130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸš€ | Visit our Auckland bookstore β€’ Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

The Desert Swimmer

From severe depression on an outback sheep station to swimming the English Channel
By Brendan Cullen
0.0 (0 reviews)
Brief Description
Brendan Cullen manages Kars Station, a 10,000-head sheep property 65 kilometres outside Broken Hill, New South Wales. In 2022, despite his nearest beach being more than 600 kilometres away, he swam the English Channel. Taking up swimming was part of Brendan's recovery from severe depression. The... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3300
Elsewhere:
$3799
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

The inspirational true story of an Aussie bloke from the outback, crippled with depression, who challenges himself to swim the English Channel as a way of managing his mental health struggles.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Brendan Cullen manages Kars Station, a 10,000-head sheep property 65 kilometres outside Broken Hill, New South Wales. In 2022, despite his nearest beach being more than 600 kilometres away, he swam the English Channel.

Taking up swimming was part of Brendan's recovery from severe depression. The illness had seen him cope in highly unhealthy ways-drinking, overwork, being emotionally absent-for years until he found the strength to walk through the doors of Broken Hill Hospital and ask for help.

Then, in 2015, Brendan watched his brother compete in an open-water swim, and a year later he was doing the same. Despite it being exhausting and challenging, it made him feel vitally alive. In 2018 he happened to see an advertisement encouraging swimmers to take on the English Channel. An idea was sparked.

Through Covid-19 restrictions, he trained for hours before dawn in the murky Menindee Lake system, and in icy local waters, determined to take on one of the world's most extreme ocean swims. And he did, completing the Channel crossing in 17 hours, after strong currents dragged him off course and extended his journey to 64 kilometres-almost double the most direct route.

The Desert Swimmer shows the good that comes from facing challenges head-on.

'Brendan's become a beacon of hope, inspiration and support well beyond Broken Hill.' Sabra Lane

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761472381

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2026

Country: Australia

Imprint: Allen & Unwin

Contributors:

  • With Paul Mitchell

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Biography & Memoir Brendan Cullen Education & Reference Extraordinary lives and memoirs gifts Gift Finder Gifts for adults Gifts under $100 Gifts under $50 Happiness & Mental Health Health & Wellness In Stock Books Non-Fiction Psychology gifts Self-Help & Personal Development Sports Swimming gifts

About the Author

Brendan Cullen manages Kars sheep station located 65 km east of Broken Hill. He has lived in the Broken Hill district all his life and shares his love of the land with his wife Jacinta and three adult children.

Brendan suffered severe depression over many years before he took the first steps to seek help. He began sharing his story of battling depression with others, which led him to become an ambassador for Lifeline Regional SA & Far West NSW in 2017. His role with Lifeline then eventuated in Brendan becoming a peer-support mental health champion for rural people through the We've Got Ya Back initiative, a partnership between Lifeline and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Another of Brendan's many passions in life is fitness and health, as he likes to live by 'fit body, fit mind'. This mindset led to Brendan swimming the English Channel in 2022, covering a total distance of 64 km in 17 hours. Brendan repeated this the following year, swimming the channel this time with a team of like-minded individuals. In 2024 Brendan completed his first ultramarathon (100 km), held on Kars Station. In 2025 he completed the Catalina Channel Swim off the coast of California.

Brendan had the honour of representing Rebel for their 'Sport Is Calling' campaign in 2024. He is grateful for the opportunities that have been bestowed upon him as he continues to support the community through his roles in peer mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

Paul Mitchell is a Melbourne-based writer. His works include the novel We. Are. Family., and a collection of non-fiction, Matters of Life and Faith. His fiction, poems and essays have appeared in The Age, The Australian, The Big Issue, Eureka Street, The Guardian, Heat, Island, Meanjin, Overland and Westerly. He also writes for stage and screen, including his most recent play, You're the Man, and Actions to Live By, a co-written documentary on the Brisbane Lions' dynasty (2001-2003) for the AFL's On Demand platform.

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • New Release
    One Helluva Ride
    "This book is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose formyself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus." A legendary actor and Hollywood Icon whose five-decade career spans film, television,and producing, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, fiveGolden Globes, a Primetime Emmy,...
    By Michael Douglas
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    New Release
    Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    The book we've all been waiting for, national treasure Judi Dench opens her almost inexhaustible collection of memories from life and acting. Join Judi as she lifts the curtain on cherished memories and hilarious anecdotes from seven decades of performing with some of the greatest names in theatre. Step behind the camera as she reprises her most famous roles, such...
    By Judi Dench
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Drive
    New Release
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Drive
    A thrilling, candid and uncompromising memoir covering over twenty-years at the pinnacle of Formula 1,Β DriveΒ sees Christian Horner, one of the sport’s biggest characters, take readers into the heart of Red Bull Racing as he reflects on his extraordinary career. For over twenty years Christian Horner built and ran Red Bull Racing, transforming a rookie team acquired for Β£1 into one...
    By Christian Horner
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Book cover for 'Swan Song: Diana, my sister' by Charles Spencer, featuring a black-and-white portrait of Diana with white and gold text on a gray background.
    New Release
    Swan Song
    Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles – available to pre-order now. β€˜When asked, β€˜What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before...
    By Charles Spencer
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Fictional Selves
    From the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Sex and the City comes a candid and deeply personal memoir. In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and...
    By Kyle MacLachlan
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Steps
    The long-awaited memoir from a true Hollywood icon. We know Sylvester Stallone as one of the most revered actors, writers, and directors of all time, yet his life story is every bit as dramatic, intense, and inspiring as his greatest creations on screen. Bringing together a no-holds-barred account of a fascinating life with messages of hope, positivity, and resilience, in...
    By Sylvester Stallone
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoirΒ Home Again.This is more than a rock story.Β Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it.Β From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    18% off
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    By Isabel Klee
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunΒ wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herΒ journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    By Lena Dunham
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Stakes
    Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the author’s bestselling memoirΒ Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampire’s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stoker’sΒ Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...
    By Noelle McCarthy
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Biography & Memoir lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all