Wild Horizons

20/09/2025

It's Day 89 of Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa, a week to the finish line in Christchurch.

As part of the Save the Children fundraising we're auctioning off a $4000 NZ cycle holiday from our friends at Adventure South.

09/04/2025

Super excited to announce my next big fundraising journey - Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa.

Check out all the details at https://www.huwkingston.com/alpine-odyssey-aotearoa

It was 10 years ago later this month when I kayaked back into Anzac Cove at Gallipoli at the end of a year-long odyssey circumnavigating the Mediterranean Sea, the home of Homer's original Odyssey. 3 years ago Alpine Odyssey Australia saw me complete a winter ski traverse the length of the Australian Alps. And now, this coming winter, I’ll be joined by my good Kiwi mate Laurence Mote for a 4000km, 90 day journey traversing the length of Aotearoa/ New Zealand, taking in each of the 25 Kiwi ski areas en route. We’ll travel by bike, ski, foot and even yacht.

One thing more than any other will inspire us to push through the undoubted challenges of this tough winter journey - the sores, the cold, the exhaustion and more - to raise $75,000 for our Pacific island nation neighbours right on the frontline of climate change.
The initial goal of our target is to support a Save the Children pilot project building Vanuatu’s first climate resilient shipping container classrooms, ensuring that no matter what, children have access to education.

Vanuatu is one of the most disaster-prone countries globally. In 2023 alone, it was hit by three severe cyclones - Kevin, Judy, and Lola - causing extensive damage to school infrastructure. I was very fortunate to visit some interesting projects there in late November last year. Just weeks after my visit, an earthquake near the capital Port Vila, destroyed another 60 classrooms.

We are living through some pretty strange times at present, and it is more important than ever to think about those in need, those suffering from natural and unnatural disasters.

Hopefully you might support our goal.

There are so many facets to this journey as we traverse one of the most spectacular countries on earth - Māori culture and connection, Laurence's life changing accident and recovery, celebrating NZ skiing and boarding, mountain life and bike life.

Laurence, a man hugely proud of his Māori heritage and a former NZ representative mountain biker, is actually legally blind after an anaphylactic shock from a single bee sting 12 years ago that nearly killed him. After going into cardiac arrest and coming out of a coma unable to walk, talk or see, Laurence, through immense drive, strength and family support, brought himself back. He is still twice the skier and rider I am!

You can make a general donation or treat yourself to ‘buying’ one of the 25 ski fields Laurence and I plan to ski at.

Who will win the Bledisloe Cup of fundraising - Australia or New Zealand?

You can donate at https://alpine-odyssey-save-the-children.raiselysite.com/

Save the Children Australia Osprey Packs Australia NEMO Equipment Ground Effect Cycle Clothing south Save the Children New Zealand Smith Southern Approach Black Diamond NZ SCARPA

Save the Children Australia Osprey Packs NEMO Equipment effect cycle clothing Smith

19/09/2024

Thanks to everyone who attended an Alpine Odyssey screening over the winter. To date the screenings have raised over $25,000 for Save the Children Australia and Protect Our Winters Australia

And there's now just 10 days until we draw the Alpine Odyssey Big Raffle.
Just 10 days to get your tickets ($5 for one/$20 for five) for some superb prizes totaling $7000.

Buy tickets at https://protectourwinters.org.au/product-category/raffles/

NEMO Equipment Osprey Packs Australia Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa The North Face - Australia & New Zealand Bright Brewery Paddy Pallin TFE Hotels LE BENT

27/06/2024

Alpine Odyssey film screenings are in full swing. Next up Bright Brewery this Saturday 29/6 following sold out shows in Canberra, Jindabyne and Melbourne. A few tickets left for Bright. https://www.huwkingston.com/alpine-odyssey-film

And thanks to the generosity of so many brands, we've also pulled together over $30,000 in prizes for the Alpine Odyssey film tour. Outdoor and ski gear, accommodation, beer and more.

Am using this for raffles, auctions and giveaways at individual screenings and a Big Raffle running across winter, which has over $7000 in prizes. Buy tickets online at
https://protectourwinters.org.au/product-category/raffles/

All proceeds of course split 50/50 between Save the Children Australia and Protect Our Winters Australia

Huge thanks to Osprey Packs Australia The North Face - Australia & New Zealand Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa NEMO Equipment TFE Hotels Paddy Pallin LE BENT Falls Creek Resort Traverse Alpine Group Lonely Planet Alex Hotchin Art Paul Reader Snow Sports Tathra Hotel Banjo Patterson Hotel Jindabyne Tumut River Brewing Co

21/05/2024

Tickets are selling well for the Alpine Odyssey shows with a number of screenings close to sold out (here's looking at you Canberra & Melbourne & winking at you Sydney).

