Alone Australia Season 1
- Location
- South West Tasmania, Australia (Tasmanian wilderness)
- Aired
- March 29, 2023 to May 24, 2023
- Prize
- $250,000 AUD
- Status
- Complete

How the season was won (reveals the winner)
Gina Chick, a 52-year-old rewilding facilitator from NSW, won the first season of Alone Australia by surviving 67 days in the South West Tasmania wilderness, longer than any of the nine other contestants. She reached the final two alongside solo adventurist Mike Atkinson, who was medically evacuated on day 64 due to low blood pressure and malnutrition. After passing her own medical check on day 67, Gina was told by her best friend Lee that she had won, becoming the first-ever Alone Australia champion and only the second woman and oldest contestant to win any version of the Alone franchise worldwide.
The cast
| Contestant | From | Gear |
|---|---|---|
| Beck Henog | VIC | not sourced |
| Chris Bakon | TAS | not sourced |
| Duane Byrnes | NSW | not sourced |
| Gina Chick | NSW | 9 items → |
| Jimmy Lassaline | SA | not sourced |
| Kate Grarock | ACT | not sourced |
| Michael Wallace | NSW | not sourced |
| Mike Atkinson | NSW | not sourced |
| Peter Athanassiou | NSW | not sourced |
| Rob Kelly | VIC | not sourced |
Listed alphabetically on purpose. Heads up: individual profiles do reveal how far that person got.
Full results table (placements, days lasted, tap-out reasons)
| Place | Contestant | Days | Why they left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Gina Chick | 67 | Outlasted everyone |
| 2 | Mike Atkinson | 64 | Medically evacuated - low blood pressure and malnutrition |
| 3 | Michael Wallace | 32 | Missed family |
| 4 | Kate Grarock | 22 | Missed family |
| 5 | Chris Bakon | 12 | Wanted to leave on a high after experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms |
| 6 | Duane Byrnes | 10 | Struggled with isolation |
| 7 | Peter Athanassiou | 3 | Struggled to find food; fell and injured his knee |
| 8 | Jimmy Lassaline | 2 | Medically evacuated - developed COVID-19, which caused his heart rate to double |
| 9 | Beck Henog | 2 | Missed family; could not start a fire due to wet materials |
| 10 | Rob Kelly | 2 | Missed family |
Episode guide
Open the episode guide (recaps include tap-outs as they happened)
E1 · The Drop
March 29, 2023 · Day 1
Ten Australian survivalists are dropped at separate, isolated sites around a remote lake in South West Tasmania in the depths of winter. Contestants scout their sites, choose shelter locations, and begin gathering water and materials on day one. Mike Atkinson collects water without lighting a fire and starts preparing mayfly nymphs as future fishing bait, while Gina Chick arrives with a handmade possum-fur coat in place of a sleeping bag and begins a tripod-frame shelter.
- Ten contestants are dropped at individual sites around a remote Tasmanian lake to begin the season
- Mike Atkinson procures water without fire and starts preparing mayfly nymphs as bait for later fishing
- Gina Chick sets up a tripod-style shelter and relies on a handmade possum-fur coat instead of a sleeping bag
E2 · Fired Up
March 29, 2023 · Days 1-2
As overnight rain soaks camps across the lake, several contestants struggle to get fires going and the season's first departures follow. Rob Kelly's shelter fails to keep out the rain, leaving his firewood soaked and his morale low, while Beck Henog cannot get a fire started at all and grows increasingly dehydrated despite standing rainwater. The show's medical team also removes Jimmy Lassaline after he tests positive for COVID-19 with an elevated heart rate, leaving seven contestants in the competition.
Out this episode: Rob Kelly (day 2), Beck Henog (day 2), Jimmy Lassaline (day 2, medical)
- Rob Kelly taps out around dawn after his shelter fails overnight in heavy rain
- Beck Henog taps out unable to get a fire lit despite rain being available to drink
- Jimmy Lassaline is pulled by medics after testing positive for COVID-19 with cardiac symptoms
- Three departures in two days leave seven of the original ten contestants in the game
E3 · Unforced Error
April 5, 2023 · Days 2-3
Just three days in, a fourth contestant is gone as the remaining seven work to establish reliable food sources. Peter Athanassiou taps out citing a knee issue and mounting frustration at the lack of animal activity near his camp. Elsewhere, Kate Grarock lands her first eel using worms as bait, Chris Bakon excitedly overthrows his first catch ten metres inland, and Mike Atkinson begins building an improvised kayak while setting a semicircle of fishing lines.
