Naman Shrestha
In the history of all versions of ‘Alone,’ Gina Chick became not only the second female but also the oldest contestant to win the competition after surviving 67 days of battling the Tasmanian wilderness on her own in season 1 of ‘Alone Australia.’ Like the other survivalists, she also brought only ten basic survival items along with her camera equipment. During her time on the island, she went through a lot of ups and downs but managed to get through it all every single time. To survive, she even resorted to singing and dancing as she lured fish to her bait through her fishy fishy dance. Hailing from New South Wales, Australia, she made history by being the last person standing by the end.
Gina Chick Dabbles in Multiple Professional Streams
Alongside an adventurer, Gina Chick is also a rewilding facilitator, writer and speaker. She is the daughter and granddaughter of bestselling authors Suzanne Chick and Charmian Clift, respectively, and naturally inherited the innate ability to craft compelling stories from them. Stepping into the shoes of the two most important women in her life, Gina came out with her own memoir, titled ‘We Are the Stars’ in October 2024. It covers the trials and tribulations of her life right from her childhood into adulthood and how she never let the challenges hinder her moral and spiritual path.
While the book has garnered a lot of praise in her homeland, it is not yet available to buy across the world. To bridge some of the geographical gap, she embarked on a book tour from October to January 2024. In October only, Hugh Jackman gave a priceless review of her memoir, which he found unique and profound. Another unexpected thing happened in December when her book was longlisted by The Indie Book Awards. Moreover, following the immense success, she does have plans to make sure her book gets an international release in 2025.
In 2020, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown, Gina decided to put her singing talents on full display when she debuted her first album under the label singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul Greene’s label Sounds Delicious; he also served as the producer. Not only can Gina mesmerize people with her vocal abilities, but she is also a fabulous dancer and instructor with a particular focus on 5Rhythms dance practice that comprises Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness. She also takes monthly classes in Balmain, Sydney, named EnTrance, and conducts workshops to impart the skills related to ecstatic dance meditation.
To better people’s connection to their heart, mind, and body, she sets up retreats across the globe by the names – Heart of the Huntress, Wild Instinct, Women Unchained, Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Wild Woman, as well as 5 Wounds of Connection. She also dons the hat of a speaker and shares tips and techniques about personal transformation, the significance of one’s connection with nature, and how to improve willpower and stay focused even in the face of adversities by touching upon chapters from her personal life.
She conducts keynote speeches and workshops, talking about the above-mentioned points. Gina is also a Rewilding Facilitator who introduces hunter-gatherer techniques to both adults as well as kids at home. She is also known for hosting Rewild Your Child and Thrive Survival Quests camps on a regular basis in Budawang Country. Speaking about her inspirational journey, her life in the wild, and other aspects, she also makes appearances in different podcasts, including MID Podcast hosted by Holly Wainwright and RNZ Podcasts hosted by Anika Moa.
Gina Chick is a Cancer Survivor Trying to Live Her Life to the Fullest Surrounded by Her Loved Ones
As mentioned above, her mother, Suzanne Chick, played a major role in Gina Chick’s development and success, but she was also supported by her father, Douglas Arthur Chick, every step of the way. She was previously bound by holy matrimony to Lee, with whom she used to embark on different adventures across different parts of the world. Around 2010, the couple was elated when she became pregnant. Unfortunately, the good news was followed by a concerning diagnosis just a few days later — 38-year-old Gina had breast cancer and was advised to terminate her pregnancy.
Despite the risk of losing her own life, she decided to keep the pregnancy while battling her life-threatening illness. Miraculously, she and her baby daughter, Blaise, survived. For the next three years, Gina, Lee, and Blaise made memories for a lifetime, but their happiness was short-lived. When her daughter was three, she passed away after being diagnosed with a form of cancer called neuroblastoma. Not long after, since she could not risk having another child, she insisted her soulmate, Lee, get married to someone else in order to enjoy fatherhood like he always wanted to. Thus, coming to a mutual decision, they got divorced on good terms.
Fast forward to her life in recent times, Gina has continued pursuing her hunger and passion for adventures, seeking which she went all the way to Antarctica around March 2024. Amidst the blistering cold, the colony of penguins, and gigantic glaciers, she was able to find peace in its surrealism. She explained how Antarctica made her feel as she addressed the continent: “You’ve climbed into my bones with the reminder of what our planet would look like without humans in it, and it is bountiful and beautiful and magical. I have tears in my heart and no words.”
In August 2024, she had a “pinch-me moment” after she watched Melissa Etheridge perform live, and met Hugh Jackman later on. Her niece, Amy Chick, is the closest thing she has to a daughter with whom she shares a close-knit bond. In early December 2024, they went on a road trip to Wilyakali, which is a landmark situated in the Broken Hill region of New South Wales, Australia. Despite having a busy professional life, she takes time out for her loved ones on the regular.
Read More: Mike Atkinson: Where is Alone Australia Season 1 Runner Up Now?
