Posted by Luke Davies
on July 17, 2025
Day one on the Overland Track, the fresh mountain air hitting my face, and my mind? It was back in the office. Still churning on Basecamp scripts and business concepts. Not exactly the mindful, wilderness immersion you picture. Basecamp is a new program we're launching at Future Builder Co., designed to teach new builders entering the industry the core business fundamentals. I'd been deep in creating the 12 modules covering everything from vision and purpose to financial literacy, hiring, software stacks, project management, estimating, and finding ideal clients.
This six-day trek through the heart of Tasmania's World Heritage Area wasn't just a walk; it was a full-on family expedition, a test of preparedness, and a powerful reminder of where real value lies.
We were a crew of nine: my wife Janenna, our kids Bella (12) and Roy (9), my parents, my two brothers, and my brother's fiancée. Nine people, one track, and every weather condition imaginable. The Overland Track is famous for its stunning beauty, but sometimes, the photos don't tell the whole story. At officially 65 kilometres, but with side trips we did 70 kilometres Plus! Rated a challenging Grade 4, this hike takes you from the iconic Cradle Mountain through alpine plateaus (reaching 1250m) down to the deep waters of Lake St Clair (lowest point around 720m). It demands respect, preparation, and a willingness to face whatever comes – physically, mentally, and environmentally.
"Always Be Prepared": The Ultimate Life and Business Strategy
With my mind still buzzing on that first day, I really wanted to use these six days of being disconnected from the internet, phones, and all the usual distractions to put time into truly teaching the kids some important lessons while we were spending so much quality time together. With work thoughts initially nagging me, I started thinking about principles. What lessons could I pass on to Bella and Roy over these six days? The Scout motto, "Always Be Prepared," kept surfacing. It's not just about packing the right gear for the harsh Tasmanian alpine – though believe me, that's crucial! It’s a life and business strategy, a way of approaching everything.
How do you always be prepared, especially when you don't even know what's coming? For me, it boils down to focusing on building and maintaining a strong foundation across these key fundamental areas:
Health: Think of health as the table upon which everything else in life sits – your career, your family, your time with friends, everything you want to do. If one leg of that table gets knocked out, everything falls off. Health is the absolute foundation, the most important thing to be prepared for. Keeping my health at a solid base level is one of the key reasons I was able to accept the challenge and say yes to this hike, and why I can say yes to other adventures and challenges at any time.
Mindset: With the right mindset, you can be prepared for almost anything life throws your way. Whether it's losing a big sale, an employee leaving unexpectedly, navigating stressful situations that pop up, or seeing other people's views on a situation and not jumping to conclusions, a resilient mindset allows you to adapt and keep moving forward.
Support: Building really strong relationships with family, friends, and your team creates a safety net. This network of support helps you weather storms and overcome obstacles that you couldn't handle alone.
Finances: Having a solid financial structure, both in your business and personal life, is critical. This includes things like using models like "Profit First," having cash allocated in the right bank accounts for certain things, and ensuring your business can cover its financial commitments. Having a sound financial structure in place is definitely something that helps you always be prepared, because you never know when a financial surprise might come along.
Knowledge: Building a deep base of understanding gives you the confidence that no matter what external circumstances arise – if you lost your business, if everything got pulled out from under you – you have the knowledge not just to rebuild it all again, but to maintain perspective and continue building on your health, strengthening your mindset, nurturing your support system, and managing your finances effectively. Knowledge is the foundation that helps you apply and improve all the other areas.
These weren't abstract ideas; they were lived realities on the track. Like needing to adapt quickly when the weather turned, or drawing on mental reserves when the walking got tough.
Watching Them Grow, Learning From Them Too
This trip offered a front-row seat to my kids' growth. Bella, just 12, handled her pack (around 8kg) and her responsibilities with incredible independence – unpacking, setting up her bed, repacking, all on her own. Walking behind her, seeing the shift from little girl to young woman was a powerful, proud, and joyful moment. It wasn't a sad feeling at all; I felt fulfilled, like I've spent good quality time with my kids, and excited for all the experiences we will continue to share.
Roy, 9, carried his own pack too (about 6.5kg). He's a quiet trooper. He's incredibly resilient, but sometimes a bit self-conscious. His kindness and warm cuddles are pure gold, a simple reminder of the love that anchors everything.
Being out there also highlighted Janenna's quiet strength and contentment with the simple things in life. She's happiest with quality time, and simple acts like me taking on the cooking and cleaning duties on the trip made a big difference for her. She's self-content with what she has, and spending time with her and the kids is all she needs to be happy. It was a clear message: presence and partnership mean more than anything else. It's something I need to consciously bring back into our daily life at home, perhaps by reorganising some of my time.
The Wider Family Crew: Shared Effort, Individual Victories
While watching Bella and Roy navigate the track was special, it was incredible sharing this experience with the wider family.
