Age 21

Julia is a second year student of Media/communications at Swinburne University, Melbourne. From a young age she enjoyed immersing herself in the bush and has hiked extensively throughout the East Coast of mainland Australia and Tasmania. In 1997, she lived in the remote desert of northwest W.A. while working on a weed eradication program. During this time her mind and heart were opened to the "spectacular, yet delicate ecosystem that is Australia's heartland." This inspired Julia into photography, developing prints with the aim of recording events and inspiring the wider public about issues of social and environmental significance.

Julia has been directly involved in a number of Non-Violent-Direct-Action (NVDA) and awareness campaigns such as Otway Ranges Environment Network (OREN) and Goongerah Environment Centre /Office (GECO) in the fight against old growth logging. She also made the trip to Jabiluka in support of the Mirrar people, as she is deeply concerned about the lack of seriousness with which the Australian Government is handling the uranium issue. Julia has most recently been working with Aunti Betty King of the Kerrup Yigar people in southwestern Victoria. It has been through her involvement with these collectives that she has come to realize the long term economic and social gains to be had in standing up for the preservation and enjoyment of Australia's natural heritage.

"I believe in progress, but the Australian government is refusing to allow us to progress by refusing to take advantage of all the amazing alternatives for energy production. These alternatives could carry us into the next millennium, living with the earth and not off the earth. For me, this trek is about raising awareness of these alternatives and trying to encourage people to fight for the future of this planet, because we do not own the earth 'we are simply borrowing it from our children."