Our Spirit Adventures

Our Spirit offers life-changing adventures that have been created by the spirit that lies deep within every Australian citizen today. Actively promoting Australian heritage, Our Spirit adventures are unique, raw, challenging and personally rewarding. We are dedicated to providing opportunities for you to experience what's out there through adventures that are rich in cultural, environmental or historical significance and that are often extreme in nature.

Aidan Grimes BSpSc - Founding Director

Aidan completed his 100th Kokoda Trek in November 2015, after twenty years with his highly experienced and committed team.  He is our founding director and a master trek leader who is a tertiary qualified sports scientist majoring in coaching psychology, with postgraduate studies in nutrition.

Aidan has over 24 years corporate wellbeing experience and coaching sports at various levels.  He has worked with corporate giants such as Computer Associates; Microsoft; Nine MSN and Vodafone to name a few. Aidan has specialist capabilities in event design and management, performance and wellbeing coaching as well as team development and cohesion.  He has a life long passion for wellbeing with particular interest in sports psychology and extreme events.

Through historical benchmarks, extreme corporate events and personal development initiatives, he promotes a way of thinking that removes limitations and unearths a basic instinct inspired by the passion and spirit he believes is inherent in all Australians.  Ironically, Aidan is Irish and his own journey to live in Australia epitomises his life, message, business and goals.

A passionate philanthropist and war historian with an unsurpassed reputation for his encyclopaedic knowledge of Kokoda, Aidan inspires participants as they encounter the mental and physical challenges on the trek.  The local Papuan’s have honoured Aidan with the nickname “Uda Baroma” - meaning wild boar as a sign of respect for the incredible strength and leadership he has demonstrated over the past 17 years crossing the Kokoda Track.

In April 2012, Aidan was awarded the National ANZAC of the year medal in recognition of his “exceptional service to the Australian Community demonstrating compassion, endurance and dedication” as cited on the medal. The RSL National Executive, Ken Doolan recognises his “outstanding service to fellow Australians and to the Community in a positive, selfless and compassionate manner in accordance with the best traditions exemplified by ANZAC”.

In 2008, Aidan was voted in (by the majority of Kokoda trek operators) as the Chairman of the Kokoda Ethics Committee with the purpose of setting transparent and accountable standards and practices so that the “sacred” Legacy of Kokoda can be protected for all generations.

He is also an honorary member of the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalion Associations respectively, acknowledgement that underpins his deepest respect for the Australian Military whom provide us with the freedom and independence we enjoy as a nation today. 

Aidan has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Australian military history and is well reputed by senior war heroes such as Mr Stan Bisset, whom publicly acknowledged Aidan at the 2/14th Battalion Association annual reunion in July 2007 for his quality commemorative work undertaken on the Kokoda Track. Keith Norrish, President of the 2/16th Battalion Association is also able to attest to Aidan's professional reputation in this regard.

Listen to Aidan's passionate speach at the 2nd 14th batallion 2006 reunion.

Aidan is a man of integrity with a strong belief that his actions will always speak louder than words.  Over the past 17 years, Aidan’s contribution to various charities exceeds $3 million dollars. Aidan has achieved and celebrated a range of personal accolades.  In 2000 Aidan was named ‘NSW Community Father of the Year’, while developing and managing the Vodafone Extreme Corporate Challenge, which raised over $1 million dollars for the “Life's a Ball” youth suicide prevention program.