Age: 25

Born: October 22, 1983

Made in: Victoria

Primary school PE teacher Rhys is passionate about kids, filmmaking, surfing and now, fashion and modelling.

While he will be immediately seen as the typical surfie lad, it's not a label he wants to be branded with.

"I want to challenge myself. It's not that teaching is boring me it's just that I need variety in my life," Rhys says. "Now I'm 24, I want to put myself in situations like this, out of my comfort zone."

Rhys says moving to Melbourne from Phillip Island at age 18 for university was a culture shock, but nothing compared to the adventures he now seeks.

A documentary filmmaker, he says he's travelled to Indonesia about 10 times.

He says on a recent two month jungle and surfing safari, during which he hung out with locals, filmed and took advantage of the outstanding surf, he caught dengue fever.

"It was one of my greatest experiences but I caught dengue fever, but that was all part of the experience," he says.

While Rhys has worked as a model since he was a teenager, mainly in catalogues, it was only recently that he became confident enough to step out from his typecast surfer dude role.

"I was confident as that guy, but not as a model," he says. "Now I'm confident being anyone as a model, I'd be happy to loose the locks to prove it."

"In modelling, every part of you is analysed. Like everyone I fear that sort of judgement, but I want this process to get rid of that fear. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger and I don't think anything will seem hard after this."

Rhys either surfs or swims everyday, regardless of the weather in chilly Melbourne.

"It's my natural endorphin," he says. "This modelling thing is highly emotional, with lots of strong characters, egos and personalities, and it's easy to be affected by that. But the surf brings me back to me."

View Rhys' Portfolio