Veteran RACQ patrol officer reaches 35-year summit
When Brian Blackwell marked 35 years as an RACQ patrol officer in September, he wasn't thinking about slowing down.
Instead, the 68-year-old was preparing for another trekking adventure in the Himalayas, continuing a passion that has taken him to some of the world's most famous mountains.
Brian is RACQ's second longest-serving patrol officer, behind Neil Everson, who will celebrate 37 years of service in January 2027.
Brian is ready to embark on his latest month-long trekking adventure in the Himalayas.
A regular visitor to the region, he has completed more than 20 treks and admits he lost count of the exact number "years ago".
"When I started going over there in the late '80s, there was no such thing as mobile phones," Brian said.
"If you wanted to call Australia, you had to go down to Kathmandu, visit the post office and book a time to make a phone call.
"Now you can pick up a mobile phone at Everest Base Camp and call wherever you like. There are even a couple of high passes where you'll find solar-powered charging stations in case your phone goes flat.
"Every time I go back, the place has changed. Everything moves on."
A section of Nepal's Annapurna Circuit which Brian will trek in November.
A former trek leader with a local company, Brian said one of his most memorable expeditions involved his then 10-year-old daughter Jody.
"My first foray into trekking, as in not going with someone else's group, was when I took my daughter over there in 2001 and we trekked to Everest Base Camp," he said.
The following year Brian returned with Jody and trekked Nepal's Annapurna Circuit.
His latest expedition will see him back on the Annapurna Circuit alongside a group of friends.
Brian's trekking adventures extend well beyond the Himalayas. He has also trekked extensively throughout New Zealand and, in 2013, achieved a long-held bucket-list goal when he summited Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania.
"Every time I've gone over there recently, I've said this will be my last trip," he said.
"Before COVID, that was going to be my last trip, and this will be my third visit since then."
Whether it's a roadside breakdown in Queensland or a mountain pass high in the Himalayas, Brian has never been one to shy away from a challenge.
And if history is any guide, this "last trip" to Nepal probably won't be.
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