Freda Du Faur was arguably Australia's first 'real' mountaineer. She was the first woman to climb Mount Cook (Aoraki), the first woman to climb New Zealand's five highest peaks (most of these were first and second ascents), and she was a member of the party which made the first 'grand traverse' of all three Mount Cook peaks. Although she has largely been ignored in Australia, her mountaineering achievements were remarkable, and even by contemporary standards many of her climbs are still considered as significant undertakings. Du Faur's mountaineering career was brief, spanning the years 1908-1913, and she appears to have only climbed in New Zealand. She lived in England from 1914 through until 1929, when she returned to Australia, following the death of her partner (and one time fitness trainer), Muriel Cadogan. She sadly took her own life in 1935. Du Faur and Cadogan Peaks in the New Zealand Southern Alps are named after Freda Du Faur and Muriel Cadogan.
