Olivia Culpo’s Daring Kangaroo Island Shoot Will Inspire You to Be More Adventurous in 2026

The three-time SI Swimsuit model was fearless in Australia, even welcoming an unexpected guest star while on set.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Toxic Sadie. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

If you can believe it, we’re only two weeks into 2026. However, despite the year still being a brand-new book on its very first chapter, January might have you feeling a little restless—almost like you’re ready to begin your next big adventure, but you’re not sure where to start.

Well, as luck would have it, you’ve come to the right place for some fashion-forward inspiration! We just so happen to have the perfect antidote for your restless woes, and it comes in the form of Olivia Culpo’s incredible sophomore shoot with the brand back in 2019.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Few SI Swimsuit features to date have captured the feeling of setting off on a whirlwind adventure quite like the four-time brand model’s trek to Kangaroo Island, Australia. While there, Culpo threw caution to the wind while embracing the wilder side of the breathtaking location—even posing for a few photos with a very unexpected, very scaly co-star.

With this in mind, let these snapshots from Culpo’s 2019 return to SI Swimsuit inspire you to be a little more adventurous in 2026.

Take a walk on the wild side with Culpo’s 2019 shoot

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Sommer Swim. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Culpo took the “wild” idea behind the 2019 shoot to a stylish new place when she sported this two-piece animal print suit by Sommer Swim in the sun-soaked sand. Photographed by Josie Clough, the feature was playful and fearless, urging the model to embrace both the chaos and the serenity that could be found on the island.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Culpo was clearly up for the challenge, embracing the daring nature of the shoot in both her wardrobe and her poses. In fact, her fearless energy was so contagious that it earned her a cover spot the following year in the 2020 issue, when she returned for her third shoot with the brand, this time taking to the beaches of Bali.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by TeenyB Bikini Couture. Belt by CHANEL. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Still, the beach isn’t the only place one can rock a daring bikini look, as Culpo proved when she took to the brush in this neutral-colored TeenyB Bikini Couture string suit. The model commanded the camera’s lens while posing in the tall grass, further elevating the classic poolside ensemble with a glittering Chanel belt.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by TeenyB Bikini Couture. Belt by CHANEL. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Even the light of golden hour was happy to spotlight the model, warming each frame with a honey-like glow. Honestly, if the word “unbothered” were to transform into a fashionable photo shoot, it would hardly surprise us to discover it took the shape of this specific SI Swimsuit feature.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by VIX by Paula Hermanny. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

And trekking into unknown terrains was hardly the only risk Culpo took while on set with the brand, as she also posed with an unexpected co-star in the form of a black-headed 12-foot python (yes, you read that correctly: A! 12! FOOT! PYTHON!). While the unforgettable moment certainly came as a shock for fans, Culpo revealed that the pairing was just as much of a surprise to her.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by VIX by Paula Hermanny. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“I had no idea I was going to be shooting with a snake, let alone a black-headed 12-foot python,” the model revealed while on location. Still, she didn’t let the reptile frighten her away. Instead, she embraced the excitement of the moment, later adding, “I was shaking at first. He was hissing, and I thought that was kind of it telling me that it wanted to eat my ear or my nose or like gouge out my eyeballs [...] But I figured out that if you’re not nervous and if you’re calm, then the snake is calm. And he actually eventually fell asleep on my body.”

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Staying calm under pressure is exceptional advice to carry into 2026, as keeping a level head will help position you to succeed in the new year and beyond. But don’t just take our word for it when it comes to being inspired to pursue your wildest dreams and most audacious adventures this year—take it from the model herself.

Olivia Culpo was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Beach Bunny. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“I hope I can inspire someone out there to know that their dreams can come true if they are persistent, visualize and work hard,” Culpo shared with the brand in 2020, just one year after her trip to Australia. “I still have the vision board I made about five years ago, where my goal was just to be included in the magazine, so to now be on the cover is unfathomable. It is the definition of a dream come true for me.”

So let 2026 be the year of adventure, the year of dreaming bigger and the year of being a little less afraid of the unknown (and also, of snakes).

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