From Cave Dweller to National Icon: Meet Australia’s Ultimate Larrikin

Meet Tim “Caveman” Barrot – comedian, adventurer and deadset legend.

In 2000, entrepreneur Dick Smith placed an April Fool’s ad in the Herald Sun. “Wanted: Adventurer to live in a cave in the Himalayas for 48 days and only eat Dick Smith’s Peanut Butter.”

Why? To take on the multinationals and support Aussie farmers.

It was supposed to be nothing more than a publicity stunt. But to Dick’s surprise, 30 people applied anyway.

“Dick meant it to be a joke, but I hitch-hiked up to Sydney and presented myself at his office,” Cavie said. “So he had no choice but to go through with it!”

What happened next became legendary.

44 Days of Peanut Butter and Radio Interviews

For 44 days, Cavie lived in a remote cave at the foot of Mt. Everest, sustained by peanut butter, jelly crystals, and the occasional biscuit. Armed with a satellite phone (this was the year 2000), he conducted over 100 live interviews with Australian media. A Current Affair, 2UE, ABC, 3AW, 2GB, Herald Sun. Everyone wanted to check in on “the peanut butter cave man.”

Check out this crazy Milestone with videos and press clippings:

The logistics were intense. Radio stations would call him at scheduled times, and he had to keep the satellite phone batteries warm by sleeping with them in his bed at night. Without that nightly routine, the batteries would freeze and he’d lose his only connection to the outside world.

The daily routine in the cave? “Boring as buggery,” according to Cavie. He taught himself to juggle. He brought a couple of books, including colouring books. He learned poetry. He had plenty of time to think.

So why only 44 days instead of the planned 48? “I got hungry!” Cavie jokes. But the real reason was serious: Dick Smith told him to stop. Cavie was losing too much weight, and he still had to walk down a mountain to get back to civilization.

But Wait, There’s More

And that cave stunt is just one chapter in Cavie’s wild career.

He’s a comedian and storyteller who draws from a life most people couldn’t make up. He’s been a tour leader in Africa. A roofer. A truck driver. An actor. He’s tried his hand at everything, and each experience becomes material for his performances.

👉 Check out Cavie’s full Milestones Page and see how a true original documents his wild career

The TV Show That Became a Phenomenon

From 2006 to 2009, Cavie was the creator, producer, and host – better known as “Caveman” – of the award-winning television series On the Water. What started as a show about sailing evolved to encompass everything water-related: ships, skiffs, surfing, water-skiing, and even fishing (though only once).

On the Water aired on Channel 31 across Australia and on community television in New Zealand for four consecutive years, producing a total of 52 episodes. It became Channel 31’s highest-rating program in 2007, reaching up to 80,000 viewers. The show won the C31 Antenna Award for “Most Outstanding Outdoor or Recreational Program” and was also nominated for “Program of the Year” in 2009. Cavie even had the honour of being a presenter at the Antenna Awards that same year.

Check out On the Water:

The Sauce That Almost Was

In 2008-09, Cavie became the spokesman for a quirky sauce brand created by “The Chilli Man,” available in two flavors: Dead Horse (that’s Australian for tomato sauce) and Sweet Chilli Sauce.

“Caveman’s Dead Horse” sold well and was stocked in plenty of stores. Unfortunately, The Chilli Man went broke before they could scale up, so it’s no longer available. Classic Aussie entrepreneurial story: it worked, then died because the manufacturer went belly up.

Check out Caveman’s Dead Horse:

Adventures That Became Stories

The 3,000km Ride for Kids with Cancer

In 2016, Cavie created Nadiya’s Challenge, a never-attempted-before adventure that became deeply personal.

When 11-year-old Nadiya Sussmilch passed away after a seven-year battle with cancer, Cavie and some mates decided to do something about it.

The challenge? Ride 110cc postie bikes 3,000 kilometers from Wiluna to Darwin along the rugged Canning Stock Route. Blistering heat, freezing nights, breakdowns, scorpions, and snakes.

Seven postie bikes. Ten blokes. Nadiya’s motto: “can do.”

The documentary aired on Channel 31 in 2016. They raised $28,740 for kids with cancer.

Check out Nadiya’s Challenge here:

Filming a World Record

Back in 2009, Cavie was the official camera operator for the Macquarie Speed Sailing Team, filming their journey and helping out along the way. It all built up to a pretty amazing moment on 26 March 2009, when Macquarie Innovation broke the World “C” Class Sailing Speed Record at Sandy Point, Australia, with Simon McKeon and the team on board. The yacht flew across 500.01 meters in just 19.276 seconds, averaging an incredible 50.07 knots, even with a bit of current working against them.

Check out the details of the Macquarie Speed Sailing Team here:

The Antarctica Story

Then there are his stories about Antarctica. Basically, he got lost and miraculously found his way back to the ship. It’s not the most dramatic story on paper, but when Cavie tells it? Comedy gold.

That’s why he became one of only six people selected to tell stories at Melbourne Writer’s Festival for ABC Radio Melbourne’s Homespun. The story itself is classic — “I got lost, I found my way back” — but Cavie’s delivery makes it unforgettable.

And that’s why he’s now a working comedian, performing at festivals around the country. When your life provides this much material, stand-up becomes the natural outlet.

Check out Cavie’s crazy Antarctica story:

The Larrikin’s Other Gigs

The stand-up is just one part of Cavie’s current work. These days, Cavie’s also known for his live commentary work. With a deep, gravelly, beer-soaked voice, he’s become the go-to commentator for powerboat races, soap box derbies, and mechanical bull riding competitions. He’s the bloke you want on the mic when there’s a chance someone might crash spectacularly.

