In 2022 Bonnie Hancock broke world records when she circumnavigated Australia by surf ski in 254 days – a feat that saw her treated for hypothermia, fatigue and dehydration along the way. By the time she had completed the 12,700km paddle, she had raised $65,000 raised for the mental health charity Gotcha 4 Life.
Hancock has written a book, The Girl Who Touched the Stars, about the highs and lows of that intense trip. “In planning the journey, I remember sitting there and not wanting to be an old lady with regrets,” she says. “I decided to take this on with no evidence I’d ever be able to complete it … we are capable of so much more than we think we are.”
