I can smash a doppio and look down the valley as our little boy, Atlas, picks strawberries all year round.
What have been your best discoveries in the area? Being able to collect Atlas from day care and run along the beachfront to Kirra pushing him in the buggy, then jumping in the ocean with him, is one of my favourite weekly adventures. Plus heading to Miami Marketta on a Friday night for some live music and to catch up with friends for a beer is another absolute pleasure.
Is there something good about it that only locals know?
4WD track, Cape York
My memories are climbing hand over hand up moss-covered tree roots, jumping streams and twisting my ankle in the first half hour. We strapped it up and just kept going – there was a record at stake after all!
The Currumbin Eco Village Green Marquee event held once a month is where the locals catch up and listen to musicians as the sun sets. BNE September/October 2019 | 25
