When Tony and his wife arrived in Sydney in 1972 after a six month trip through Asia from Europe toward Australia, they decided to start Lonely Planet Publications to publish the story of their journey - Across Asia on the Cheap. From those humble beginnings, Lonely Planet Publications has grown to become the world’s largest independent guidebook publisher with more than 500 titles in print and over 400 staff around the world. In 2011, Tony completed the sale of Lonely Planet, and though he doesn’t have a formal role in the company, he still keeps busy writing books such as the upcoming Tony Wheeler’s Dark Lands, to be published by Lonely Planet in August 2013. He also dedicates his time to his foundation - Planet Wheeler - as well as Wheeler Centre for Books, and Writing & Ideas. It is also of special note that Tony Wheeler is on the baord of Global Heritage Fund - an organisation working to protect and develop archaelogical sites in the developing world.