Eric Philips  OAM

Eric Philips is the founder and director of Icetrek Expeditions. His outdoor career spans 25 years during which time he has worked professionally as a wilderness guide, outdoor educator, adventure film presenter, motivational speaker, team facilitator and musician.

As an adventurer, Eric has visited every continent on earth, often leading lightweight and self-supported expeditions to remote areas.  He has skied the world's four largest icecaps and was the first Australian, together with companion Jon Muir, to ski to both the North and South Poles. Eric's experiences include:

• 2004-05 North Pole expedition guiding
• 2004 Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia for achievements in polar exploration
• 2002/3 Host and consultant to US television series, Global Extremes:Mt Everest
• 2002 Unsupported expedition to the North Pole from Siberia
• 2000 Unsupported kayak/ski/kite traverse of the South Patagonian Icecap
• 1998/99 New route from Ross Island to the South Pole via Shackleton Glacier
• 1996/97 Field Training Officer at Mawson Station, Antarctica
• 1995 Kayak/ski/kite traverse of Greenland
• 1994 New Zealand mountaineering
• 1993 Bicycle expedition through Patagonia and Tierra de Fuego
• 1992 New Zealand mountaineering.
• 1992 Traverse of Canadian Ellesmere Island's largest icecap
• 1991 New Zealand mountaineering
• 1991 Cycle tour around South Island of NZ
• 1988 to '92 Director of Outdoor Education at Geelong Grammar School's renowned Timbertop
• 1986 - Cycle Journey from Netherlands to Egypt
• 1980 to '85 - Studied at the University of South Australia, attaining a Diploma of Teaching, a Bachelor of Education and Graduate Diploma in Outdoor Education.

Through his experiences Eric has developed alternative and highly effective methods of travel in the polar regions and has embraced the use of specialized plastics in the construction of polar-specific equipment. He has been a professionally-sponsored explorer and product-tester since 1995 for established brands such as, Mountain Hardwear, Grivel, Oakley, Leki, Dagger, Perception, Sony, Suunto and Iridium.

Eric is the author of Icetrek. The Bitter Journey to the South Pole and his expeditions have produced four internationally-screened documentary films, most notably, the Emmy Award-winning Greenland production, Chasing the Midnight Sun. He has worked as a consultant for numerous adventure film projects and host for a major television series.

Eric is a notable raconteur and one of Australia's leading motivational speakers. His stories of adventure and survival are steeped in honest and gritty realism and carry casual messages that underpin the structure and success of any team striving for quality results. He has presented talks and audio-visual shows worldwide and to audiences as diverse as company executives to kindergarten children. Eric is an experienced team development facilitator and has worked with reputable establishments such as Victoria Police and the Australian Defense Force Academy.

Eric is ambassador for the acclaimed children's environmental education program, Ollie's World, and for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.