Commonwealth Bay 1986

These are images from a visit to Mawson's Hut at Commonwealth Bay aboard polar re-supply vessel MV Icebird in the summer of 1985/1986.

The Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914 was the first expedition to be organised by Australians to explore the Antarctic coastline immediately south of Australia. The expedition was led by Sir Douglas Mawson (1882-1958) and departed Hobart on December 2nd, 1911, aboard the expedition vessel "Aurora". The expedition party constructed their main base at Cape Denison, a rocky promontory in Commonwealth Bay.

Following the departure of Mawson's expedition in 1914 these historic buildings stood abandoned for many years, serving only as a forlorn reminder of a great chapter in Australia's Antarctic exploration history. By the early 1980s the deterioration caused by time, climatic extremes, and relentless gales and blizzards was threatening their survival. Structural elements had fractured and sagged, timber boards had shrunk and weathered to reveal large gaps, and snow and ice had filled the interior.

A private expedition called "Project Blizzard" occupied the site during the 1984/85 and 1985/86 seasons and was present during our visit. Project Blizzard was a team of Australians working to keep alive the spirit and tradition of Australia's Antarctic pioneers. The objectives of the expedition were to conserve Mawson's Hut, to increase public awareness of the role Australians played in Antarctic exploration, and to conduct a number of scientific projects.

One of the tasks completed by Project Blizzard was to remove much of the snow and ice filling the main hut, allowing us the rare privelege of entering the hut and viewing many of the supplies and artefacts as they were left by Mawson's men in 1914.