Expanded Protection for New Zealand’s First Buildings in Antarctica

Two more original buildings at New Zealand’s Scott Base have gained the highest level of protection and will be cared for by the Trust.

Known as Huts G and H, they were built at Scott Base alongside Hut A (often known as TAE/IGY or Hillary’s hut) in the late 1950s. Their construction was to enable New Zealand’s participation in the International Geophysical Year (IGY), a collaborative project involving 67 countries, and at that time, the largest and most important international scientific effort ever undertaken. They were built to house geomagnetic instruments used to measure the Earth’s magnetic field, and became known as the geomagnetic huts.

The huts now fall under the Historic Site and/or Monument (HSM) HSM75 Hut A designation for nearby Hillary’s TAE/IGY Hut.

The process to gain protection for the huts began with a proposal submitted to the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting held in India in 2024, and the presentation of a paper by New Zealand, including contributions from the Trust.

HSM status recognises the value of the huts and protects them under the Antarctic Treaty System, so they cannot be damaged, removed or destroyed.

The huts did not receive HSM status when it was given to Hut A, because they were considered part of Antarctica New Zealand’s working base then with magnetic observations being conducted from the buildings continuously from 1957 to 2023.

Trust Building Conservation Programme Manager Zack Bennett is thrilled with the addition.

“The heritage significance of these huts is derived from three things – their rich history, their unique physical attributes, and the ground-breaking science conducted within their walls being crucial to our understanding of the Earth’s magnetism,” he says.

The two huts have endured decades of harsh Antarctic conditions, but are structurally unaltered and in their original locations.

Trust Executive Director Francesca Eathorne says the small detached huts provide an authentic glimpse into research on the icy continent.

“The inclusion of these huts in the HSM75 designation highlights their significance in historic Antarctic exploration and scientific research,” she says. “We are pleased to have played a part in ensuring their protection and will take over their conservation alongside our management of Hillary’s hut.”

The official list of Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica was established in 1972 and now includes around 90 HSMs, each designated and protected according to guidelines adopted in 2009.