This week marked an amazing occasion for the team at Exceptional Kangaroo Island. It was the 30th anniversary of our extraordinary guide, Tim Williams, who has hosted many thousands of very happy guests who travelled to Kangaroo Island from all around the globe. Those who know Tim revel in his mix of deep knowledge of Australia’s history and ecology, his ability to fix or construct anything with a pair of pliers and some fencing wire, his quiet compassion and a landmark dusty dry sense of humour. If you look up ‘laconic’ in the dictionary, it says “see definition of ‘Tim Williams’”.
Tim started his own business. Australian Odysseys, later Kangaroo Island Odysseys – amd Tim and Craig’s friendship came out of a shared business vision immersing visitors in the history, landscape and nature of Kangaroo Island. Before Kangaroo Island, Tim was doing trips through the Outback and expeditions to Cape York, following on from a colourful apprenticeship with the late bush pilot Dick Lang. Dick, like Tim, made Kangaroo Island his home and sadly perished with his son Clayton in the Black Summer bushfires. Tim’s love of the bush and community matched that of Dick Lang – Tim continues to be a driving force in the Country Fire Service and community development here on Kangaroo Island
Thirty years of service in business is very rare – and what a thirty years they have been. Many of our team have raised their families over that time, and the close personal relationships are central to that longevity. Craig and Janet, in reflecting on the past thirty years, agree that Tim has brought calm confidence and consistency to the guiding team, and this support extends into business management.
We cannot thank Tim, his partner Jane and adult children Laura and Matt enough – thanks for sharing your time, enthusiasm, wisdom and good humour with us, our team and our fortunate guests.
