• 0Shopping Cart
Antarctic Heritage Trust
  • CONSERVE
    • Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project
      • History of the Project
      • Conservation Team
      • Conservation Ambassador
      • Season Update
    • Explorer Bases
      • Borchgrevink’s Hut, Cape Adare
      • Scott’s Hut, Hut Point
      • Shackleton’s Hut, Cape Royds
      • Scott’s Hut, Cape Evans
      • Hillary’s Hut, Scott Base
      • Location Map
    • Famous Discoveries
      • Shackleton’s Whisky
      • Century-old Fruitcake
      • Dr Edward Wilson Watercolour
      • Levick’s Notebook
      • Ross Sea Party Photos
      • Shackleton’s Beer Barrel
    • Antarctic Peninsula Partnership – UKAHT
      • Port Lockroy
      • Stonington Island
      • Horseshoe Island
  • SHARE
    • Latest News
      • Antarctic Blog
      • Conservation
      • Inspiring Explorers™
    • Virtual Reality
      • Hillary’s Hut Virtual Reality
      • International Geophysical Year (IGY)
      • Exploration (TAE)
      • About the Project
      • Antarctica 360 VR
      • Virtual Reality
    • Films & Publications
      • Strategic Plan
      • Annual Reports
      • The Explorer Newsletter
      • In Nansen’s Footsteps Film
      • Mt Scott Film
      • The Last 36 Film
      • On Satin Waters – Musical Composition
      • Frozen in Time: Scott’s Antarctic Legacy Podcast
      • A Musical Journey to Antarctica
    • Exhibitions
      • Still Life
      • Breaking the Ice: The First Year in Antarctica
      • The Frozen Wild: Photographic & Soundscape Exhibition
    • Educational Resources
      • Scott Polar Research Institute
      • Royal Geographical Society
      • LEARNZ Virtual Field Trips
      • Cool Antarctica
      • Antarctica New Zealand Image Library
  • ENCOURAGE
    • Inspiring Explorers Expeditions™
      • 2022 – South Pole
      • 2021 – Mahu Whenua Traverse
      • 2020 – Antarctic Peninsula
      • 2019 – Antarctic Peninsula
      • 2018 – Greenland Ice Cap
      • 2017 – Climbing Mount Scott
      • 2015 – Crossing South Georgia
    • Young Inspiring Explorers™
      • 2022 – Summit
      • 2021 – Worsley Weekend
      • 2021 – Explorer Conference
      • 2020 – Summit
      • 2020 – Worsley Weekend
      • 2019 – Summit
    • Inspiring Explorers Education™
      • Antarctic Augmented Reality
      • Antarctic Virtual Reality
    • Updates and Applications
      • Apply
      • Latest Inspiring Explorers™ Updates
      • Reach the World Partnership
    • Shackleton Centenary Year Expedition
  • SUSTAIN
    • Ways to Give
      • Donate
      • Become a Member
    • Supporters and Partners
      • Our Partners
      • Sponsorship Opportunities
      • Your Impact
    • Inspiring Explorers™ Fund
      • About the Inspiring Explorers™ Fund
      • Donate to the Fund
      • Explorer Journeys
    • Shop
      • Merchandise
      • Gift Ideas
    • Work with Us
      • Alumni
      • Contact Us
      • About AHT
      • Our People
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Vimeo
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Mail
    • Mail
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • About AHT
  • Our People
  • Work with Us
  • Latest News
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Archive for category: Famous Discoveries

Shackleton’s Whisky

January 31, 2010 - Famous Discoveries, News Story, Shackleton's Hut

In January 2010 our conservators found five crates encased in ice under Shackleton’s 1908 Antarctic base – three contained Mackinlay’s whisky and two contained brandy.

The three whisky crates were excavated and one crate was flown to New Zealand to be carefully thawed by the Trust in a purpose-built environment and public gallery at Canterbury Museum. Eleven bottles of the 114-year old whisky were revealed, still sheathed in their paper and straw packaging.

After delicate conservation, the then owner of Whyte & Mackay (which owns the Mackinlay brand), flew to New Zealand to see the extraordinary find. Under permit from the New Zealand Government, he transported three bottles to Scotland on his private jet for scientific analysis by Whyte & Mackay and The Scotch Whisky Research Institute.

In a unique opportunity for the whisky world, the bottles were subjected to sensory and chemical analysis to establish the flavour and composition of a product manufactured a century earlier. In April 2011, Whyte & Mackay’s master blender, Richard Paterson, successfully recreated an exact replica of the century-old whisky and Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky was born.

