Willis's Walkabouts -- Our History

Founded in 1986, Willis's Walkabouts is northern Australia's most experienced bushwalking tour operator.

On most of our Bushwalking Holidays you carry a full backpack (which can be surprisingly light in our part of the world). On a few wet season trips, you only need a daypack.

No two trips are alike! We minimise our impact on the environment by using as many different areas as possible. To maximise the number of trips we can offer and encourage people to come back to visit different areas, we visit certain areas only every second or third year.

Our History

Russell Willis (photo above) came to Darwin in early 1974 and immediately fell in love with the Top End bush. Within a few months, he was helping found the Darwin Bushwalking Club. As first club president, he helped pioneer many of the routes local bushwalkers use today.

Wishing to share his experience with a wider group of people, Russell started Willis's Walkabouts as a one man operation in Kakadu and the Kimberley in 1986. The business grew steadily and new areas were added

• the Red Centre in 1989
• South America in 1990
• the Pilbara in 1993
• the Arctic in 1996
• Southern Africa in 2001

By 1992 we were offering more than 50 different trips and employing up to ten guides on a seasonal basis. By 2004, 50% of our clients were repeat customers.
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