My operation is essentially a one person operation, and I am owner, organiser, operator and guide. I have no intention of getting bigger, as I feel that I have a special combination of qualifications, experience, commitment, and personality that would not be possible to duplicate in hired guides. Also, the last thing I want is to finish up behind a desk while someone else is out there walking on the trail.

I believe I bring something special to a visitor experience, I have a PhD in biology, with my study being in the area of evolutionary processes in arid-zone plants. My degrees also included units of zoology, geology, and anthropology.

My experience of central Australia goes back 30 years and I have been living in Alice Springs for 14 years. I have a lifelong commitment to Aboriginal rights, and was a member of one of the first environmental activist groups in the country, and am still active in both areas. Over the last 16 years I have worked for and with Aborigines in the area of land use and management, including 3 years with the Central Aboriginal Land Council in Alice.

My knowledge of Aborigines is thus first hand, and includes traditional and contemporary culture, as well as a sound understanding of the current legal, political and social issues. I make a point of incorporating the Aboriginal connection to the land in my commentaries, although my walks do not include any direct contact with Aborigines (for a host of logistic and other reasons) I do have connections with some of the best Aboriginal owned and operated cultural experiences in the Centre, and direct my clients to these where appropriate.

Although a small, personal, charter operation I am fully professional and have all the necessary licences, insurance coverage and sundry paperwork, and naturally need all this to be listed with the tourism organisations. I am a member of the Central Australian Tourism Industry Association, and the Ecotourism Assoc. of Aus. and my tours are accredited with the National Ecotourism Accreditation Program. This is quite a rigorous accreditation.

I speak English, a little French, and a bit of Arrernte and Pitjantjatjara, two of the local Aboriginal languages. More importantly, I am used to, and skilled at speaking to people who speak English as a second language. Where required I can use simple, but formal and unaccented English without colloquiallisms.(As opposed to talking loudly in thickly accented colloquial baby talk)

I regard myself as fairly well travelled, having seen most of Asia, Europe and North America, a bit of Russia and China, and lived in the Philippines for two years. I used to speak a bit of Tagalog, but I've forgotten it.