Artefact Programme Manager Lizzie Meek working on the straw bottle covers at Canterbury MuseumAntarctic Heritage Trust

Artefact Programme Manager Lizzie Meek working on the straw bottle covers at Canterbury Museum


Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky Antarctic Heritage Trust

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky

The whisky proved so popular that in late 2012, a second edition, ‘The Journey’, was released. Both editions have resulted in a substantial donation to the Trust’s conservation work in Antarctica.

The National Geographic Channel’s Expedition Whisky documentary and author Neville Peat’s excellent book, Shackleton’s Whisky, have both recorded the whisky’s journey from obscurity to world-wide attention. Meanwhile, whisky lovers the world over are enjoying the replica whisky. They are in good company. The whisky has been gifted to, and by, heads of state and royalty.

In January 2013, the Shackleton whisky story came full circle with New Zealand Prime Minister the Rt Hon. John Key repatriating the three bottles of original whisky to the Trust’s staff in Antarctica. The final stage in a remarkable journey for the world’s best aged and travelled whisky was the return of the original crates to Ernest Shackleton’s 1908 base at Cape Royds.

Shackleton’s Nimrod hut sits on an ice-free area of rock at Cape Royds, next to Pony Lake.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Shackleton’s Nimrod hut sits on an ice-free area of rock at Cape Royds, next to Pony Lake.

https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/whisky-crate56a171d19008b9.64806087-1500x.jpg 1125 1500 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2010-01-31 01:41:082019-05-29 01:03:59Shackleton’s Whisky

Century-old Fruitcake

August 10, 2017 - Borchgrevink's Hut, Famous Discoveries, Media Releases, News Story

Antarctic Heritage Trust conservators found a 100 year old fruit cake among the artefacts from Cape Adare.

Made by Huntley & Palmers, the fruit cake is still wrapped in paper and encased in the remains of a tin-plated iron alloy tin. The cake probably dates to the Cape Adare-based Northern Party of Scott’s Terra Nova expedition (1910 – 1913) as it has been documented that Scott took this particular brand of cake with him at that time. Although the tin was in poor condition, the cake itself looked and smelt (almost) edible.

Fruit cake after conservation treatment.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Fruit cake after conservation treatment.

Conservation treatment involved rust removal, chemical stabilisation and coating of the tin remnants. Deacidification of the tin label and some physical repair to the torn paper wrapper and tin label was also carried out. The cake itself was in excellent condition. Programme Manager-Artefacts Lizzie Meek said “With just two weeks to go on the conservation of the Cape Adare artefacts, finding such a perfectly preserved fruitcake in amongst the last handful of unidentified and severely corroded tins was quite a surprise. It’s an ideal high-energy food for Antarctic conditions, and is still a favourite item on modern trips to the Ice.”

Huntley and Palmer's fruit cake in wrapper.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Huntley and Palmer’s fruit cake in wrapper.

Fruit cake found at Cape Adare thought to be from Scott's Northern Party (1911).Antarctic Heritage Trust

Fruit cake found at Cape Adare thought to be from Scott’s Northern Party (1911).

Since May 2016, a team of four conservators have been working in the Canterbury Museum lab on the conservation of Antarctic artefacts from Cape Adare. The team recently finished the large project in July this year, conserving almost 1500 artefacts. The Trust is now planning to begin the conservation work on the buildings at Cape Adare. The huts were built by Norwegian Carsten Borchgrevink’s expedition in 1899 and later used by Captain Scott’s party in 1911. The buildings were the first in Antarctica and are the only examples left of humanity’s first building on any continent. The permit the Trust was granted to collect the artefacts stipulates that all of the items must be returned to the site following conservation, in accordance with the site’s status as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA). This will happen once the huts themselves have been restored. The Trust is very grateful for the support it receives from its funders, Norwegian Government, Canterbury Museum for its facilities and logistical support from Antarctica New Zealand to get the artefacts out of and back to Cape Adare. Check out the Huntley and Palmers online archive.

https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fruit-cake598a4de2408c68.28255362-1500x.jpg 1000 1500 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2017-08-10 23:01:242021-09-13 15:30:45Century-old Fruitcake

Dr Edward Wilson Watercolour

June 12, 2017 - Borchgrevink's Hut, Famous Discoveries, Media Releases, News Story

 

New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust has discovered an almost perfectly preserved 118 year old watercolour painting among penguin-excrement, dust and mould covered papers found in an historic hut at Cape Adare, Antarctica.

 

Canterbury Museum

The water colour was painted by Dr Edward Wilson who died with Captain Robert Falcon Scott and three others on their return from the South Pole in 1912.

