The utterly inspirational story behind one of our country’s most superb

early fire for journalism gives me more joy than she will ever know. – LISA WILKINSON

Lisa Millar has spent her whole life showing up, getting things done and

making things happen. As a child growing up in country Queensland, she

dreamed of a big life. Working as a foreign correspondent gave her that, but it

also meant confronting the worst that humanity can bring. Three decades as

a journalist witnessing tragedy had a cost. And an ever-escalating fear of

flying threatened to rob her of her ability to work at all.

For that young girl from small-town Kilkivan, who had to push herself to

keep going, push herself to conquer fear, push herself to tell important stories,

finally came the realisation that sometimes all we really need is what we

already have. And she shows us that we are all stronger and more resilient

than we give ourselves credit for if we just dare to let ourselves fly.

Lisa Millar is the co-host of ABC TV’s News Breakfast. Millar returned to the ABC in Australia after finishing a decade-long posting as bureau chief in both London and Washington DC, covering some of the world’s biggest stories.

She began her career at the Gympie Times in 1988 and has worked in print, TV and radio. She won a Walkley Award in 2005 for investigative reporting.