A CENTURY on from Douglas Mawson's tragic and heroic solo trek to survive the icy wilderness of Antarctica, another Australian is setting out to conquer the southern continent.
Gold Coast adventurer Geoff Wilson is aiming to become the first Aussie to complete an Antarctic crossing solo when he departs for his adventure next week.
Dr Wilson is hoping to raise $1 million for breast cancer charity the McGrath Foundation by taking a pink "boob-sled" 3300km across the frozen wastes.
He completed his final training session at Currumbin beach this week and departs for South Africa on Monday.
He'll then board a Russian military aircraft to Novo Station in Antarctica to begin his trek on November 4.
It's vastly different circumstances than the ones that forced Mawson to walk over 100 miles to safety following the death of his two colleagues during the doomed Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1913
Nippy out
Nippy out
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”