The proud Yanyuwa, Waanyi/Garawa man, and Jungai was one of ten contestants who faced the challenges of nature, hunger, and loneliness in the remote wilderness of New Zealand.

"I thought, given my background and all the outdoorsy activities I have grown up doing, I'd throw my hat in the ring," he said.

The Oxley High School Aboriginal liaison officer has strong ties to the North West region. He grew up on 100,000 acres in the Upper Hunter and was born in Tamworth.

"I was always outdoors," he said.

"If it wasn't hunting or fishing, it was cattle work and fencing and all that fun stuff. So, it has always been a big part of my life."

Mr Allwood said his dad really helped cultivate, both for him and his brother, a love of the outdoors from an early age.

During the last decade, Mr Allwood has spent time with his mother's side of the family in Borroloola, located in the Northern Territory, where he learned traditional hunting and tracking techniques.

"I combine a mix of modern and traditional hunting techniques," he said.

During his time in the Northern Territory, he met his wife in Alice Springs, and after getting married, they decided to take an extended working honeymoon. It lasted three years.

"We trekked around the western part of Australia, taking on odd jobs such as fruit picking, mustering, and harvesting work," he said.

"Then we ended up in Tassie, and that was in 2019 during the time of bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we ended up landlocked down there."

Feeling "travel weary" the couple decided it was the perfect time to settle down, somewhere close to family.

"There was an opportunity pop up that allowed us to move back to Tamworth," he said.

But Mr Allwood still had a small case of "itchy feet".

"I think me applying was me partly getting itchy feet and thinking, oh, I'm settled here, but I still need some adventure," he said.

The show took him out of his comfort zone in various ways, but one of the biggest struggles Mr Allwood faced was the lack of human contact.

"The social isolation hits you pretty hard when you are out there by yourself," he said.

"I'm not an outwardly social person; I need alone time and I like having a couple of hours when I'm not talking to people.

"So, I always thought I didn't need that much human contact. But not seeing anyone for an extended period of time is a weird experience and it hit me pretty hard."

When the Leader asked, if he could, would he ever go back onto the show again, Mr Allwood said 'yes' in a heartbeat.

"It tests your abilities in the bush as an outdoorsman and survivalist. But it also tests your mental strength and willpower," he said.

And for anyone who dreams of becoming a survivalist, Mr Allwood shared his top tips.

"Get familiar with the outdoors and familiarise yourself with what is around you, whether that be trees or plants," he said.

"But a great way to break into this is to go camping. It is a very beginner step, but getting out of busy townships and cities, and looking up at the night sky is a great thing to do."