Faces of Townsville

Most of us might take a broken ankle as a warning. Not Luen. He was injured after being dropped during a rock climbing expedition, and while it forced some changes, it didn’t make him reconsider his active lifestyle. “I needed a new job because I was an outdoor guide for Outer Limits,” he says, “so I joined this office job, and I’ve been loving it.”

Luen’s day job is with a company that manufactures climbing equipment, where Luen handles sales and marketing. “As a side gig, just getting the brand out there, we film how-to guides on tree climbing or whatever and post them on YouTube.” It’s more than just his work. Luen’s love of nature was cultivated by his parents from a young age. Those formative experiences led to a life-long obsession with all things outdoors, including hiking, rock climbing, canyoning, and more.

To share his passion and meet like-minded people, he’s part of several groups like the Townsville Bushwalking Club and Rock Climbers Association. “It’s a great way to learn from other people who have more knowledge than you,” he says. “You can also share your knowledge with other people. I get a lot of enjoyment by taking other people out and seeing how they love it. It's very rewarding.” Another way he spreads the word is through a website called Wanderstories, which he has been managing for around 6 years. “It documents mostly bushwalking to all these places that no-one’s ever heard of around Townsville. There’s so much to do here. We have over 365 articles, so that’s one adventure a day.”

And if you’re embarking on one of those adventures, Luen wants to make sure you take on a key piece of advice: “As the outdoors and getting in touch with nature is becoming increasingly popular, we need to be more aware of protecting nature and conservation. Take on ‘Leave No Trace’ philosophies when you're out in the bush: don't start fires, pay for your camping permits, use common sense, pick up other people's rubbish. Leave only footprints; take only photos.”