Inspired:Matt Rogerson, Voyage to Heard Is. to Climb Big Ben

Presentation Details:

Mawson’s Peak is rightly celebrated as one of the highest and hardest mountains in Australian territory. Difficulties abound – an approach over thousands of km of wild seas, an uncertain beach landing, ferocious weather and a troublingly active volcano forming the summit. The Four Australian SAS Officers cook up a plan with the Army Alpine Association to catch a ride with a deep ocean trawler and try for a third ascent, via a new route.

Matt is a 55 year old adventurer, educator and guide passionate about wilderness and helping others share in his wonder and veneration for the natural world. Alongside a 30 year military career in Special Operations, Matt has led four vertical geological survey expeditions to remote Greenland fjords, radar mapped glacial ice in the New Zealand Alps, and held the position of lead rigger and task producer for the television series “SAS Australia” since its inception and held safety, survival and field operations for the first Australian series of “Alone”.

He now works for Peak Learning Adventures, a bespoke adventure company as their lead guide in the Nepalese Himalaya, the coasts and jungle of PNG, and in the Australian high country.

Matt is an enthusiastic mountaineer, having participated in and led several significant mountaineering expeditions, including making, with two others the first Australian ascent of Dhaulagiri (7th highest mountain in the world), and the third ascent of the remote sub-Antarctic Mawson’s Peak. He has climbed and explored extensively in Europe, Middle East, the Americas and Asia.

Matt is an active member of a local Canberra church, and loves woodworking, handcrafting outdoor gear and various human powered pursuits including sea kayaking, pack rafting andbike packing.

The Inspire Adventure Series is a regular monthly event aiming to get you inspired by presenter/s who will be sharing his/her/their outdoor adventures through multimedia slide show. Besides watching the presentation and Q&A, there will be a time to connect, chat, exchange ideas, motivate each other, and maybe even to find a partner for your next adventure?

If you have a chance, please bring children and teenagers, we'd love showing them too!

Paddy Pallin is planning to deliver nine sessions in 2025 from March up to November.

Paddy Pallin will provide some snacks and drinks for the evening, please bring your own food if you have any dietary requirements. You are also welcome to BYO drinks including liquor.