About the Australian Himalayan Foundation

How it all started

The Australian Himalayan Foundation was founded by a group of passionate trekking guides, trekkers and mountaineers – brought together by a love of the Himalayan region and its people. Those Founding Directors were a group of friends that included Simon Balderstone AM, Garry Weare, Christine Gee AM, Peter Hillary, Lincoln Hall OAM, Michael Dillon AM and Mark O’Toole.

Collectively they spent many months in the Himalaya, over many years, exploring and working in the mountains while getting to know the region and its people and culture. They also saw that while the Himalaya is a place of breath-taking beauty and endless adventure, it is also a place of extreme disadvantage, poverty and hardship for many people.

Inspired by their love and respect for the people, and the charitable work of Sir Edmund Hillary, the group decided to do something. They wanted to improve the quality of life for people in the Himalaya, and to continue and build on the humanitarian legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary.

On December 20th 2001, the group got together to discuss how they could best give back to the Himalayan people. The organisation’s first Constitution was drafted and signed – and the Australian Himalayan Foundation was born, focusing on three three areas: education, health and the environment. In February 2002, AHF was registered with ASIC and the first Board meeting was held. Twenty-two years on, thanks to our generous donors, we have been able to turn an idea into an organisation that is delivering long-term, sustainable change to the communities of the Himalaya.