Brendan Cullen on why he wrote The Desert Swimmer
- Allen & Unwin
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 6
In The Desert Swimmer, Broken Hill farmer Brendan Cullen shares how he came to set himself an extraordinary challenge — and discovered resilience he never knew he had.
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 as a way of managing his mental health struggles.
Read on below to hear from Brendan about what led him to write his memoir The Desert Swimmer - and what he hopes we can learn from his journey.
The Desert Swimmer is far more than a story about swimming — it is about navigating the unpredictable waters of life itself.
My childhood in the outback brought moments of wonder but also fear, separation, and helplessness. Boarding facilities and time away from my family left me with an ingrained fight-or-flight mindset. I fought hard, but I was also easily led. The turning point came when strong, guiding figures — my coaches — entered my life. They demanded respect, discipline, and grit, and in return I gave everything I had. Outwardly I was joyful, but beneath the surface insecurities and doubts constantly churned. Physical challenges became my outlet, my way of running from the storms inside.
That same determination carried into adulthood, but at a cost. I lost my voice, neglected myself and my family, and pushed through at my own detriment. I began to fail me.
Life on the land shaped me — the silence, the dust, the floods, and the beauty of the wilderness — but it wasn’t my true identity. I discovered that my real identity lies in my family: the people who fill me with love, purpose, and the will to protect.
Through time, reflection, and a courageous recalibration, I reclaimed my voice. I learned to take risks, to say “no,” and to embrace a new world of possibility. And with that came the boldest challenge yet: chasing monumental swimming feats in the most unlikely place — 600 kilometers from the ocean.
This is a story of resilience, love, and the power of rediscovering yourself. I hope my journey shows others the possibilities of inner success — because the greatest gift you can give yourself is to be present, content, and truly alive.
The Desert Swimmer is out March 3 in all good bookstores or you can get it online via the links below.
The Desert Swimmer
by Brendan Cullen with Paul Mitchell
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.
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