Beau Miles

YouTuber and adventurer Beau Miles teams up with Red Bull athletes for wild mini adventures and digs deep into the untold, life-changing stories behind their most daring expeditions.

You can buy a paddle, or buy wood to make a paddle, but what about making one from junk? Collecting junk wood found between the train station and the office, this is the story of a junk-made-paddle.

I’ve been self-employed for five years since losing my university job. When Red Bull reached out and asked if I wanted to host a TV show interviewing athletes in far flung corners of the world I said ‘No worries…and I tell you what, I’ll commute to each shoot in my own Beauish way.’ So here I am, doing that very thing. First up, I rented a town bike from Geneva train station and rode to the middle of the French Alps where I interviewed Nouria Newman, one of the most kick arse kayakers in the world. Nothing flat about the Alps, that’s what I heard.

Beau Miles and Hamish Blake travel with their kids to record a podcast on an island.

Beau Miles loves wood. When the old farmhouse at Outward Bound Australia was set for demolition Beau couldn’t shut his trap and said ‘give me three days before the excavator arrives’. In the baking heat of summer, he and his old schoolmate salvaged 3 ton and 15k worth of bug-free timber before the giant arm of an excavator had its way with the building.

I’m on the verge of YouTube burnout, caught in the wicked world of shoot, make, upload, repeat. It’s a good life, and this ain’t a grizzle, no, it’s more of a reflection of how I’ve been sucked into the belief that more is better and consistency is king. I’m sure this can be the case, but it sucks to live by it. And I haven’t fished in too long, and I like fishing. I’m patient when I fish. In fact it’s one of the only places I’m happy to wait. Today is a day of attention restoration. Listening to my wandering mind. Paying attention to how and where a fish might be. And trying to do as much as I can while doing as little as possible.

YouTuber and adventurer Beau Miles teams up with Red Bull athletes for wild mini adventures and digs deep into the untold, life-changing stories behind their most daring expeditions.

You can buy a paddle, or buy wood to make a paddle, but what about making one from junk? Collecting junk wood found between the train station and the office, this is the story of a junk-made-paddle.

You can buy a paddle, or buy wood to make a paddle, but what about making one from junk? Collecting junk wood found between the train station and the office, this is the story of a junk-made-paddle.

Beau Miles and Hamish Blake travel with their kids to record a podcast on an island.

Beau Miles and Hamish Blake travel with their kids to record a podcast on an island.

Beau Miles loves wood. When the old farmhouse at Outward Bound Australia was set for demolition Beau couldn’t shut his trap and said ‘give me three days before the excavator arrives’. In the baking heat of summer, he and his old schoolmate salvaged 3 ton and 15k worth of bug-free timber before the giant arm of an excavator had its way with the building.

Beau Miles loves wood. When the old farmhouse at Outward Bound Australia was set for demolition Beau couldn’t shut his trap and said ‘give me three days before the excavator arrives’. In the baking heat of summer, he and his old schoolmate salvaged 3 ton and 15k worth of bug-free timber before the giant arm of an excavator had its way with the building.

I’m on the verge of YouTube burnout, caught in the wicked world of shoot, make, upload, repeat. It’s a good life, and this ain’t a grizzle, no, it’s more of a reflection of how I’ve been sucked into the belief that more is better and consistency is king. I’m sure this can be the case, but it sucks to live by it. And I haven’t fished in too long, and I like fishing. I’m patient when I fish. In fact it’s one of the only places I’m happy to wait. Today is a day of attention restoration. Listening to my wandering mind. Paying attention to how and where a fish might be. And trying to do as much as I can while doing as little as possible.

In 2007, Beau attempted to paddle 4000kms from one side of Africa to the other. Starting in Mozambique, he continued along the Southern African coast, allowing five months to complete the voyage. Battling surf, deep sea swell, and too many days waiting for the wind, Beau only completed 2000kms of the original plan.

In 2007, Beau attempted to paddle 4000kms from one side of Africa to the other. Starting in Mozambique, he continued along the Southern African coast, allowing five months to complete the voyage. Battling surf, deep sea swell, and too many days waiting for the wind, Beau only completed 2000kms of the original plan.

