Lang and Bev Kidby – Bean 1924
The Australian Geographic Society has announced the recipients of its 2026 Adventurer of the Year Awards, recognising Australians reshaping modern exploration. From historic route recreations to record river journeys, youth aviation milestones and a two‑year family cycling odyssey, this year’s cohort reflects the breadth of Australian adventure. As the longest-running and most prestigious Awards program of its kind, each award acknowledges resilience, passion and an indomitable spirit.
This year’s highest honour, the Lifetime of Adventure Award, has been presented to Lang and Bev Kidby, a 79-year old couple celebrating almost half a century of ambitious, long‑distance expeditions. From desert crossings to meticulously executed world-wide journeys, the Kidbys have dedicated their lives to travelling through some of the harshest and most remote environments on Earth. Their 2024 adventure which recreated Francis Birtles’ 1927 England‑to‑Australia journey in a restored 1924 Bean 14 is a fitting continuation of a lifetime spent embracing challenge, history and the open road.
“Adventure has always been about understanding the people and the landscapes we travel through and the challenges they present,” said Lang Kidby.
“Recreating Birtles’ journey reminded us that exploration doesn’t lose its meaning with age – there’s always more to learn.” Bev added: “Every expedition has relied on trust, preparation and working together. This award feels like team recognition for a lifetime spent stepping into the unknown.”
The Adventurer of the Year Award has been awarded to Alan Davison, who completed a 13,381‑kilometre solo kayak expedition (6,356km of which was upstream!) through the Murray–Darling Basin – one of the longest and most demanding inland paddles undertaken in recent Australian history. Over 276 days, Davison navigated weirs, portages, dried‑out channels, floodplains and shifting flows across the Condamine, Balonne, Bokhara, Barwon, Darling, Murrumbidgee, Murray, Macintyre and Coorong systems, completing the journey without sponsorship or support.
“The river has a way of stripping everything back,” Davison said. “Spending months on the water taught me more about the Basin – its beauty, its fragility, its complexity – than any map or report ever could. It was the hardest thing I’ve done, and the most meaningful.”
One of this year’s Spirit of Adventure Awards has been presented to Byron Waller, who at just 15 years old completed a circumnavigation of the globe in a small single‑engine aircraft. Flying more than 44,000 kilometres across 22 countries, Byron undertook a rigorously planned expedition shaped by weather systems, international permissions and complex risk assessments. Living with Crohn’s disease, he used the journey to inspire young people facing illness or adversity.
“This flight was about following my dreams and knowing that I could overcome any challenge to achieve my goals,” Byron said. “If even one young person living with illness sees possibility instead of limitation because of this journey, then it was worth every moment in the air.”
The second Spirit of Adventure Award has been awarded to The Swag Family – Andrew and Nicola Hughes and their three children – who completed a self‑supported bike‑packing expedition across four continents over nearly two years. Beginning with a tandem and triplet bicycle and a breastfeeding infant, the family travelled through New Zealand, South America, Europe, Central Asia and Southeast Asia, adapting their approach as the children grew and eventually rode independently.
“We want our children to get outdoors and experience the world from an early age,” said Andrew Hughes. “When you travel by bike, you feel every hill, every change in weather, every shift in culture. It’s the most exciting way to experience life.
Nicola added: “People often assume adventure ends when you have children. This journey wasn’t just about distance; it was about becoming stronger together – both physically and mentally.”
Australian Geographic Society Chair Chrissie Goldrick said this year’s recipients reflect the depth and diversity of Australian adventure, showing that it can be pursued at any age.
“These awards showcase the extraordinary range of Australian adventure,” said Chrissie Goldrick. “Whether retracing historic routes, pushing environmental limits or achieving world‑firsts, this year’s recipients embody the determination and curiosity that define our explorers.”
For further information on the Australian Geographic Society and its winners, visit australiangeographicsociety.
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