G'day, I'm Julian.

⚡ Where It Began: Microprocessors, CRT TVs & Squeezing Every Clock Cycle

From an early age, I was immersed in hands-on electronics experimentation — dismantling hardware, diagnosing analog circuitry, and repairing Philips consumer electronics including television cathode ray tubes and high-fidelity audio systems. I taught myself programming on the Commodore 64, making games, word processors, and whatever utility I needed.

Growing up, I was often the neighborhood go-to person to repair Betamax and VHS video recorders, which often needed precise video head alignment. That taught me patience and an eye for tiny tolerances early on. Later, I started building custom PCs for my dad's cabinet-making business, and when I landed my first job at a computer shop as a teenager, I built my own rig.

I couldn't afford top-tier hardware back then, so I made it a game to squeeze every bit of performance out of budget gear. On my S3 ViRGE video card, I distinctly remember pulling the board to swap out the removable memory chips to expand VRAM (back when cards still had removable DIP/SOJ sockets), reflashing custom firmware to the card, modifying drivers for higher clock speeds, and rigging custom cooling. That hands-on curiosity meant understanding hardware from the bare silicon and microprocessor up — a mindset that still drives how I write low-level C++ code, tune GPU kernels, or dial in engine calibrations today.

I was an early adopter of AI LLMs back in 2018, and stepped straight into Agentic AI in early 2026. As an experienced C++ programmer, I appreciate systems where you know exactly what the silicon is doing under the hood.

🔧 28 Years on the Tools: Shed Projects & Real Builds

I've been working on my own cars for the last 28 years. It started with an old R31 Nissan Pintara, fixing whatever came loose on a budget and learning mechanical troubleshooting from scratch. That was followed by a white Volvo 440 GLT, which kicked off my interest in Scandinavian cars and Bosch engine management.

Tinkering in the shed: The home garage under the hex lights. On the left is the Suzuki XL-7 off-road rig; on the right is the Volvo C70 2.4T with the bonnet up for wiring and plumbing.

Over the years, the builds grew:

• Suzuki XL-7: Naturally aspirated 238 hp (non-turbo), running on E85 and tuned by me, with custom heavy-duty long travel suspension built to take on remote washouts and outback tracks.
• Volvo S40 T4 Track Car: Putting down 478 hp on E85 with a twin-scroll high-flow turbo, custom fuel lines, upgraded brakes, custom racing suspension, custom engineered polyurethane engine mounts, and anti-lift bushes.
• Volvo C70 2.4T: Pushing 520 hp and 700 Nm of torque, fully retuned by me from 0 psi to 24 psi on E85, achieving an impressive 6.5L / 100km efficiency on E85 while cruising with the roof down.

Tuning high-boost engines on E85 teaches you that calibration isn't guesswork — it's pure physics, thermal control, and ignition timing. That hands-on experience led directly to Volvo Tuning Studio (VTS): an automated flashing and diagnostic platform backed by a domain-trained AI assistant that helps fellow Volvo owners tune safely with built-in guardrails to protect their engines.

Volvo C70 2.4T Convertible

C70 2.4T Engine Bay (520hp • 700Nm • E85)

Volvo S40 T4 Track Car (478hp E85)

John Richards Signed S40 Racing Cap

R31 Nissan Pintara (First Car)

Volvo 440 GLT (First Volvo)

🧭 The Great Outdoors: Flinders Ranges, The Otways & AltiTrek

When it's time to get away from screens, I head outdoors. Four-wheel driving and camping with the family is how I recharge.

I've spent most of my off-road time exploring two distinct parts of Australia: the rugged, red-dirt rocky gorges of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, and the dense fern gullies, mud tracks, and hidden waterfalls of The Otways in Victoria. Over the years, I've loved contributing track notes, waypoints, and trail condition updates back to the 4x4 community to help others explore safely.

Fern Gully Waterfall (The Otways)

Californian Redwoods (The Otways)

Flinders Ranges Red Dirt (XL-7 238hp E85)

Rock Steps & Long-Travel Articulation

Out in the Flinders or deep in the Otway rainforest, phone towers drop out fast. Most mobile mapping apps either freeze up, demand internet connection, or try to sync background data you simply don't have.

That was the real motivation behind building AltiTrek:

• 100% Offline Independence: Topo contour maps, GPX tracks, and barometric altimeter data all live on your device so you always know where you are.
• Zero Tracking or Ads: Built for personal, family, and community use — your GPS coordinates and telemetry never leave your phone.
• Pitch & Roll Instrumentation: Clean 4x4 inclinometers for reading off-camber terrain and steep descents safely.

🎵 Audio Engineering, Custom Speakers & Home Cinema

Beyond computers and cars, I have a deep love for music and have spent years working as an Audio Engineer. One of my favourite creative outlets is designing and hand-building custom loudspeaker enclosures, acoustic crossovers, and high-fidelity sound setups from scratch. Just like engine tuning or electronic systems engineering, high-end audio comes down to physics, phase coherence, and attention to detail — getting clean, effortless sound without distortion.

Another space where I truly unwind is my custom-built home cinema and multi-channel listening room. I planned and built this entire space from the ground up right from the beginning of the house construction — designing and running all structured in-wall wiring, acoustic treatments, and the raised tiered floor myself.

The Cinema & Audiophile Sanctuary: Built from the ground up with custom high-definition tower speakers, laser-calibrated Dolby Atmos, 4K Dolby Vision, and tactile bass haptic feedback integrated into every chair and the raised tiered floor.

The room features my own custom-built high-definition tower speakers paired with a laser-calibrated Dolby Atmos surround and height system. To take low-frequency realism to another level, I engineered bass haptic feedback directly into every cinema recliner chair and into the raised floor structure itself. It's where I spend time listening to multi-channel Super Audio CDs (SACDs) and pure High-Definition DSD multi-channel tracks, or immersing in 4K Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and 3D movies.

At the end of the day, I'm a busy dad balancing a demanding full-time job and doing everything I can to create a solid, exciting future for myself and my children. Whether we're unwinding together with a movie in the cinema, testing a fresh speaker build, loading up the rig for a camping trip in the Flinders or the Otways, or turning wrenches in the shed, it's all about doing what you love with care and making every moment count.

🛡️ Attention to Detail & Practical Problem Solving

Between family, work, and shed projects, life is full. Whether I'm designing hardware, dialing in an engine calibration, or setting up a locally accelerated AI agent, a few core principles guide everything I build: