Some 90 years ago, a young bushwalker’s dissatisfaction with the limited and heavy bushwalking equipment available prompted him to design and make his own. Before long, word spread, and Paddy Pallin’s lightweight, functional designs were soon in demand among fellow bushwalkers. Such was the demand for his specialist equipment (mainly rucksacks, tents and sleeping bags) he opened his first store in Sydney in the early 1930’s. In order to cater for the total Australian market and the growing demand for his products, he appointed an agent in each state and offered a mail-order service. The backpacking travel boom in the 1960’s created an entirely new market, which dwarfed the early Australian wilderness travel market. Paddy’s had to respond by opening more stores to meet this demand.