Out this episode: Peter Athanassiou (day 3, medical)
- Peter Athanassiou taps out on day 3, the fourth contestant to leave the competition
- Kate Grarock catches her first eel using worms as bait and boils it for protein despite disliking fish
- Chris Bakon lands his first fish and throws it in celebration ten metres inland, then opens up about PTSD from his time in Iraq
- Mike Atkinson starts building an improvised kayak and sets out a semicircle of fishing lines
E4 · Head Games
April 12, 2023 · Days 3-5
With six contestants remaining, the mental side of the challenge comes into focus. Gina Chick marks the anniversary of her son's death from cancer, reflecting on how surviving past loss has built her resilience for the competition. Duane Byrnes finishes a thatched-roof shelter despite questionable weatherproofing, Mike Atkinson nearly lands a pademelon with a handcrafted fishing rod while still without a food source, and Kate Grarock carefully tests wild plants for allergic reactions before eating them.
- Gina Chick reflects on the anniversary of her son's death from cancer and how it shapes her mental resilience
- Duane Byrnes completes a thatched-roof shelter by day 5
- Mike Atkinson nearly catches a pademelon using a handcrafted fishing rod
- Kate Grarock tests unfamiliar plants for allergic reactions before adding them to her diet
E5 · Spent
April 19, 2023 · Days 6-10
Hunger and exhaustion set in as the group approaches the two-week mark. Duane Byrnes taps out at dawn after struggling for days to get a fire going despite having dry wood on hand, choosing a nude swim before he leaves rather than fight on for a prize he says can't replace human connection. Chris Bakon nearly quits from hunger but lands a trout mid-resignation speech and decides to keep going, while Michael Wallace improvises a hot bath from heated river stones and Kate Grarock forages medicinal plants.
Out this episode: Duane Byrnes (day 10)
- Duane Byrnes taps out at dawn on day 10 after days of failed fire attempts, then takes a nude swim before departing
- Chris Bakon begins a resignation speech from hunger but catches a trout mid-speech and chooses to stay
- Michael Wallace builds a makeshift hot bath using heated river stones inside a raincover
- Kate Grarock practices wilderness first aid and forages medicinal plants such as dogwood and acacia
E6 · Sink or Swim
April 26, 2023 · Days 10-11
With five contestants remaining and roughly ten days in, no one taps out but the physical toll is visible. Mike Atkinson finally test-paddles the kayak he has spent over a week building, watching it sink before repairing and relaunching it, though he still catches no fish. Chris Bakon experiences his first panic attack in six months after hearing a helicopter overhead but works through it, Gina Chick makes an over-salted grass soup that leaves her severely nauseated, and Kate Grarock tracks possums through scat analysis while still refusing to hunt mammals on ethical grounds.
- Mike Atkinson's homemade kayak sinks on its first test but he repairs and relaunches it
- Chris Bakon has his first panic attack in six months, triggered by a helicopter, and works through it
- Gina Chick's over-salted grass soup leaves her severely nauseated
- Kate Grarock tracks possums via scat analysis but continues declining to hunt mammals
E7 · Trapped
May 3, 2023 · Days 12-20
Food scarcity becomes the defining struggle as the group nears three weeks. Chris Bakon taps out on day 12, choosing to leave on his own terms while in a positive headspace rather than wait for his PTSD to worsen. Kate Grarock lands her first eel in twelve days for a rare protein boost, Michael Wallace finishes a possum trap and nicks his knee slightly with a saw, and Mike Atkinson, having lost over twelve kilograms without landing any game, presses on.
Out this episode: Chris Bakon (day 12, medical)
- Chris Bakon taps out on day 12, leaving on a high note by his own choice
- Kate Grarock catches and fries her first eel in twelve days
- Michael Wallace completes a possum trap by day 18 and cuts his knee slightly with a saw
- Mike Atkinson has lost more than twelve kilograms by day 20 without landing any game
E8 · Severed
May 10, 2023 · Days 21-22
Emotional isolation catches up with the group as it thins to three. Kate Grarock taps out on day 22 to reunite with her family, walking to the beach after deciding that 'happiness is only real when shared,' despite having only a handful of eels to show for her efforts. Mike Atkinson finally lands an eel after weeks of failed attempts, Gina Chick discovers worms as a reliable bait source and starts catching fish daily, and Michael Wallace relocates his camp 1.2 kilometres to a site with better shoreline access.
Out this episode: Kate Grarock (day 22)
- Kate Grarock taps out on day 22, choosing family over the competition
- Mike Atkinson lands an eel after weeks of failed attempts
- Gina Chick starts catching fish daily after discovering worms as a reliable bait source
- Michael Wallace relocates his camp 1.2 km to a spot with better shoreline access
E9 · Making Moves
May 17, 2023 · Days 26-29
With just three contestants left after more than a month, no one taps out but the strain is constant. Mike Atkinson attempts a risky dive in nine-degree water to recover lost fishing hooks, comes up empty, and later breaks down emotionally from hunger before landing a large trout. Michael Wallace spends a full day relocating his camp 1.2 kilometres to a site he names 'the Bay of Plenty,' getting struck by a falling branch during construction, while Gina Chick catches seven fish over several days and reflects on how self-reliance has protected her since past heartbreak.