The Monash Outdoor Education shed is awesome, aside from one feature - the office. The department asked for it to be outfitted with basic shelving and a long desk. When a contractor quote came back at $12,900, Beau choked on his banana, spilt his coffee and swore at the computer. Using old desks and a bucket full of second hand screws, Beau decided to make the office himself.

The Monash Outdoor Education shed is awesome, aside from one feature - the office. The department asked for it to be outfitted with basic shelving and a long desk. When a contractor quote came back at $12,900, Beau choked on his banana, spilt his coffee and swore at the computer. Using old desks and a bucket full of second hand screws, Beau decided to make the office himself.

As there are 1440 minutes in a day, and Beau Miles love planting trees, he decided to plant a tree a minute for 24 hours. It was (swear meaningfully) hard.

May and Beau head off on a slow, tooled-up, distracted lap of the block - which happens to be a perfect mile.

May and Beau head off on a slow, tooled-up, distracted lap of the block - which happens to be a perfect mile.

Beau Miles renovates a canoe, while running a marathon.

Beau Miles renovates a canoe, while running a marathon.

Over two months in the summer of 2003, a 23-year-old Beau Miles paddled his kayak, solo, around three major island chains off Australia’s southern coast. Originally released in 2005, this film was re-edited in 2018 for YouTube. Relatively inexperienced in open water, moments of near capsizing, being washed off rocks, sleeping in abandoned homesteads and traveling up to 40km a day becomes just as much about personal discovery as the destination. With homemade camera mount, homemade roof-racks, yellow kayak and industrial supply of sunscreen, the film alludes to Beau’s underdone sea kayaking skills as he leaves mainland Australia under his own power for the first time. In the final days of the journey, Beau comes to realise that sea kayaking, and ad-hoc travel with only the bare essentials, is the most potent combination of living he’s ever experienced.

Over two months in the summer of 2003, a 23-year-old Beau Miles paddled his kayak, solo, around three major island chains off Australia’s southern coast. Originally released in 2005, this film was re-edited in 2018 for YouTube. Relatively inexperienced in open water, moments of near capsizing, being washed off rocks, sleeping in abandoned homesteads and traveling up to 40km a day becomes just as much about personal discovery as the destination. With homemade camera mount, homemade roof-racks, yellow kayak and industrial supply of sunscreen, the film alludes to Beau’s underdone sea kayaking skills as he leaves mainland Australia under his own power for the first time. In the final days of the journey, Beau comes to realise that sea kayaking, and ad-hoc travel with only the bare essentials, is the most potent combination of living he’s ever experienced.

In 1864 the mass murdering pastoralist Angus McMillan cut an ambitious 220km path through the mountains between two remote gold mining towns in the heart of Victoria, Australia. 120 years later a group of bushwalkers stitched the trail back together. When Beau Miles found out about the track he decided to run it, thinking ‘gee, this track has a story to tell’! Running 73 km a day for three days over steep, often unmarked terrain, and having grown up thinking McMillan was a colonial hero, there was a lot of terrain, and thinking, to be absorbed. He’d finally embarked on a running adventure that wasn’t just about running.

In 1864 the mass murdering pastoralist Angus McMillan cut an ambitious 220km path through the mountains between two remote gold mining towns in the heart of Victoria, Australia. 120 years later a group of bushwalkers stitched the trail back together. When Beau Miles found out about the track he decided to run it, thinking ‘gee, this track has a story to tell’! Running 73 km a day for three days over steep, often unmarked terrain, and having grown up thinking McMillan was a colonial hero, there was a lot of terrain, and thinking, to be absorbed. He’d finally embarked on a running adventure that wasn’t just about running.

When COVID-19 locked Beau Miles and his family down on the small farm, he decided to build his wife a cabin-office in the paddock without her knowing. Using whatever materials were on the property, which were gathered up piles of other people’s junk over time, and with their 6 month old daughter as accomplice, Junk Cabin emerged. What started out as a stunt to see how much secretive, ad-hoc building he could get away with, turned into the most satisfying building project he's ever made.

When COVID-19 locked Beau Miles and his family down on the small farm, he decided to build his wife a cabin-office in the paddock without her knowing. Using whatever materials were on the property, which were gathered up piles of other people’s junk over time, and with their 6 month old daughter as accomplice, Junk Cabin emerged. What started out as a stunt to see how much secretive, ad-hoc building he could get away with, turned into the most satisfying building project he's ever made.

