Among the first female outback explorers, Creaghe was a member of an 1882 expedition across the Gulf of Carpentaria. her diary shows remarkable tenaicty and fortitude in trying circumsatnces.
Photo Credit: State Library of New South Wales
Lady Jane Franklin
In an age when women were limited to needlework and domestic duties, Franklin broke the mould. A keen traveller, she sailed, climbed, led expeditions and created social change in Tasmania.
Photo Credit: Thomas Bock
Nancy Bird Walton
Walton took flying lessons from Charles Kingsford Smith, launched outback ambulance services and founded the Australian Women Pilot’s Association. her acheievments were remarkable in an era when women were discouraged from wearing pants, let alone flying planes.
Photo Credit: State Library of New South Wales
Linda Beilharz
The ‘Icy Pole Lady’, Linda was the first Australian woman to successfully ski to both the North and South poles as part of a bigger goal to ski over four icecaps- including Greenland and Patagonia.
Photo Credit: Australian Geographic
Allie Pepper
Since 1999, Allie has worked as a mountain and adventure guide in Australia, Nepal and South America, summiting some of the worlds most challenging peaks including Cho Oyu in the Himalayas and Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas. In 2011, Allie became the first Australian woman to scale Mount Everest without the aid of bottled oxygen.
Photo Credit: Australian Geographic
Jessica Watson
When 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed into Sydney Harbour on 15 May 2010- becoming the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted around the world- she inspired a nation.
Photo Credit: Andrew Fraser
Lisa Blair
Australian yatchswoman, Lisa Blair sailed into the record books earlier this year after finishing a massive ocean odyssey to become the first woman to solo circumnavigate Antarctica.
Photo Credit: Corrina Ridgway
Sandy Robson
Sea kayaker Sandy Robson completed an epic solo kayak journey from Germany to Australia in 2015. Her mission was inspired by German canoeist Oskar Speck who, between 1932 and 1939 paddled a folding kayak from Germany to Australia.
Jade Hameister
In 2016, Jade Hameister became the youngest person in history to ski to the North Pole. Then in 2017, she trekked into the history books for the second time – all before celebrating her 16th birthday – after a successful crossing of Greenland, the second largest ice cap on the planet, against the odds.
Photo Credit: @jadehameister
Robyn Davidson
The ‘camel lady’, Robyn davidson, with her beloved dog Diggity, and four camels, trekked 2700 km across some of Australia’s most remote and inhospitable deserts, from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean in 1977.
Photo Credit: Shuttershock
Kay Cottee
Kay was the first woman to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world, on a journey of 22, 100 nautical miles in 1987-1988. Over 189 days, she experienced the beauty and terror of solo sailing the Southern Ocean.
Australia’s adventurous female role models are more important today than ever. And while Australia is abundant in these audacious women, we’ve narrowed it down to a select group.