My Mum, Peta, was an absolute inspiration. Not that long ago, severe arthritis in her feet meant she struggled even with short walks around the house or patio. After completing a program called Wildfit (that Janenna and I had done previously), she completely changed her diet and exercise routine. To see her tackle the Overland Track, carrying a pack, was a massive milestone – something she herself never thought possible. Her journey is a powerful testament to the impact of health and determination.
My Dad also deserves huge credit. With no specific bushwalking training, he just threw on a pack – around 20 kilos! – and walked the entire track with the family. His willingness to just say yes and be present was fantastic.
My younger brother, Liam, isn't typically into bushwalking, but he readily agreed to come along purely to spend quality family time together. He was happy and positive the entire trip, and it was genuinely great having him around.
My middle brother, Andrew, and his fiancée, Wig, do a fair bit of hiking and their experience was invaluable on the trip. They were great company and their familiarity with being in the bush was a real asset.
A Builder's Appreciation: Design and Quality in the Wilderness
As a builder into architecture and construction quality, I couldn't help but notice the design of the huts along the track. The newer huts, particularly at Kia Ora and Windermere, are incredibly well done. They demonstrate a real understanding of building for a harsh alpine environment.
They feature great thermal insulation and good quality, often triple-glazed windows. Crucially, they've been oriented really well with clearings in front to maximise passive solar gain. Even on genuinely cold nights high up on the track, it was fantastic to be inside these spaces – warm, comfortable, and perfect for sitting around, playing cards, and cooking our meals. This felt like thoughtful, high-quality building in action.
In contrast, older huts like Pelion can feel dark and harder to see inside, and even the Windy Ridge Hut has windows facing south, missing out on that valuable solar energy. While they still provide essential shelter (and are absolutely appreciated when the weather turns!), the difference in design philosophy and comfort compared to the newer, well-built structures really talks and teaches you a lot about architectural quality and its impact on experience, even in the wilderness.
When the Fairy Tale Gets Real: Snow, Wind, and Resilience
Everyone sees the stunning photos of Cradle Mountain, but few capture the biting wind or the sudden dump of snow. We got the full experience! Beautiful clear days transitioned dramatically. The night at Kia Ora Hut, it started snowing, transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland. Waking up to 20-30cm of snow the next morning was beautiful but also a significant challenge.
Walking through that snow was a masterclass in resilience for the kids. We lost the track, trees were bent low under the weight of snow, and the wind on exposed sections was brutal – strong enough to literally blow Roy off the track a couple of times! Bella even thought her pack cover made her feel like a kite, catching the wind and pulling her. Yet, they pushed through, found the markers, knocked snow off branches, and even found joy in it (Bella made a fantastic snowman head!). Moments like these, forging through difficult conditions together, build an inner toughness you can't get anywhere else.
Highlights
Amidst the challenges, the highlights shone brightly:
Cosy Hut Nights: Playing cards in the huts, warmed by the heater, after a long day – pure simple pleasure. Bella and Roy both loved Kia Ora Hut, especially with the snow falling outside.
The Gear That Saved Us: Being prepared made a huge difference. Our Nemo sleeping mats were amazing for warmth and comfort. Radix dehydrated meals were tasty and easy, supplemented by rice we dehydrated ourselves. My Patagonia waterproofs were lifesavers in the rain and snow, and SealSkinz socks and gloves kept my extremities from freezing. My One Planet pack and Janenna's Mont pack were solid and reliable. Good gear isn't a luxury; it's essential for safety and comfort in conditions like these. We had tested our meals and gear beforehand, truly living the "always be prepared" motto. There was one day where using cold gloves was tough on our fingers, but we warmed them up – a minor point quickly overcome by having the right gear overall.
Nature's Wonders: From the stunning waterfall at Lake Will to the unique, colourful deciduous Fagus dotted through the rainforest – the landscape was constantly awe-inspiring. We saw lots of different species like King Billy Pine, celery top pine, sassafras, Tasmania Laurel, Myrtle Beach, Leatherwood, and gum top stringy bark, learning about the different leaves and identifying trees.
Wildlife Encounters: We spotted wombats, wallabies, pademelons, green rosellas, wedge-tailed eagles, and even had a memorable, slightly chaotic chase of a possum at Pelion Hut involving my Dad! We saw three possums hunting around Pelion Hut, including one sitting on the rail that Poppy Pig (my Dad) started chasing!
More Than Just a Walk
The Overland Track is more than just a line on a map; it's a journey through a truly wild and ancient part of the world, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It strips away distractions and leaves you with the essentials: family, resilience, and the sheer power of nature. It reinforced for me the importance of the principles I live by and the need to be truly present, whether I'm navigating a mountain pass or navigating life at home. It also gave me a unique perspective on how thoughtful design and quality construction can make a profound difference, even in the most remote settings.
If you're considering it, be prepared for anything! Bookings are essential during peak season (check the Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania or Service Tasmania websites), train for the challenging terrain, and invest in good gear. It's an experience I highly recommend – tough, beautiful, and profoundly rewarding.
What's an experience that challenged you and taught you something unexpected? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
More posts coming soon on business, life, and future adventures.
Over and out.
