Mick Leahy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael (Mick) James Leahy (26 February 1901 - 7 March 1979) was an explorer who published widely about, photographed and filmed many of his travels. Although born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, he spent most of his adult life in Papua New Guinea.
Leahy worked as a railway clerk, a freelance timber cutter, as a manager in the construction industry and as a prospector before carrying out major explorations of Papua New Guinea. He was one of the first Europeans to reach many areas and to discover and climb the country's second tallest mountain – Mount Giluwe (1934). However, Jack Hides had also laid claim to be the first to discover Mount Giluwe, so Leahy went to England in 1935 and forced the Royal Geographical Society to set up a hearing into the two opposing claims. The following year Leahy was awarded at grant from the Society and published his discoveries in their journal.
He also joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a flight lieutenant and was assigned to the US chief engineer to build an airstrip in Telefomin. Leahy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), made an honorary member of the US Explorers' Club (1959) and was awarded the US Medal of Freedom with bronze palm.
The 1983 award-winning documentary film 'First Contact' is about the exploration of the Waghi Valley and Mount Hagen in PNG based on much of Leahy's footage.
