Len Beadell,who has been called the last of the true Australian explorers,was born on a farm at west Pennant Hills,NSW, in 1923. As a surveyor and road builder he has worked all over the Australian outback from Arnhem Land to the Gibson Desert.

In 1958 hes was awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in building the Gunbarrel Highway across Central Australia. In 1987 he was made a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Mining Surveyors (Aust) and the following year he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

Len Beadell is the author of six best-selling books.