Cultivating Passions Podcast

I am a wildlife photographer, natural history writer, columnist for Australian Geographic Magazine, conservationist, trainer, public speaker and meditator.

When I was at school, I felt that my teachers, my careers advisor and the education system as a whole were pressuring me into deciding on a career path. I was constantly told to “Just Follow Your Passion” and this will guide me to my career and make me happy. I knew I loved wildlife, photography, writing, history and travelling, but had no idea what career path to take that could encompass all of these areas. I was a 16 yr old, born in Australia but raised in England, who had just migrated back to Australia. I was bewildered, confused and socially awkward. A life-long, fulfilling career that I could be passionate about was not even on my horizon. I was in survival mode!

Ultimately, I bombed out of university and hopped from job to job, just to earn enough money to survive and enjoy life. I had one constant though. Because of my uncertainty in deciding a career path at school, my careers advisor organised some work experience for me at the Australian Museum in Sydney. My manager there, Walter Boles, invited to return in a volunteer capacity during my school holdidays, which I did. I ended up working there, on and off, for 22 years. 

While I was at the museum I was involved in research and fieldwork throughout Australasia, travelled, read numerous books on early scientists and explorers, including Darwin, Banks, Gould, Lewin, Latham and North, got images published in the museum’s nature magazine, did book reviews, published research papers, met Sir David Attenborough and Tim Flannery, and, ultimately, got to write my first book. I started to cultivate my passion for wildlife, photography, writing, history and travel. I also discovered that I had a passion for tea!

To date, I have published five scientific papers, authored and contributed to 15 books on Australian wildlife, have had my photographs displayed in galleries and cafes, and have travelled extensively.

I have had so many amazing opportunities come my way and have had the absolute pleasure of meeting and working with many wonderful people on my journey. Many of these people are driving positive changes at a community, regional and global level.

I put this podcast together to make others aware of the great work these people do and to (perhaps) inspire a new generation of people who give more back to the world than they take.

I hope that this podcast inspires many people to discover and cultivate their own passions.