Graham (Hammy) Anderson

Tell us about your connection to nature and its power to change us? 

Growing up on an avocado farm on the east coast of Australia I have always had access to nature and been immersed in it. I developed a deep connection with plants, animals and soil which I did not fully appreciate until I was 21 years old. It took a fatal motorbike crash to realise how far I was pushing myself in stress and how disconnected I had become from my true self.

My recovery was back on the farm where I grew up. I was immersed in nature again, with all its beauty and discomforts. 

Sublime moments such as an early morning sunrise were moments to forget myself and surrender my pain and suffering in the healing.

There were also the inevitable discomforts of farm life, such as cold wet boots in early morning grass or the sweat drenched shirt after a long afternoon’s work. These discomforts in nature take away the surface layers of desire, or even shallow aspects of personality and uncover more of our core self. For me, changing from the superficially driven person that I was becoming before the crash back into a child of wonder is what healed me.

Being an adventure guide on K’gari Island and having your adventure company, why do you believe exploration is important? 

Curiosity. I believe that exploration is what must come from curiosity, and curiosity is a saviour for any malady.

Any event in my life can be viewed as good or bad and I can be changed by it in that light. However, if judgement is set aside and curiosity is there, then the change will be driven internally rather than externally. If I explore the feelings of the event with mindfulness and compassion, then great changes take place! 

Similarly with external landscapes, this same internal curiosity starts as childlike wonder. Exploring the world is what we do as children and to get back to that state is an amazing experience. Beyond the health and psychological resilience that can come from this, just the pure joy of the moment is enough of a reason to go out and explore. We can find that moment in nature and just sit in gratitude and silence having accomplished something in our exploration.

I enjoy helping people join adventures and completely forget parts of themselves, overwhelmed by the wonder that is in exploring. They will come back to the fire at night quieter and more content, without the head noise that comes with much our modern life. Just still with gratitude and contentment for an exploration well done. That is the reason why I love what I do.

 

What does “no worries” mean in Australia? 

 

Hahaha, an amazing term which many international travellers latch onto while they explore Australia. It means both "you are welcome" and "it wasn't an issue", whatever it was at that moment. It could in response to a thanks for being saved from a crocodile or letting you cut the grocery line. Regardless of the extent of generosity involved in the action, Australians will almost invariably reply with "no worries".

 

I like to think that this comes from a strong value of mateship. With the vast and harsh climate in Australia we have formed a strong community, grounded in helping each other.  We don't think it a "worry" or inconvenience but rather gain a good bit of satisfaction in lending a hand. As I mentioned with the sublime aspect of nature, I also believe that having nature in most of our backyards in Australia, we tend to gain a humility from this.

So the extent that we would help ourselves is the same extent we would lend a hand to others. In that way it's always, "no worries” here in Australia.

Your favourite uses for a hat?

Any good hat that I take on my explorations can hold a drinkable portion of water. 

 

During a bushwalk, if I ever find a freshwater flow, I love taking my hat off and dunking it in the stream. Scooping out a hat full of water hydrates me and cools me, since the second scoop I will dunk over my head while I put the hat back on. Doing this leaves me hydrated, cooled and wicking moisture for a long time afterwards through the damp hat. 

 

It's not the most conventional use of a hat but it is a resourceful use of an everyday item that makes every exploration a little bit more fun.

 

 

The Flinders hat is perfect for this dunking and drinking technique that I love so much. It's also my go-to hat for long expeditions where I need to pack light. It can be folded down and stuffed into the bag, coming back out in the daytime ready for a full day in the sun or rain, keeping is shape. The wide brim and neck protector keep off both sun and rain, and the floppy material with a chin cord keep it on during high winds. It's perfect for every situation - versatile and practical.

Favorite place nearby in Queensland, Australia?

My favourite place is Beechmont, Binna Burra. I managed a farm up in that area recently and found the community to be some of the most humble and well-wishing folk of any area that I have visited. The climate in that mountainous area is cooler and less humid than the beaches directly below, making summer days hiking in that rainforest area absolutely stunning and easy on the body. The nighttime scents are of flowering grasses and transpiring trees, and skies are clear and starry.

Join Graham in exploring out

www.asadvenutures.com.au