 

Dr Edward WilsonCanterbury Museum

Dr Edward Wilson

“I opened it and there was this gorgeous painting… I got such a fright that I jumped and shut the portfolio again. I then took the painting out and couldn’t stop looking at it – the colours, the vibrancy, it is such a beautiful piece of work. I couldn’t believe it was there.” The painting is labelled ‘1899 Tree Creeper’ and has the initial ‘T’ on it. It depicts a Tree Creeper bird specimen. The discovery was made in September 2016, but has been kept confidential until now to enable the team to focus on restoring all of the 1,500 artefacts from Cape Adare.

 

Antarctic Heritage Trust

 

Antarctic Heritage Trust

The Trust’s Programme Manager – Artefact Conservation, Lizzie Meek says it wasn’t immediately clear who the artist was given that two expeditions had based themselves at Cape Adare. “The Cape Adare huts were built by Norwegian Carsten Borchgrevink’s expedition in 1899 and later used by Captain Scott’s party in 1911. We knew the artist was likely to be among the men on those expeditions,” says Lizzie.

 

Borchgrevink’s hut at Cape Adare is built amongst a colony of over 400,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Borchgrevink’s hut at Cape Adare is built amongst a colony of over 400,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins.

As the Trust was working to identify the artist, Josefin attended a lecture at Canterbury University on Dr Wilson. “The presenter showed some of Dr Wilson’s artwork… as soon as I saw his distinctive handwriting, I knew he had painted the Tree Creeper. This made sense as there was also a 1911 newspaper article from the Lyttelton Times in the papers and Scott’s party went to Antarctica via New Zealand.”

 

Antarctic Heritage Trust

Lizzie Meek says Dr Wilson was a remarkable man. “He was not only a talented painter, but a scientist and a medical doctor who was an integral member of both of Scott’s expeditions to the Ice.” Josefin is not surprised the painting survived in such excellent condition. “Water colour paintings are particularly susceptible to light so the fact this work has spent more than a hundred years tightly packed between other sheets of paper in completely dark and cold conditions is actually an ideal way to store it.” Lizzie Meek says how the painting came to be in the hut is still something of a mystery. “It’s likely that Wilson painted it while he was recovering from tuberculosis in Europe. Clearly, he could have taken the painting to Antarctica on either of Scott’s expeditions but we think it’s more likely the artwork travelled with him in 1911, and somehow made its way from Cape Evans to Cape Adare.”

 

Antarctic Heritage Trust

The permit the Trust was granted to collect the artefacts stipulates that all of the items must be returned to the site following conservation, in accordance with the site’s status as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA). This will happen once the huts themselves have been restored. The Trust’s General Manager Operations and Communications, Francesca Eathorne says finding the painting is a poignant reminder of the inspiring legacy the early polar explorers left behind. “More than a century later we are still sharing stories about those expeditions. We’ve been able to create a high quality facsimile of the painting so we are now looking forward to sharing it with the rest of the world. We are in no doubt this will attract global interest – particularly from our friends in the UK.” Visit Cheltenham’s art gallery and museum The Wilson: www.cheltenhammuseum.org.uk

https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/the-water-colour-pai593efc0c14ec73.21611806-785x.jpg 593 785 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2017-06-12 23:43:152019-06-11 23:30:42Dr Edward Wilson Watercolour

Ross Sea Party Photos

January 15, 2016 - Famous Discoveries, Scott's Hut, Cape Evans

Our conservation specialists, working in expedition photographer Herbert Ponting’s darkroom at Scott’s Cape Evans base, discovered a small box of cellulose nitrate negatives clumped together.

The photographs are from Ernest Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party (1914-1917), which spent time living in Scott’s hut after being stranded on Ross Island when their ship blew out to sea. Their role was to lay vital depots for Shackleton’s expedition.

The negatives were removed from Antarctica to undergo detailed conservation treatment back in New Zealand, where the negatives were painstakingly separated to reveal 22 never-before-seen Antarctic images.Antarctic Heritage Trust

The negatives were removed from Antarctica to undergo detailed conservation treatment back in New Zealand, where the negatives were painstakingly separated to reveal 22 never-before-seen Antarctic images.

Iceberg and land, Ross Island. Antarctic Heritage Trust

Iceberg and land, Ross Island.

Although many of the images were damaged, our conservators were able to recognise landmarks around McMurdo Sound. While the identity of the photographer remains unknown, it is thought to be expedition photographer, the Reverend Arnold Spencer-Smith.

Alexander Stevens, chief scientist and geologist on-board the Aurora.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Alexander Stevens, chief scientist and geologist on-board the Aurora.

Looking south along Hut Point Peninsula to Ross Island.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Looking south along Hut Point Peninsula to Ross Island.

 

Ross Island, Antarctica. Alexander Stevens, chief scientist and geologist looks south. Hut Point Peninsula in the backgroundAntarctic Heritage Trust

Ross Island, Antarctica. Alexander Stevens, chief scientist and geologist looks south. Hut Point Peninsula in the background

Tent Island, McMurdo Sound.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Tent Island, McMurdo Sound.

