OUR TEAM
Our team is made up of passionate outdoor enthusiasts who care deeply about education, safety, and sustainability. We are dedicated to creating welcoming experiences where every woman feels supported and encouraged. All team members hold Wilderness First Aid qualifications and a Certificate III in Guiding.
We're a small team with a big passion for helping people discover the confidence and freedom that comes with independent trekking. As our business grows, we look forward to welcoming more experienced coaches to our team.
 jackee turnerJackee is the founder of Just Trekking, a passionate outdoor educator, and an empowerment coach dedicated to helping women build confidence through solo and multi-day hiking. Her mission is to empower women to feel safe, capable, and independent in the outdoors by developing the skills and confidence to explore on their own terms.
Whether someone is preparing for their first overnight hike or dreaming of a solo adventure, Jackee provides practical guidance, encouragement, and personalised support every step of the way. She believes hiking is far more than an outdoor activity—it is a powerful form of self-care that builds resilience, independence, and confidence that extends well beyond the trail. |
 melissa lewisMelissa is an experienced multi-day hiker, outdoor coach, and passionate educator who enjoys helping others build confidence in the outdoors. As a mother of three young children, she understands the challenges of balancing family life with finding time for adventure and personal growth. To support busy parents and those with flexible schedules, Melissa offers coaching sessions and hikes during school hours. Kunanyi is Melissa's backyard and offers an extensive network of trails catering to a wide range of fitness levels and hiking abilities. From gentle walks to more challenging climbs, it's the perfect place to begin your hiking journey, build confidence, and develop your outdoor skills in a safe and inspiring environment. |
A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
Hi, I’m Jackee
I’m a seasoned hiker, passionate educator, and the founder of Just Trekking. My mission is simple: to help women build genuine confidence, feel safe, and become independent outdoors through solo and multi-day hiking.
I believe hiking is far more than exercise. It’s a powerful form of self-care, resilience, and personal growth. Like learning to ride a bike, confidence on the trail isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build step by step, skill by skill, until what once felt intimidating becomes second nature.
Whether you’re dreaming of your first overnight hike, preparing for a solo adventure, or wanting to feel more capable and self-sufficient in the outdoors, I’m here to support you with practical coaching, lived experience, and encouragement.
My Story
In 2022, my life took an unexpected turn when my marriage ended. At 52, I found myself facing a new chapter and some big decisions about the future. I relocated from a small town in Northwest Tasmania to Hobart, where I spent 18 months working and planning a long-held dream: travelling around Australia.
In July 2024, I set off with a custom-built caravan and no rigid itinerary—just a willingness to follow the adventure wherever it led. After 17 months on the road, I returned to Tasmania with a renewed sense of purpose.
Following a long and rewarding career in Human Resources, where I coached and supported both employees and leaders, I decided it was time to transform my lifelong passion for hiking into a profession. By June 2026, I had completed Remote and Wilderness First Aid, earned a Certificate III in Guiding, and established the foundations of my business.
Just Trekking was born from a simple idea: every woman deserves the confidence to explore the outdoors on her own terms.
Why I Coach Women
Over the years, I’ve met many women who are fascinated by overnight or solo hiking but feel held back by fear, uncertainty, or a lack of experience.
My coaching focuses on helping you:
- Build real confidence through practical skills
- Learn how to stay safe and make good decisions outdoors
- Develop independence on the trail
- Overcome self-doubt and fear
- Prepare for solo and multi-day hikes at your own pace
Think of it as learning to navigate a map rather than following someone else’s footsteps forever. My goal is not just to take you hiking—it’s to help you become a capable, confident hiker in your own right.
My Hiking Experience
I have more than 20 years of experience in multi-day and solo hiking. My first overnight trek was the Thorsborne Trail in 2001, and I completed my first solo hike on New Zealand's Banks Peninsula Track in 2009. Since then, I've completed many of Australia's iconic multi-day hikes, including Tasmania's Overland Track, South Coast Track, Frenchmans Cap, Freycinet Circuit and Three Capes Track, along with numerous mountain ascents and day hikes across Tasmania and mainland Australia. Every hike has strengthened my skills, deepened my love of the outdoors, and reinforced my belief that confidence comes from experience. There are still plenty of trails on my bucket list, and I look forward to continuing the adventure.
Beyond the Trail
I’ve also spent much of my life travelling independently, including backpacking solo around the world in the late 1990s and travelling solo throughout Australia and New Zealand over the decades since.
These experiences taught me that confidence grows in the same way a trail unfolds: one step at a time. Every challenge navigated, every camp set up, and every decision made outdoors becomes another piece of evidence that you are capable.
Today, you’ll often find me hiking solo in the Tasmanian wilderness, a place that has become my second home.
My Hope for You
I don’t believe you need to be fearless to start hiking. I believe you become confident by starting.
If I can help you take that first step—whether it’s your first overnight hike, your first solo walk, or your first big adventure—then Just Trekking has achieved exactly what it was created for.
I hope you discover the same freedom, confidence, and joy in the outdoors that I have.
Jackee
