Who we are

Wilderide is based in the small sleepy town of Nannup, the heart of gravel cycling in Australia’s South West, and home to the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.

Vanessa Johnson founded Wilderide to share her passion for gravel cycling in Australia’s wild places with riders from around the world. As a female owned and operated business, Wilderide is built on respect for our environment and a belief that community always comes first.

Vanessa is hands-on across every aspect of the business, with a particular love for route development - scouting and riding routes, mapping and refining them, working with local stakeholders, and using digital tools to make tours safer and more immersive.

A Nannup local, Vanessa has extensive knowledge of the gravel roads and tracks around her hometown and their seasonal variations. She personally crafts routes to suit riders’ abilities, interests, and location, striving to deliver an authentic Australian bush gravel experience. She works closely with the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions to ensure the routes protect the region’s unique flora.

Vanessa is an enthusiastic gravel racer who has competed in every edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships, an accredited cycling instructor, and co-founder of the 4Five+ Athlete Collective, which supports women’s participation in an active lifestyle. When she’s not riding, Vanessa enjoys good food, good wine, and nurturing the native garden around her home with her husband, Julian.