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Sir Graeme Dingle tells John Cowan about his journey from a child frightened by everything to renowned adventurer

Publish Date
Sun, 11 Oct 2026, 8:00pm
The Podcast on iHeartRadio

Before scaling the world's most unforgiving peaks—from Antarctica to the Andes and the Himalayas—Sir Graeme was a "painfully shy" child growing up in Gisborne who was afraid of everything. His life transformed when he discovered the outdoors, leading to historic feats like the first-ever winter traverse of the Southern Alps in 1971.

But his greatest legacy isn't written in the snow. Spurred by a challenge to "do good for others", Sir Graeme co-founded the Outdoor Pursuits Centre (now Hillary Outdoors) and established the Graeme Dingle Foundation, which has empowered over 400,000 young Kiwis over the last 30 years. Recently awarded the prestigious global Order of Magellan for his lifetime achievements in exploration and youth advocacy, Sir Graeme joins John for an unscripted look at his extraordinary life, his worldview, and his latest mission to "move mountains" for the next generation of New Zealanders.

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