In early 2023, after falling just short of Aconcagua’s summit in Argentina, Old Boy Stuart Waddington (1983) wasn’t sure he’d go back. Yet something was missing. He wanted challenge, curiosity and growth, maybe closer to home. Reflecting on the extraordinary landscapes of Southeast Queensland (SEQ), a simple idea began to form: What if a single journey could connect them?

Stuart did go back to Aconcagua in 2025 - this time ending with a helicopter evacuation due to high altitude illness which resulted in a ‘truce’ with his family to stay away from big mountains…for a while.

Yet the spark had shifted, not faded. Inspired by the multi-day flow of Patagonia’s ‘W’ he’d done, the original concept evolved into a multi-mode journey around SEQ: parachuting, climbing, cycling, hiking, kayaking - all shaped into a symbolic ‘G’ for Gondwana.

What began as a personal challenge quickly became something more purposeful. Gondwana SEQ is a long-term initiative aimed at strengthening the region’s experience economy, linking natural, cultural and contemporary assets with better insight and coordination.

The ‘Epic G – Trailblazer Edition became a 15-day proof-of-concept. A group of 15 adventurer friends joining for the fun, testing routes, meeting tourism operators and capturing real, on-ground intelligence. On Sunday 19 April the Epic G kicked off by jumping out of a plane above Caloundra and finishing 15 days later on Sunday 3 May at the Mt Coot-tha Summit.

Now having completed the journey (1 parachute jump, 2 mountains, 370km cycling over tarmac & gravel, 73km hiking, 102km kayaking), Stuart’s dominant feeling is a quiet sense of fulfilment: “We set out to do something meaningful and did it together, supported by families and incredible communities along the way. The work now shifts to distilling those experiences into a practical report and advice for stakeholders – with actions that help shape better tourism outcomes, not just for visitors, but for the SEQ region itself.”

The Trailblazer adventure may be complete, but its purpose (and maybe further ‘G-editions’) is only just beginning.