Driven by passion

THIS YEAR’S AWARD winners are a truly amazing collection of individuals. We have three courageous adventurers who refused to be beaten by injury and illness and soldiered on to achieve goals that would challenge even the fittest of the fit among the rest of us. Syd Kirkby didn’t let childhood polio dampen his adventurous spirit back in those pioneering days in Antarctica. Steve Plain and Paul Pritchard came back from life-changing accidents to conquer mountains.

Also flying in the face of expectation are our young awardees, school students Sophia Skarparis and Jade Hameister, who prove that age is no barrier to making a difference in the realms of adventure and conservation. Their passion and determination is shared by Atticus Fleming and the three gentlemen of the Numbat Taskforce whose commitment to conservation in Western Australia is having a positive impact on a host of native species under pressure.