Bob Brown was elected to the Australian Senate in 1996. His resignation as leader of the Australian Greens in 2012 marked his Senate retirement. Bob was involved in establishing the Wilderness Society (1976), Bush Heritage Australia (1990), the Australian Greens (1992) and the Bob Brown Foundation (2012). The foundation (www.bobbrown.org.au) promotes action for Earth’s environment, including Tasmania’s wild and threatened Tarkine wilderness. His books include Lake Pedder, Earth, his bestselling memoir Optimism, and Green Nomads.

Paul Thomas, who is a farmer, has been a jackeroo, local sportsman, community worker, social activist, environmentalist and art curator. He served two terms as a Greens councillor on the Huon Valley Council (1996–2002). Paul and Bob got together in 1996 and Bob describes Paul as ‘the rock’. On their ‘green nomad’ journeys, while Bob is busy with his camera and navigation, Paul is the main driver, campsite supervisor and chef-in-chief. His farm overlooks Randalls Bay in southern Tasmania.