We Asked Our Fave Alone Australia Season 4 Contestants About Their Prep

Ahead of the chilly, Arctic Circle edition fourth edition of Alone Australia, we had the chance to quiz Alyce, Lillian, and Dougy.

Geez it must be busy at SBS right now. They’ve still got the FIFA World Cup going, the Tour de France has just entered week two, and now they’re dropping season four of the enormously popular Alone Australia series.

We’re big fans at We Are Explorers, some of us have even done survival courses recently. There’s something so rare about getting such a pure look at someone’s experience of the wild, even with all the editing and heartbeat sound effects to give it some drama.

When we found out it was going to be in the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic Circle no less, Amy was scathing. Fair enough, we’d still love to see Alone come back home, to the outback or High Country – but Aussie wildlife laws do make that kind of tough. However according to Dougy, being in Finland might not have changed things that much…

We’ve accepted it now and we’re still pumped to see how Aussies (and a Kiwi) get on in the cold, cold north. Out of the ten contestants three stood out, so I posed them a few questions to help you decide where they’ll place. 

Alyce, 36

Aboriginal Community Engagement Senior Advisor, WA

Full Bio

You got into the outdoors later in life – what drew you to bigger, multi day challenges and have you always been interested in survival, or is that a more recent passion?

I’m drawn to opportunities that test my spiritual and physical depths. My first multi day ‘challenge’ was to Everest Base Camp without a porter and guide. That trip was to honour my late mum who had passed away in a car accident the year before. I not only began to process my grief, but realised how alive and more myself I am when I’m moving through nature for extended periods of time. My entire vibration shifts when I’m hiking. I haven’t looked back since. 

Before Alone, I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as a survivalist on any level. I didn’t grow up in a family that got us into hiking, Scouts, or anything super challenging in the outdoors. I would say I am ancestral-skills curious. I’d only been dabbling in bushcraft a few years prior. Mostly having fun making spears and weird ass fishing lures with my hair.

What’s your trekking business called and what are the most common things you see people learn on your tours?

My hiking venture is called Fuego Outdoors. It’s really geared for people who want to take on their own self-supported hiking adventures but don’t know where to start. I was once that person and can totally appreciate how overwhelming it can feel. Sure, there’s heaps of online content now to help you prepare, but there’s no substitute for learning hands on.

People usually walk away realising how simple it can be with the right gear and safe planning. And with a sense of accomplishment and confidence in themselves. That’s the most rewarding part for me.

How’s your arctic fishing? Will you cut a hole in the ice?

I think I’m an alright fisherwoman, considering I only began when I was 30. Coincidentally I’ve done a bit of fishing on freshwater lakes in the boreal forest in northern Canada. So, I’d already caught some of those species also found in Finland. Will I cut a hole in the ice? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Lillian, 25

International Outdoor Guide, NT

Full Bio

I was a Scout too! Do you think Scouting prepared you for this challenge, or simply inspired the adventurous life that’s led you here?

I think Scouting did both. It inspired my love of adventure and the outdoors, but it also taught me some of the practical and mental skills. Scouts has encouraged me to use my initiative, solve problems and be comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Looking back, I can see how many of those lessons have stayed with me throughout my life.

What are the coldest conditions you’ve ever been in, and how would you describe them?

The coldest conditions I’ve experienced were around -60°C in Arctic Sweden. Once you get below about -20°C, it all feels like a different kind of cold. It’s less about feeling dramatically colder and more about how quickly the cold affects you. If you take your gloves off, you notice it almost immediately. Everything requires a bit more thought and preparation because the environment is far less forgiving.

Is that why you’ve spent time guiding in the NT more recently?

Yes, in a way. I seem to be drawn to places that challenge me. The Northern Territory couldn’t be more different from the Arctic but that’s part of what I love about it. Every trip is different, and there’s always something new to learn. Guiding in the NT has given me endless opportunities to keep learning and growing.

Dougy, 43

Electrician, WA

Full Bio

Tell us about your hunting and fishing skills – we’ve seen protein be an important part of winning Alone Australia, but many hunters haven’t had that much luck, how will you succeed?

I grew up in the northeast of England in a place called Newcastle upon Tyne. A cold, wet, windy, miserable place where the skies are grey, the wild wind howls and the sun has an allergy of showing itself.

Hunting and fishing have always been a part of my life. As soon as I could walk, I would tag along on hunting, fishing, and poaching trips with my dad and uncle. Most of the food we ate was from my granddad’s allotment and from the woods or rivers. My motto was ‘if it has eyes it dies’ (if it was on the list of course).

I feel that my skills as a hunter, fisher, and trapper are up there with the best of them. So, when I found out there was no hunting, I was totally rattled as this was a massive part of my skill set that was taken away along with a major part of my ability to confidently stock up on food. 

But my fishing skills are up there so I was not phased that much in the end, as everyone was in the same boat (no pun intended). I can fly fish, make lures out of anything, make nets, and read the lake / rivers to know where the fish will be, so this gave me the confidence to get amongst it. I know that if there are fish there, I can catch them one way or another, so I took this challenge on gladly.

We’ve heard that you’re pretty funny on the show, is it hard to resist performing for the camera while filming Alone? Or is that all part of it.

I keep hearing that I’m funny, but I don’t see it. I am who I am. I’m just Dougy. Australia’s number one Pom.

On camera, I didn’t perform at all. With me, what you see is what you get. If the sky is blue, I will tell you. I like to have a laugh. Not much phases me and I think us Geordies have a brutal, working-class honesty and a persona that people find hilarious probably mixed with ADHD or something. I have a very good PMA (positive mental attitude). I don’t know where this comes from, but it does me well and keeps me going when times get hard. 

Survival shows, for example!

Most people pre-load some weight before the show. Did you do this and if so, what was your approach?

I did indeed. When I found out I was going to be one of the fabulous ten I started to eat like crazy. Not being a ‘festively plump person’ I had to stack on a good bit of weight. In survival, (amongst many) fat is the key, fat, fat, fat. Problem with me is, you can’t fatten a thoroughbred. I really struggled to gain weight as I have a really fast metabolism. But I did okay. I gained about 15kg for the challenge.

I would eat meals of the same size but loaded with proteins and fats. It was so hard to eat all the time. My body rejected it so bad in the beginning. My missus hated it, so funny. She used to look at me with utter disgust, and say something like ‘How the hell can you eat all of that and stay skinny?’

So there you have it, three very different contestants, a variety of outdoor skills, and Dougy dropping the No Hunting bombshell. Let’s hope the fishing and trapping is up to scratch!