Merel Dalebout

Merel is our resident biologist and along with boundless enthusiasm for the outdoors, brings with her a wealth of knowledge about the flora and fauna of the world’s wild places. With over 10 years experience as a university researcher working on the conservation genetics of rare whales, she has recently broadened the focus of her energies to include fitness and trek training, community environmental education, and wilderness guiding. Her passions include reconnecting people with nature and helping them achieve their fitness and adventure goals. 

Experience
Numerous multi-day solo and group hikes including, in Australia, the Great North Walk (NSW), Coast Track (Royal National Park, NSW), Blue Mountains (NSW), Warrumbungles National Park (NSW), The Castle (Morton NP, NSW), Kosciuszko (ACT), Mt Barney (QLD), Larapinta (NT); in New Zealand – Heaphy Track, Northern Circuit; in Vietnam – northern hill tribes region; and in Canada – Nova Scotia and British Columbia.

Endurance events – WwoT Coastrek’09 (team: the Quick and the Dead) in 32 hr 45 min, Wild Endurance‘09 (WwoT team 1) in 18 hr 38 min.

Flat water kayaking in Royal, Blue Mountains, and Kuringai Chase National Parks (NSW), Atlantic Coast and Lake Superior (Canada).

Volunteer Discovery Ranger with Kuringai Chase National Park (NSW).

Qualifications and other experience
Certificate III in Fitness Instructing
Certificate IV in Personal Training
LWAFA 7-day Wilderness First Aid
PhD in Ecology and Evolution (University of Auckland, NZ)
BSc Botany-Zoology (University of Auckland, NZ)
Killam Postdoctoral Fellow, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
Vice-Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, UNSW, Sydney, Australia