Beau Miles, taking inspiration from a double episode of Seinfeld, decides to hit the roadside and collect a truck load of redeemables to drive interstate to New South Wales to redeem them.

Beau Miles, taking inspiration from a double episode of Seinfeld, decides to hit the roadside and collect a truck load of redeemables to drive interstate to New South Wales to redeem them.

Beau Miles searches the bush for his cameraman's wallet

Beau Miles searches the bush for his cameraman's wallet

Beau Miles runs a half marathon with a rock and a wheelbarrow

Beau Miles runs a half marathon with a rock and a wheelbarrow

There comes a time in every parenting life when you decide to buy an animal for your child. I was pushing for a goat but I was outvoted and we got chickens. Problem: no place to home them. Buggered if I was going to buy a chicken coop, or materials to build one, meaning I had another junk-made project on my hands. I had no bloody time to do it, but squeezed it in over two months (yep, i thought I’d get it done in a weekend…idiot!) This, my egg loving friends, is making a junk chicken coop from junk*. *noting that many good chicken palaces are made from second hand stuff.

Following two rivers, one drain, one sea and one creek, it turns out that paddling to work, which ends up being mostly a drag, over four full days, is bloody hard work.

Following two rivers, one drain, one sea and one creek, it turns out that paddling to work, which ends up being mostly a drag, over four full days, is bloody hard work.

When signing 1812 pre-sold copies of his book The Backyard Adventurer, Beau Miles decided to have a backyard adventure while doing it

When signing 1812 pre-sold copies of his book The Backyard Adventurer, Beau Miles decided to have a backyard adventure while doing it

Beau's neighbours have given him a huge pumpkin for a project he's been meaning to do properly for years; go on a three day running and riding adventure while eating a single item of food.

Beau's neighbours have given him a huge pumpkin for a project he's been meaning to do properly for years; go on a three day running and riding adventure while eating a single item of food.

Setting off with no food, water or shelter, Beau Miles walked 90km to work a bunch of years ago to see if a stripped back adventure could give him the kind of buzz that far away, exotic, heavily planned expeditions have given him over the years. It did. Different, but familiar feelings of challenge and insight came through. When he was asked to give a lecture about adventuring at a new building at his university, he said ‘no worries, why don’t I walk to work and deliver the lecture as soon as I get there’? So he walked to work, again.

Setting off with no food, water or shelter, Beau Miles walked 90km to work a bunch of years ago to see if a stripped back adventure could give him the kind of buzz that far away, exotic, heavily planned expeditions have given him over the years. It did. Different, but familiar feelings of challenge and insight came through. When he was asked to give a lecture about adventuring at a new building at his university, he said ‘no worries, why don’t I walk to work and deliver the lecture as soon as I get there’? So he walked to work, again.

This is the story of spending a night in a big old gumtree. Strapped to three builders planks (one of which had a large crack that I thought was spilled paint) I slept with one eye open, which was pleasant because I could see the view. Originally driven by the premise of backyard adventuring, using old climbing equipment, dodgy ladders and 4x4 recovery gear, a simple night out, 30-foot up, ended up being a reflection of how much I like trees, particularly the vulnerable Strzelecki gums I live among. Dinner, breakfast, bad coffee, podcast, and sitting on a park bench I should sit on more often, Big Gums is the story of a man who is no longer a boy, spending time with an endangered, iconic tree.

This is the story of spending a night in a big old gumtree. Strapped to three builders planks (one of which had a large crack that I thought was spilled paint) I slept with one eye open, which was pleasant because I could see the view. Originally driven by the premise of backyard adventuring, using old climbing equipment, dodgy ladders and 4x4 recovery gear, a simple night out, 30-foot up, ended up being a reflection of how much I like trees, particularly the vulnerable Strzelecki gums I live among. Dinner, breakfast, bad coffee, podcast, and sitting on a park bench I should sit on more often, Big Gums is the story of a man who is no longer a boy, spending time with an endangered, iconic tree.

Beau Miles' magnificent hat has lost the will to live. After fifteen years of sun and body fluids, with a heavy heart and a head full of memories Beau takes his favourite, thread-bare, stinking, beyond-repair hat for one last run.