Travis Frenay
Superpower
Backing the vehicle onto the trailer coupling on the first try (with no camera)
Specialties
Paddling, Remote Bushwalking, Backcountry Skiing

Travis Frenay
Superpower
Backing the vehicle onto the trailer coupling on the first try (with no camera)
Specialties
Paddling, Remote Bushwalking, Backcountry Skiing
I moved to the Southern Highlands in 2004 and lived in Robertson so that I could be close to the Morton National Park.
Days off were spent scouring maps and exploring the bush with friends, trying to find secret waterfalls and features. Many of our trips led us down into Kangaroo Valley and beyond into Budgong and the Shoalhaven. Week after week we conducted multi-activity programs in the Valley for school students and I always wondered why there didn’t seem to be much on offer for the general public.
After spending time in the Blue Mountains and getting to know some of the providers up there I began to formulate an idea for a multi-activity adventure company in the Valley. We’ve been offering guided paddling and bushwalking experiences through Paddle & Portage Canoes since 2016 but now it’s time to take the next step and expand our offering under this new brand.
I’ve had a love for the outdoors for as long as I can remember and this started with the multitude of experiences that I had with my family. Growing up in the 4-season paradise that is Upstate New York meant that there was always something enjoyable to do outside. At University I obtained a Bachelors degree in Environmental Science and that path began with a curiosity about the natural environment and became dominated by a love of excursions into the field.
When I realised that I wasn’t as keen on the indoor lab work that followed the field excursions I started to look into other careers in the outdoors. My first employment in the outdoors was leading volunteers on 30-day trips performing conservation work in National Parks in the US and then leading Outdoor Education trips after the work was finished.
A few years into my career I moved to Australia and worked for one of the country’s largest Outdoor Education providers: The Outdoor Education Group. During that time I worked as a Client Manager, Program Coordinator, Rosterer, Staff Trainer, Group Leader, and as Head of The Teaching Team.
Following that I worked for a number of companies performing a variety of different roles including: Leading conservation trips in remote parts of the country, Guiding international university students on orientation trips all over Eastern Australia, Guiding international school students on Australian excursions, Leading month-long overseas trips with Australian school students, Guiding Eco-adventures here in Australia, and Teaching Outdoor Leadership at TAFENSW. Since 2007 I’ve been the Lead Teacher of Canoeing at TAFENSW, Lithgow, and in 2011 started my own company: Paddle & Portage Canoes.