Doug Fife, one of Tasmania’s most prolific and unique rock climbers, summited in life too early on the 13th December 2023 at aged 61.He had a medical episode while sailing a yacht between Sydney and Hobart and could not be revived.

Doug started climbing in 1978 at Elizabeth College in Hobart, Tasmania under the tutelage of the legendary Peter Jackson. Doug rapidly gained strength and skill and began to develop the boldness he became famous for by leading the top-rope climbs set up for his school excursions. That would be unthinkable on a school trip nowadays, but in the late `70s Mr. Jackson’s risk assessments totally allowed for talented students like Doug to lead sketchy routes up to grade 20 (5.10c) with a couple of pieces of shit gear.

​Doug soon teamed up with Simon Parsons and Phil Bigg, the two best climbers in Tasmania at the time. Of all the new routes put up on the Organ Pipes in the `80s, one third of them bear the bold stamp of Fife, Bigg, and Parsons, the highlight being the first ascent of Skyrocket (20/5.10c). Doug was on the first ascent of 30 routes on the Pipes, including the bold route of Left Out (21/5.10d) - which was his proudest. It was done in typical Douggy style - ground-up, onsight, and cleaning as you go.

Doug Fife at Frenchmans Cap, Tasmania. At 400 meters (1300 feet) Frenchmans Cap is the longest vertical cliff in Australia. (Photo Credit: Peter Steane)

(L to R) Simon Parsons, Doug Fife, and Phil Bigg on the Pipes in Tasmania. In the 1980s, one-third of the climbs at the Organ Pipes was put up by this trio. Photo Credit: Simon Parsons collection)

Doug attempted the second ascent of Henry Barber’s route Incipience (22/5.11a) at Freycinet, Tasmania. It was a prized goal for up-and-coming climbers, but Doug’s attempt resulted in a 30 meter (~100 foot) screamer, falling most of the length of the climb and copping some terrible scrapes and bruises. 

Doug Fife also spent an extended time at Mt. Arapiles in the early `80s, climbing with the hotshots of the day such as Mike Law and Kim Carrigan. It was here that he developed his remarkable calmness and cool head under pressure by free soloing hundreds of routes. Doug then spent most of the `80s living in California, spending a lot of time doing big walls in Yosemite. He also did mountaineering trips to the Himalayas and New Zealand, and his boldness on rock was transferred to some highly technical ice climbs - of which he became an expert practitioner.

The story and the photos of the first ascent of an outrageous and dangerous 200 meter (656 foot) ice climb in the Western Tiers of Tasmania must be seen to be believed. He also did many trips into Frenchmans Cap with Peter Steane where, again, his bold, onsight ability proved invaluable to negotiate loose rock on several first ascents.

Along with Garn Cooper, in the year 2000, Doug Fife pioneered the first climb on the mighty 300 meter (980 foot) face above Lake Huntley in the Tyndalls in the western wilderness of Tasmania.

In 2005 he moved to Launceston in northern Tasmania and proceeded to pick the eyes out of the guidebooks and do dozens of scary new routes in the North and South Esk Gorges. All the cracks had been done in the `70s and `80s, but Doug tackled the faces in between, which most of us were too scared to attempt back in the day. Typical was Doug's ascent of the Biggus Dikkus Pinnacle. I had put five bolts in this lovely 15 meter (50 foot) pillar in the Gorge. When I told Doug about it, he said he had climbed it five years previously using only traditional gear.

Doug Fife on the first ascent of "Left Out" (21/5.10d) located at the Organ Pipes, Tasmania. (Photo Credit: Peter Steane)

Tribute author Gerry Narkowicz (left) and Doug Fife at Bare Rock, Tasmania in 1983. (Photo Credit: Peter Steane)

“Impossible. It’s unprotectable!” I exclaimed.

Douggy proceeded to tell me a hair-raising story of him soloing the first ten metres then, balanced on a small foothold on the arête, he tried to lasso the entire pinnacle with a five-metre length of sling. His girlfriend was on the cliff top opposite, trying to catch the sling with a stick, and drag it around the pinnacle for him. They succeeded with this ingenious and dangerous commitment to traditional style, and Douggy proved that he had much bigger balls than me. Doug was one of the last climbers I know to remain totally committed to traditional style and pure adventure. 

Doug didn’t climb much in the last ten years of his life due to significant health issues, but he remained passionate about climbing 'till the end. He was a professional firefighter, an expert builder, and completed a science degree in geology.

As a climbing guide he was brilliant with his clients. He was a generous and loving person, a loyal mate and one of the truly great characters of Australian rock climbing.

​He was one of my best friends and he will be sorely missed. 

Doug jumaring out of the Tyndalls in western Tasmania in the year 2000. (Photo Credit: Adam Donoghue)

About the Author - Gerry Narkowicz

Gerry began rock climbing in 1980 as a 16-year old through Elizabeth College Climbing Club in Hobart, Tasmania. Since then his passion has been new route development and cliff discovery, mostly in northern Tasmania where he has established over 900 new climbs.

As an outdoor education teacher he has introduced many students to rock climbing and is also the author of seven guidebooks to Tasmanian crags.