As Australia tuned-in to watch the first episode of the new season of Survivor last week, Parkes locals in particular may have got a little surprise.

The Champion Post caught up with Parkes mum Faith Setiawan in the lead-up to the reality show airing on 23 February, she’s one of the 24 cast members competing for the major prize in what is this year themed around redemption.

But in the first segment there was another familiar face.

As fate would have it a second Parkes person has emerged from the Samoan jungle to appear on the show - one Jackson Goonrey, a Parkes Spacemen teen who had dreams of becoming a pro wrestler when he finished school at Red Bend Catholic College.

The 25-year-old was also among the 24 castaways selected for this year's season, along with a woman from Trangie Lottie Rae they make up a trio representing the Central West.

Jackson moved to Parkes from Cobar when he was 13, attending Red Bend from Years 8-12.

He played rugby league with the Spacemen, whose colours he proudly and loyally wears during some of his fights as a professional wrestler, particularly when he heads out to the Central West.

After leaving Parkes to study a Bachelor of Psychological Science in Newcastle, he joined the training school House of Free Fighting (HOFF).

"I moved from Parkes at 18 years old, telling my parents it was for university, which partly it was," Jackson admitted.

"But it was the only way they’d let me go so I could start training as a professional wrestler as well."

We reacquainted ourselves with Jackson, who goes by the stage name Scott Green, in 2022 when he was making his pro wrestling debut, quite appropriately in Parkes in the International Wrestling Australia Regional Championship.

Jackson's mates, Spacemen supporters and he even his former coach all came to watch him and have been supporting him ever since.

"When I saw the application for Survivor I saw a vision," Jackson said.

"Me on TV, everyone who’s doubted what I’m doing with this whole wrestling thing - seeing me run a muck using all the skills I learnt in wrestling, and a couple from uni."

He said Survivor was the toughest thing he's ever done, but the most rewarding.

"The experience for me changes everyday," he said.

"Sometimes I wish I was back out there, other days I’m certain I’d never go back.

"You learn so much about yourself, how far you can go and you’ll surprise yourself everyday.

"The experience is something I’d never take back, but it’s not for the faint hearted."

Jackson has been plying away at his passion for several years now and not long returned from the USA where he completed a try-out for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

"It was a week long and one of the best weeks of my life," he said.

"This isn’t local footy or even national - this is a global billion dollar entertainment powerhouse who host The Rock, John Cena, Logan Paul and the biggest names in entertainment.

"And I got the opportunity to join their ranks, to see it live and in colour was life changing."