get to know our team of instructors & guides
We pride ourselves on being a close-knit group of passionate instructors working together to craft unforgettable outdoor experiences. Our dedicated team works with unwavering commitment to ensuring your safety, enjoyment, and personal growth during every adventure we lead.
Aaron Lowndes
Aaron has 3 decades of rock-climbing experience. He has travelled all over the world in pursuit of amazing rock, and enjoys classic low-grade adventure routes just as much as harder technical climbing (if grade 29/8a/5.13a means anything to you, that’s his top so far).
Prior to starting Melbourne Climbing School, Aaron spent countless weekends voluntarily teaching organised groups rock climbing safety skills, and has facilitated hundreds of new climbers in their transition onto real rock.
Now fully qualified and with a thriving business, Aaron is fully committed to the rock climbing industry, and is a current board member of the Australian Climbing Instructor’s Association (ACIA).
Danny Wade
Faith Meckley
Joanne Lee
Jo is no stranger to the climbing world – she spent 6 years travelling, climbing and instructing around the globe, easily enthused about long, epic, multi-pitch trad climbing, is a lover of all big furry doggo friends and the founder of Women Uprising (give her a follow at @womenuprisingaus)
Anyone who’s participated in one of our @shewentwild.co trips will know her as the super friendly, competent, smiley person who can coax the most timid newbie to attempt the big airy abseil.
As a qualified SPG guide, she will be MCS’s go-to person for all things guiding related.
John Kazanas
John is a passionate rock climber who has been an ACIA qualified single and multi-pitch climbing guide since 2015. He has been rock climbing since 2003 in both sport and trad climbing environments.
John has also spent many years in various alpine environments backcountry skiing and ice climbing including in New Zealand’s Southern Alps and on its highest peak Mt Cook. He has also summited the world’s highest mountain Mt Everest (8864m).
With a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, John is also a Private Pilot with over 20 year’s flying experience which increases his skills in people leadership, risk management and operational safety when guiding.
Hamid Shafaghi
Having written two instruction manuals for Navigation training in Iran, plus another for Bigwall climbing, Hamid is the founder of these courses in Iran and has taught them in Iran, Europe, and Australia.
Hamid operates his own Iran-based guiding business, and spends his Australia-based months running courses, guiding and ski touring. Make sure to check out skitouring.com.au as well!