Check out Cavie’s commentary of the World V8 Superboat Series:

He even does a bit of acting, including a starring role in a short film called Big Rig in 2022.

Watch Cavie in ‘Big Rig‘:

The Stories Become Stand-Up

When you’ve lived a life this interesting, you don’t run out of material. The cave adventure. Antarctica. Nadiya’s Challenge. The stolen ute. A lifetime of adventures becomes an hour of comedy gold.

Watch Cavie do stand up comedy:

But when Cavie tells some of these stories on stage, people always ask the same question afterward.

“Did that really happen?”

Before, he’d have to tell them to “trust me” or spend time searching the internet for videos and photographs.

Now he can just hand them a link. Because Milestones Page doesn’t just tell the story, it proves it.

👉 Check out Cavie’s full Milestones Page

Even the Random Stuff Gets Documented

In 2019, Cavie’s ute was stolen – with his dog Medusa still on the back. As the thief sped around a corner, Medusa was flung off the tray. Thankfully, she was found safe and they were reunited. The ute, however, was never seen again.

It made the news. And because Cavie documents everything, that random Thursday afternoon is now a milestone with news footage, photos, and the whole wild story.

That’s the thing about Milestones Page: you don’t just capture the planned adventures. You capture life as it happens – the expeditions AND the stolen utes, the TV shows AND the random news stories, the big moments AND the bizarre Thursdays.

👉 Check out Cavie’s full Milestones Page and see how a true original documents his wild career

Many Adventures. One Page.

With a life this diverse, where can you put it all? There’s only one place – Milestones Page.

Every adventure can be featured, and it can include videos, links, press clippings, photos, and the story behind what happened.

Every TV show can include episodes, reviews, awards, and ratings.

Every fundraising expedition can include the documentary, the donations raised, the team involved, and the impact.

His cave stunt? There are interviews, newspaper clippings, Dick Smith’s original ad, and Cavie’s handwritten letter accepting the challenge.

His stand-up comedy? Footage, festival appearances, venue details.

You don’t just see a list of what Cavie’s done. You experience his life.

👉 Check out Cavie’s full Milestones Page here

The Platform Built for People Like Cavie

Milestones Page was designed for people whose lives don’t fit in conventional boxes.

✅ Upload videos – Documentary footage, comedy sets, news coverage, expedition films
✅ Attach documents – Press clippings, certificates, original ads, handwritten letters
✅ Embed links – YouTube, news articles, anywhere your story lives
✅ Add images – Photos from adventures, behind-the-scenes shots, team photos
✅ Tell the story – The context that makes it make sense

You control it. You update it. You decide what counts.

LinkedIn only captures the professional side. Instagram buries it in old posts. IMDb won’t list half of it.

Milestones Page shows everything.

Make it Yours

Cavie’s Milestones Page showcases cave adventures and TV shows.

Yours might showcase:

• Expeditions and travel adventures
• Fundraising campaigns and charity work
• Documentary projects and film work
• Comedy performances and festival appearances
• Speaking engagements and conferences
• Creative projects and publicity stunts

Whatever you’ve done, this is where you show it all.

Not just a list. A showcase. A story. Proof of what you’ve done, with receipts.

One Link. Everything You’ve Done.

When someone asks Cavie “What do you do?” he doesn’t fumble through explanations.

He sends them one link.

They see:

• The cave adventure that made national news
• The TV show that ran for four years
• The 3,000km charity ride
• The world record footage
• The comedy career
• The commentary work
• The stolen ute story

They see the full picture. The whole life. The proof.

All from one link.

$67. Lifetime Access. Forever.

Here’s the deal:

For a limited time, you get lifetime access to Milestones Page for just $67.

No renewals. No subscriptions. No hidden costs.

One payment. Your entire adventurous life, documented and ready to share. Forever.

That’s less than:

• One night in a hotel on your next adventure
• Hiring someone to build you a website
• The gear you bought for that one expedition
• Trying to update five different platforms separately

And unlike those things, Milestones Page doesn’t expire. You build it once. Update it as you adventure. Share it forever.

Your Life is More Interesting Than You Think.

Think about the best story from your life. The thing you did that made you proud. The adventure. The achievement. The thing people ask you about at parties.

Where is it right now?

Buried in old Facebook posts? Mentioned vaguely on your LinkedIn? Living only in your memory and the memories of people who were there?

Your stories deserve better than that.

Stop trying to fit your unconventional life into LinkedIn’s boxes.

Stop explaining your story five different ways on five different platforms.

Stop losing the best parts of your story because there’s nowhere to put them.

Document it all. In one place. With proof.

Just like Cavie.

FAQ

“Why not just build my own website?”
You could. That’ll cost $500-$2,000 and take 20+ hours to build and maintain. Or spend $67 and 15 minutes on Milestones Page.

“My life isn’t as wild as Cavie’s…”
Neither is most people’s. But you’ve still done things worth documenting. Milestones Page is for anyone whose story doesn’t fit in traditional boxes — whether that’s eight careers or one really interesting one.

“What if I’m not tech-savvy?”
If you can post on social media, you can use Milestones Page. It’s designed for adventurers and creators, not developers.

“Some of my stuff isn’t ‘professional’…”
Cavie’s peanut butter cave stunt started as an April Fool’s joke. If it matters to YOUR story, it belongs on your page.

“I don’t have proof of everything…”
That’s fine. Cavie couldn’t video everything in a cave with no power in the year 2000. You document what you can and tell the story of the rest.

“What if my life keeps getting more interesting?”
Perfect. Add new milestones whenever you want. No extra cost. Ever.