Meet Dave
“Doing It Differently turns the impossible into being possible!” Dave Jacka
Breaking his neck at 19 was never going to stop Dave Jacka live life to the full. With just 6% physical function he’s a master of engineering his adventures and environment to suit his physical limitations, by ‘Doing it Differently’.
‘Doing it Differently’ is about having an open mind, finding creative solutions and perseverance to overcome obstacles.
His achievements include:
- First person with quadriplegia to fly solo around Australia
- First person with quadriplegia to fly solo a microlight trike
- First person with quadriplegia to paddle a kayak 2,226 km down the Murray River from Lake Hume to the sea
- Handcycled 1000 km from Melbourne to Broken Hill retracing part of Burke & Wills fateful outback journey
- Represented Australia in the 1996 Paralympic Games
For his achievements, Dave was a Victorian Australian of the Year finalist (2014) and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (2015) for his contribution to people with a disability through sport.
