Walk Around Stewart Island Has Started

Brando ‘Wildboy’ Yelavich embarks on new adventure walking the coastline of Stewart Island

Brando Yelavich aka Wildboy, is set to embark on his next challenging adventure circumnavigating his way around the wild coast of Stewart Island, south of New Zealand.

Setting off on November 10, this solo journey is estimated to take 60 days to complete and will see the 22-year- old trek through more than 400km worth of pure wilderness and stopping at over 27 remote locations across the island.

Just over a year ago, Brando became the first person to walk the entire coastline of New Zealand, an expedition that spanned 8700km and took him 600 days to complete. “Stewart Island is the missing link to my epic coastal adventure and I’m coming back to finish the job,” he says.

Brando just joined the GoPro ANZ team as a content creator, with the major camera brand supporting his Stewart Island expedition with all the latest accessories. Other sponsors include Kathmandu, who will provide camping and clothing equipment and freeze-dried meals from Absolute Wilderness.

Tourism agency Venture Southland are another major supporter and are excited to see another young adventurer exploring the wonders of Stewart Island, following a visit from Prince Harry in 2015. Tourism and Events Manager Warrick Low says it’s “great to have someone with Brando’s adventurous spirit and technological know-how to go on this trip, so that we can all get a feel for the outreaches of New Zealand. As he gets to the Southern half, his only company will be natives like the kiwi, great white sharks and whitetail deers.”

After being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia in his school years, Brando was on a path to self-destruction and his transformational journey changed his perspective on the world and the people in his life. He wrote a NZ best seller titled ‘WILDBOY’ and forged a new future.

“I have a hunger for exploration and to inspire others to live their dreams, which is why I’m tackling Stewart Island. I love stepping into the unknown and facing challenges where the outcome is yet to be determined.”