Alongside our mates at BlackWolf, we’ve been digging through the archives to find the funniest, the kookiest, the most heart-warming and soul-tingling memories from the outdoors. This is our number one pick. 

As part of the Memories That Matter comp, we asked you to share with us, one of your favourite memories from the great outdoors. 

We read through hundreds of submissions, and there were a few key things we learned.

  1. Everyone wakes up in a flooded tent at least once 
  2. Mishaps make the best stories
  3. You never know what you’ll stumble across in the Aussie bush

We’ll let our comp winner, Simon Matthee, explain that one.

Memories That Matter Winner – Simon Matthee

‘20 years ago, I was 15 and it was Easter. My dad and I set out on the Overland Track after a year of training and preparations, and then a blizzard rolled in (with pretty much no warning!). We were making our way to a shelter hut, only a kilometre up the track, when we saw a figure coming the other way. 

By this stage the snow was above our ankles and coming in at a 45 degree angle, we were walking across the wind, it was hard going. The figure got closer, it was big and black. It kept coming, and pretty soon we realised we were looking at a gorilla coming towards us, in Tasmania, in a snowstorm. The gorilla walked straight past, gave us a wave, and we assumed we had actually died at this point, but we were almost at the hut, so we kept going. 

We asked the two other hikers in the hut if they’d seen anything – they hadn’t. We didn’t speak of it again and completed the hike in 6 days, we weren’t dead, but we weren’t entirely sure of our own memories either! 

10 years later, my Dad and I did the Overland again, but this time we did the fancy chalet version. On the bus ride from the base camp to the start of the hike, one of the guides mentioned a gorilla suit. For the first time in 10 years we recounted our experience – and it turns out we did see a gorilla that day, or at least an unlucky guide who lost poker the night before and had to wear the gorilla suit on the day’s supply run!’

Keep Making Memories

I mean, it’s no Tassie Tiger, but it’s still as rare as they come. 

Congrats Simon, and thanks to everyone who shared their stories with us! Keep on making those memories that matter!

 

Feature photo by @rubyclaireee