Australia Day Ambassador
Andrew Lock
Ambassador for Warringah Council - Forestville
Andrew Lock is the most accomplished Australian high altitude mountaineer in history. In October 2009 he completed a 16 year project to climb all fourteen of the world’s 8000 metre mountains, the highest and hardest mountains on earth. He is the first Australian, and the first member of the Commonwealth, to climb all those mountains and just the 18th person in history to achieve that goal.
His achievements include:
- The only Australian to climb all fourteen of the world's 8000 metre peaks, including of Mt Everest, twice.
- The first Australian ascent of six of those 8000 metre peaks
- Solo ascents of three 8000 metre peaks: Broad Peak, Lhotse and Cho Oyu
- The first Australian to lead a commercial expedition to the summit of Mount Everest.
- The only Australian to climb two 8000 metre peaks in one year (he has done this four times, twice climbing two peaks in a single expedition!)
- 18 individual ascents of those 8000 metre peaks, with dual ascents of Mt Everest, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma Central
- Ascents of the highest mountains in the western and southern hemispheres
Andrew has led teams to the summit of Mt Everest and some of the most inhospitable environments on earth. But success has not come easily. He has survived avalanches, crevasse falls, frostbite, bivouacs at extreme altitude without equipment and witnessed friends perish. His exceptional achievements in the face of such adversity have demanded supreme levels of endurance, motivation and leadership.
Andrew is also a recognised as one of Australia’s most accomplished wilderness and remote area guides. A vastly experienced Antarctic veteran, Andrew has led, trained and guided members of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions on multiple expeditions and guided commercial groups across Antarctica and the sub Antarctic.
He holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Emergency Management) with Distinction, is the recipient of the Australian National Medal, the Australian Defence medal and has twice been awarded the Mount Everest medal by the Government of Nepal. He is a professional motivational speaker and regular speaker at charity fund raising events.
In addition to his other charitable fundraising work, Andrew is an official ambassador of the Sir David Martin Foundation, a non-profit organisation created in 1990 by the late Governor of NSW, Sir David Martin, who had a dream of "safety, hope and opportunity for all young Australians".
