Born in May 1966, Jarvis is best known for his numerous Antarctic expeditions, particularly the period recreations of historical treks by Sir Douglas Mawson and Sir Ernest Shackleton, as well as the his attempted Antarctic crossing in 1999, undertaken with fellow Australian explorer Peter Treseder. As a result of this expedition, he is the joint record holder for the fastest unsupported journey to the Geographic South Pole from the "true" edge of Antarctica (where the ice of the continent meets the sea).