Duncan Chessell
No hill is too high for Adelaide-born Duncan Chessell.
By the age of 15 he’d conquered Australia’s highest peak, Mt Kosciusko. By 37 he’d scaled the seven major peaks on the planet and earnt his place in the record books as the first South Australian to climb Mt Everest.
Born in 1970, Duncan gained a Bachelor of Science (Geology) at Adelaide University – joining the university’s former mountain club to pursue his passion for bush walking and rock climbing.
He then moved interstate to work as a geologist in oil exploration and build his experience in mountain climbing, before returning in 2002 to live in the Adelaide foothills with his wife Jo and daughter Zara.
Having lived and worked interstate, Duncan says there’s no place like Adelaide. “The University of Adelaide is a great university. It has everything you need and achieves high levels of academic excellence – all without the issues of a city like Sydney, which is expensive and impossible to move around,” he says.
“You would be hard pressed to find a city better for studying in than Adelaide, particularly with regard to the standard of living and opportunities available at an affordable rate.”
Now that he’s home in South Australia, Duncan often talks about the ‘Hills’. But he’s not referring to the beautiful Adelaide Hills which line the eastern fringe of the city.
He’s talking about very high ‘Hills’ like Everest in Asia and Mount Vinson in Antarctica. It’s on these peaks that he’s honed his mountaineering skills earnt a reputation as a skilled and strategic adventurer.
Duncan’s talents aren’t limited to exploring and guiding. He’s an experienced geologist, an excellent photographer and an inspiring, charismatic speaker.
He’s also renowned for helping others in their quest to reach the top of the world. He does that through Chessel Adventures, a company committed to providing personalized expeditions for individuals and groups.
With a team of six in Adelaide and operational bases in Papua New Guinea and Nepal, Chessel Adventures employs Australian, NZ and American outdoor professionals to lead treks to such far-flung places as the Himalayas, PNG, South America and Antarctica.
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