Trip Leader
Fred Paton
Fred started trekking at a young age, from short trips around Victoria’s rugged coast to a lap of the Annapurna Circuit when he was 11 years old.
His passion for walking continued through his study of outdoor education at university where he developed a love of naturalist studies. Fred spent his time between school and company expeditions working on adventure therapy programs and fuelling his outdoor desires by rock climbing, paddling and walking whenever he had time.
As winter took hold in Victoria, Fred would head for warmer climates. He found himself trekking active volcanoes in Central America, muddy trails in South East Asia and mountainous lakes in British Columbia. His northern hemisphere adventure culminated in a thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, the world’s longest continual walking track going from Mexico to Canada via California, Oregon and Washington.
In more recent years Fred has turned his attention to Australia and has completed the Australian Alps Walking Track and all but two of Queensland’s Great Walks. His home in Western Victoria provides him with ample opportunity for time on the Great Ocean Walk and Great South West Walk as well as a newly found passion for chasing off-track waterfalls in the Otways.