12 Facts About Sue Fear

Susan Erica Fear was an Australian mountaineer, supporter of the Fred Hollows Foundation and a 2005 recipient of the Order of Australia Medal.

Sue Fear was born on 18 March 1963 in St Ives, New South Wales, Australia, she was the middle child in her family, with two brothers Grahame and John.

Sue Fear attended St Ives North Public School in her primary school years where she was the School Captain, and later attended Abbotsleigh where she was the softball captain, and Barker College on Sydney's north where she was a school prefect and the captain of the girls' hockey and cricket teams.

Sue Fear became an adventure guide and led cross country ski trips in Australia as well as treks in Africa, South America, and Asia.

Sue Fear was recognised as one of the company's senior guides, leading many physically challenging mountaineering expeditions.

Between 1995 and 2006, Sue Fear climbed the Seven Summits and five of the fourteen eight-thousander peaks.

In 2003, Sue Fear climbed Everest from the more difficult Tibetan side on the North Col.

Sue Fear was the first Australian-born woman and the second Australian woman overall to do so.

Sue Fear's body remains on the mountain, honouring an earlier request if she were to die while climbing a mountain.

Sue Fear was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2005 for her work as Ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation and for services to mountaineering, which will have an eye clinic named after her in Dhading Besi, Nepal.

Sue Fear was named the 2003 Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society.

Sue Fear was an ambassador for the Australian Himalayan Foundation and helped raise funds for the Australian Nepalese Medical Group.