Survivalists have condemned a young Steve Irwin hero worshipper for going on a solo 100-day outback adventure, leaving instructions not to try to find him if he doesn't return.
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"Snake hunter" Andrew Ucles, 22, of the Gold Coast, has only previously lived in the wild for a few days at a time, say friends.
But three weeks ago, he told his mother he was off on a solo trek at an unknown location, with only a tent, kayak, hunting knife, video camera and emergency beacon.
He told her he planned to survive by living off the land, adding that he did not want authorities to search for him if he failed to return.
But survival expert Dr Paul Luckin said Mr Ucles' actions break three golden rules.
"One of the golden rules is you never go into the wilderness alone," says Dr Luckin, a Brisbane anaesthetist who teaches rescue skills to police.
"Two, you need to make sure people know where you are going to be and when you are going to be there.
"Three, you need to be able to make regular contact [with others]."
Mr Ucles has always been driven by a strong passion for snakes and the bush, says his mother Helen.
It started when he was six and found a blue-tongue lizard in his backyard.
"Then when we moved to Wongawilli near West Dapto in Wollongong where it's all bush.
"He used to go out there and find snakes and study them. He learnt how to handle them by himself. He also used to find turtles and study them in the environment.
"He would just finish school and head to the bush, and that was his passion ever since."
While his father and his grandfather, both from Spain, taught their children to hunt rabbits, how to respect the bush and live off it, Mr Ucles "took it a step further with his passion" for snakes.
When he was 11, he was bitten on the hands by a red-bellied black snake.
He spent the time on the way to hospital reassuring his worried mother, explaining to her how the poison worked and how it wasn't going to kill him quickly.
"He was in emergency for three days ... and we didn't know if he was going to come out of it.
"He said 'Mum, dad, don't think this will stop me. I will be out there in the bush again."'
His parents pleaded with him to reconsider his big trip but he was adamant.
"He said 'You don't understand, this is what I love doing'," Helen says.
The agriculture and environmental studies graduate from the University of Western Sydney wants to draw attention to the environment - he's encouraging his supporters to donate money to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy - and has been planning this expedition for over a year, said Mrs Ucles.
During the 100 days, he will face difficult conditions and extreme temperatures, says Tim Tranter, a survival expert and wilderness guide.
"The basics of survival is that he will need to find water on a regular basis because he won't be carrying it, by the sounds of the equipment he has," Mr Tranter said.
"If he is living off the land and he is going to be killing and eating wildlife, he's going to have bushfire issues as well as hunting native wildlife issues.
"Plants and insects are sometimes edible, but he would need to know which ones [to eat]."
Mr Ucles says in the YouTube video that he is "responsible for his own actions" and "[does] not want to be located by authorities or residents, as this will be a waste of resources and time".
But his comments, while sincere, could still put in harm's way those tasked to save him if he is in trouble.
"There are very real risks to people who take part in rescue exercises," Dr Luckin says.
"He is, whether he intends to or not, creating a situation where other people (rescuers) potentially could be placed at risk."
Mr Ucles told his mother he aimed to be back in Sydney by the second week of July, but he has left no indication of where he is going.
A Queensland police spokeswoman said a search would be launched for Mr Ucles only when he is reported missing.
"He'll like to educate kids from an early age so they are not fearful of [snakes]," Mrs Ucles said, adding that when her son returns from his trek, he would like to take students into the bush as he felt that not everything could be learnt from books.
"He wants to get a job as a wildlife ranger in the Northern Territory, and his dream in the long-term is to do a PhD on snake poisons."
But not everyone who embarked on such expeditions returns alive to tell their tale, Dr Luckin says. And it's a sombre point not lost on Mr Ucles.
"There is a great chance that I may not return," he says in the YouTube video as he sits on a chair and places a hat on his head.
"But I feel as though the message that needs to be conveyed is greater."
If you are going trekking in the bush, you need:
* a log plan
* to let authorities know when you are leaving and when you are returning
* a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)
* a satellite phone if you are travelling for a longer period of time, such as 100 days
* a water-collecting device
* emergency back-up food (for days when you can't find food, as if food is scare, your energy is reduced and so your ability to find food is also reduced, Tranter says)