- Mike Atkinson dives into 9°C water for fifteen minutes trying to recover lost fishing hooks
- Mike Atkinson has an emotional breakdown from hunger before landing a large trout
- Michael Wallace relocates his camp 1.2 km to a new site he calls 'the Bay of Plenty' and is struck by a falling branch
- Gina Chick catches seven fish over several days and reflects on her long-standing self-reliance
E10 · The Dark of Night
May 24, 2023 · Days 30-35
The season's third-place finish plays out as conditions turn colder. Michael Wallace taps out after weeks without reliable protein, deciding to end his run on his own terms rather than wait on a medical evaluation. Gina Chick stumbles onto and catches a wallaby, a rare large-game win, while overnight temperatures drop toward -2°C, testing both remaining camps as the season moves toward its final stretch.
Out this episode: Michael Wallace (day 32)
- Michael Wallace taps out after weeks without protein, becoming the season's third-place finisher
- Gina Chick catches a wallaby after stumbling onto it while leaving her tent
- Overnight temperatures drop to around -2°C, straining both remaining shelters
E11 · The Storm
May 24, 2023 · Days 51-67
After 50 days, only Gina Chick and Mike Atkinson remain, each unaware they are the final two. A major storm batters both camps, and a subsequent medical check finds Mike Atkinson's blood pressure dangerously low; he is medically evacuated on day 64, his birthday, after losing roughly a quarter of his body weight. Gina Chick, who spends the closing days making jerky, foraging greens, and processing the wallaby she caught, is confirmed the winner on day 67 when a friend surprises her on camera with the news.
Out this episode: Mike Atkinson (day 64, medical)
- A major storm damages both remaining camps late in the competition
- Mike Atkinson is medically evacuated on day 64, his birthday, due to low blood pressure and malnutrition
- Gina Chick is declared the winner on day 67 after a medical check, learning the news when a friend surprises her on camera
- Gina Chick spends her final days making jerky, foraging greens, and processing the wallaby she caught in the previous episode
E12 · The Reunion
May 25, 2023
In a non-competition special following the finale, host Amanda Keller brings the full ten-person original cast together on camera for the first time since they were dropped into the Tasmanian wilderness. Contestants revisit their individual journeys, tap-out moments, and the overall experience of the season alongside winner Gina Chick and runner-up Mike Atkinson.
- Host Amanda Keller reunites all ten original season 1 contestants on camera for the first time since the drop
Facts worth knowing
- Season 1 was filmed around a remote lake in South West Tasmania (lutruwita), Australia, during the Southern Hemisphere winter.
- The season premiered as a double episode on SBS on 29 March 2023, with the competition finale and a cast-reunion special both airing in May 2023.
- Ten contestants each selected 10 survival items from a 40-item approved list and were responsible for filming their entire experience themselves.
- Gina Chick, a 52-year-old rewilding facilitator from NSW, won the inaugural season and its $250,000 prize after surviving 67 days alone.
- Runner-up Mike Atkinson, 45, was medically evacuated on day 64 (his birthday) after a check found dangerously low blood pressure and malnutrition, having lost roughly a quarter of his body weight.
- Gina Chick is widely reported as one of very few female winners across the global Alone franchise and, at 52, the oldest contestant to win any Alone season worldwide at the time; some sources call her the first female winner and others the second, so the exact ordinal is not fully consistent across reporting.
- Gina Chick and Mike Atkinson spent roughly a month as the competition's final two, which several Australian outlets reported as a franchise record for the longest stretch with only two contestants remaining.
- Three of the ten contestants were gone within the first two days: Rob Kelly and Beck Henog tapped out voluntarily amid rain and fire-starting struggles, while Jimmy Lassaline was removed by the show's medical team after testing positive for COVID-19.
- Season 1 became SBS's highest-rating and most-watched original commission of 2023, with SBS On Demand and catch-up viewing reportedly driving audience numbers well above the show's overnight linear ratings.
Viewer's notes
- Episode 11 ('The Storm') is the essential finale to watch, combining the season's biggest weather event, Mike Atkinson's medical evacuation, and Gina Chick's winning reveal.
- Episode 5 ('Spent') stands out for Duane Byrnes's raw, fire-related exit and Chris Bakon's dramatic mid-resignation reversal after catching a trout.
- Episode 7 ('Trapped') is worth watching for Chris Bakon's composed, on-his-own-terms tap-out after opening up about living with PTSD, one of the more reflective exits in the franchise.
- Episodes 6 through 9 are a good watch for food-scarcity survival technique, showing four different contestants (Mike, Michael, Gina, Kate) each cracking their fishing or foraging strategy at different points.
- As the debut Australian season, this is a useful baseline for comparing pacing and tap-out patterns against later Alone Australia seasons filmed in different locations.
- Episodes 1 through 3 show how quickly the format can turn over a cast: four of the ten original contestants were gone within the first three days.
Wondering what the cast was allowed to bring? See the full rules and approved item list or browse the gear database.