Details and bookings here
https://www.huwkingston.com/alpine-odyssey-film

PS Bookings for the Bundanoon screening on 26 July, on a separate booking platform, are now open too here https://www.trybooking.com/CRLRD

Protect Our Winters Australia Save the Children Australia Bright Brewery Mt Buller The North Face - Australia & New Zealand Falls Creek Resort Traverse Alpine Group Thredbo Resort

23/04/2024

COMING TO A BREWERY, CINEMA, PUB, HALL OR MOUNTAIN NEAR YOU!

I’m very happy to announce screening details for the film of my Alpine Odyssey.

Alpine Odyssey, a film by Ivan Hexter, tells the story of my winter 2022 journey along the 700km length of the Australian alps, a journey I first undertook 27 years ago.

My 50-day traverse also had me skiing at each of the dozen mainland Australian snow resorts en route. It was a journey across country I have loved for decades, a journey to celebrate the mountains and communities that make up this very special, very small part of Australia. But with love also comes concern and care.

Screenings will raise funds for Save the Children Australia and Protect Our Winters Australia (POW), two organisations I’m very proud to be an Ambassador for.

Funds will be raised via entry tickets, raffles/auctions etc. Whilst the film will be core to each event there will be other elements to entertain the crowds! POW will also be presenting details on some of the important work they are doing here in Australia.

Keep up to date with screenings, new dates and plans at https://www.huwkingston.com/alpine-odyssey-film

Link to book tickets direct is https://protectourwinters.org.au/.../alpine-odyssey-tickets/

Look forward to seeing you at one of the screenings.

The North Face - Australia & New Zealand Traverse Alpine Group Thredbo Resort Mt Buller Falls Creek Resort Bright Brewery Astra Falls Creek

The North Face - Australia & New Zealand Traverse Alpine Group Thredbo Resort Mt Buller Falls Creek ResortBright Brewery Astra Falls Creek

07/03/2024

To Assisi and beyond!
Due to a cancellation there is one place available on my Biking the Boot mountain bike tour in Italy 4-24 May. 3 weeks of fine riding, fine food and so much more through Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany, the Dolomites........

All details https://www.huwkingston.com/biking-the-boot

11/12/2023

Nice to see that our good friends at Rapid Ascent are running a 6 day gravel riding tour in the Great Ocean Road region in March 2024, a grand part of the world.

This is an all inclusive, fully supported tour of smooth gravel roads that permeate deep into the Otway Ranges. The riding will vary between 60km and 100km each day before relaxing in some majestic accommodation afterwards.

The riding mixes it up with local seafood, visits to waterfalls and other little known Otway sights for a great,late summer holiday.

Check out all the details on their website at: https://www.rapidascentjourneys.com.au/great-ocean-road-gravel-tour/

04/12/2023

Time to ride....in Italy

Join me for 3 weeks of incredible biking, eating, accomodation history and more for 800km from the outskirts of Rome, through the Apennines hills of Umbria, Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, thence to the might Dolomites.

4-24 May 2024. All details at https://www.huwkingston.com/biking-the-boot

30/08/2023

Article on this year's Biking the Boot tour now up on the blog of our good friends at Ground Effect Cycle Clothing

Details on the 2024 version here https://www.huwkingston.com/biking-the-boot

https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/blogs/news/fango-frane-fine-ales

Huw Kingston leads a tour through Italy, weaving a winding line through the Apennines on singletrack, dirt tracks, gravel roads and a bit of asphalt, with an unexpected dose of fango, before heading north to the Dolomites for a big mountain finisher.

17/07/2023

Biking the Boot - 4-24 May 2024
The best mountain bike holiday you will ever take.
It was SO good to be back riding in Italy in May with my Biking the Boot tour. Details are now up for the 2024 version. Places limited to 8 riders.
https://www.huwkingston.com/biking-the-boot

22/06/2023

Tour de France Tipping Comp for Save the Children Australia

Many of you will know my good mate, Liam Doherty, seen here after a little tumble in Italy last month on the Biking the Boot tour.

For many years Liam has run a very unique Tour de France tipping competition raising many $000's for Save the Children and for the Prince of Wales Hospital in Perth.

After a couple of years break over Covid, it's back with a vengeance in 2023.

Here's how to get involved:

- $10 per team entry. You can have as many teams as you like. Go here for an example of some team names https://cccoglioniblog.wordpress.com/table/
- You are randomly allocated 8 riders per team
- Depending on where your riders finish each day you get points
- The person with the most points at the end of the tour wins
- There are prizes at the end and along the way as well. You can choose to take the prize money or throw part or all of it back into the charity pool
- You can read the rules here https://cccoglioniblog.wordpress.com/rules-and-prizes/
- You can pay Liam using payid 0409 646302. Please remember to include your name or your team name. Get in touch if you prefer another way.

- If you are in, send [email protected] a reply with your name, your team name and your preferred email address.

After each TDF stage Liam sends out the most perceptive and funniest report you'll read.