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Michael Leahy filming the exploration party to the Waghi Valley

Michael (Mick) James Leahy MBE (26 February 1901 - 7 March 1979) was an Australian explorer famed for his discovery of the Highlands area of Papua New Guinea. He photographed, filmed and published widely about many of his explorations.

Biography

Early life

Leahy was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, the fourth of nine children of Irish migrants Daniel Leahy, a railway guard, and his wife Ellen, née Stone. After an education at the Christian Brothers' College in Toowoomba, Leahy initially worked as a railway clerk before leaving to become a freelance timber cutter. He abandoned this in 1926 upon hearing about the Edie Creek gold strike in New Guinea.

After suffering from an almost fatal bout of malaria upon trying to reach the gold fields, Leahy instead took a construction and labour management job in Lae.

Explorer

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.

During the Second World War he joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a flight lieutenant and was assigned to the US chief engineer to build an airstrip in Telefomin. For his services during the war Leahy was awarded the US Medal of Freedom with bronze palm in 1948, appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1952 and made an honorary member of the US Explorers' Club in 1959.

The 1983 award-winning documentary film 'First Contact' is about the exploration of the Waghi Valley and Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea based on much of Leahy's footage.

died at Zenang, Papua New Guinea

Reference

• Bright Sparcs Biographical entry