Inside Kimberley cousins Dwes Wiggan-Dann and Katherine Dan’s Amazing Race Australia bid

What started as a spontaneous application has morphed into a special opportunity for two Kimberley cousins to become even closer and inspire others. Dwes Wiggan-Dann and Katherine Dann, pictured right, are set to become WA’s new reality stars when they represent the State in the second season of The Amazing Race Australia, set to premiere on February 1. Speaking to the Broome Advertiser, Ms Dann said her cousin initially applied for the pair to audition for the show without actually telling her. “When we got through to the next round, that’s when Dwes started calling me and begged me to go on the show with him,” she laughed. “When I finally said ‘yes’, he said ‘well that’s good because we’re already through to the next round’.” The pair hope to use The Amazing Race Australia as a platform to inspire young Aboriginal people. “I’m hoping that people just see that we come from a small community in the Kimberley and we’re able to take this big opportunity and make something of it rather than just confining ourselves to our comfort zones,” Ms Dann said. “My role with Garnduwa sees me telling other young Aboriginal women to get out of their comfort zones and reach their potential.” Mr Wiggan-Dann said since being announced as competitors, the pair had received an outpouring of support from people countrywide. “To see so many people reach out to us and congratulate us in making such a huge mark for our community and showcase our individuality has been really awesome,” he said. While COVID-19 might have prevented teams from racing around the world in the show’s traditional format, teams will instead be racing around Australia. Mr Wiggan-Dann said the experience of exploring Australia in a unique way was a “humbling opportunity”. “Seeing places that are so uniquely Australian and being able to experience the country in a way we might not be able to normally was so humbling and beautiful,” he said. While teasers have shown the two cousins butting heads, Mr Wiggan-Dann said being part of The Amazing Race Australia had allowed them to be their authentic selves and get to know each other on another level. “Being cousins is one thing, but working together to achieve a particular goal is completely different,” he said. “It has really given us a chance to learn each other’s strengths and really listen to one another.” Ms Dann said it was great to see each other in a new light and they had developed a newfound respect for each other. “I definitely appreciate Dwes forcing me into this race from the beginning, and it has been amazing to see our individual strengths work together,” she said.