Big Razorback Island, McMurdo Sound.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Big Razorback Island, McMurdo Sound.

Mount Erebus, Ross Island, from the west.Mount Erebus, Ross Island, from the west.

Mount Erebus, Ross Island, from the west.

 

Sea ice afloat, McMurdo Sound.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Sea ice afloat, McMurdo Sound.

https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ross-sea-party-exami569ec437cde598.99236413-1500x.jpg 1125 1500 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2016-01-15 22:05:352019-06-11 23:37:58Ross Sea Party Photos

Levick’s Notebook

October 23, 2014 - Famous Discoveries, Scott's Hut, Cape Evans

Our conservators discovered a photographer’s notebook left behind a century ago at Captain Scott’s last expedition base, Cape Evans.

Read more
https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/levick-notebook-spla569ee6bb31e8d4.69894033-1500x.jpg 997 1500 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2014-10-23 21:43:422019-06-20 10:47:35Levick’s Notebook

Shackleton’s 111-year-old Beer Barrel

January 11, 2019 - Famous Discoveries, Media Releases, News Story, Shackleton's Hut

Antarctic Heritage Trust has returned a carefully reconstructed beer barrel to the Antarctic hut that was home to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s historic ‘Nimrod’ expedition in 1908.

Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds is also where the Trust found three crates of Mackinlay’s whisky encased in ice; a discovery that attracted global attention.

Credit: Kinsey, Joseph James (Sir), 1852-1936. Photographs relating to Antarctica and mountaineering. Ref: PA1-o-464-17. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica 1907-1909

The barrel of beer was originally donated to Shackleton by New Zealand brewer Speight’s in 1907.  Its iron hoops and staves were pulled out of Pony Lake, alongside the Cape Royds hut, by caretakers in the 1970s.

Credit: Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, with permission

A sledge party from the Nimrod Expeditition team unload beer from the ship to the hut

The Trust’s Programme Manager-Artefacts Lizzie Meek says the barrel pieces were left near the hut and remained there, embedded in ice, for decades.When the Trust started major conservation work at the site in 2005, the staves and hoops were leaned up against an area adjacent to the latrine and the pony stables.“The Trust spent four years conserving the hut, finishing in 2008. During that project, we saw some of the staves half buried in the ice and put a plan in place to excavate and conserve them.

Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica.

“It took some time but we managed to get them back to New Zealand in 2016. One of the staves has a bunghole and is engraved with the words ‘Speight’s’ and ‘Dunedin’ so we knew it was a beer barrel from the brewery.”

The barrel bunghole on one of the recovered staves is engraved with the words ‘Speight’s’ and ‘Dunedin’.Antarctic Heritage Trust

The barrel bunghole on one of the recovered staves is engraved with the words ‘Speight’s’ and ‘Dunedin’.

Once in New Zealand, the barrel underwent a detailed examination by the Trust’s conservators in a laboratory at Canterbury Museum. “The iron hoops were too badly corroded to be used to reconstruct the barrel but many of the staves were in suitable condition,” says Lizzie Meek. AHT then connected with one of New Zealand’s only practising coopers, Jurgen Voigtlander, and worked with him to re-build the Speight’s barrel. The Trust was grateful to Speight’s Dunedin for supplying some staves for the reconstruction of the barrel.

Great Scott PR

One of New Zealand’s only practising coopers, Jurgen Voigtlander, re-built the Speight’s barrel

“Jurgen established a repair strategy after a lot of research and trial assembly. It wasn’t an easy job given that, over the years, the original staves had lost some of their curvature and were heavily eroded. But Jurgen painstakingly rebuilt the barrel, using traditional techniques, the original staves, new iron and some new wooden elements. We were delighted with the result.”AHT paid for the conservation of the barrel and it was taken back to site with logistics support from Antarctica New Zealand.

The Speight's barrel was carefully positioned outside Shackleton's hut by the Trust's conservation team.Antarctic Heritage Trust

The Speight’s barrel was carefully positioned outside Shackleton’s hut by the Trust’s conservation team.

The Cape Royds hut sits in an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) which means permits are required to remove anything from the area and anything temporarily removed has to be returned.

Returning the barrel to Antarctica

Transporting the barrel back to its home at Cape Royds held a few challenges. Logistics between Christchurch and Antarctica are operated by the United States and New Zealand Antarctic Programmes. The first stage of the journey was packing it for transit from Christchurch to Phoenix runway in McMurdo Sound on board an American C-17. A large Antarctic storm cycle caused a 2-week delay to the start of the summer on-ice season, preventing aircraft from landing and causing the Trust some anxiety, as staff and cargo were waiting in Christchurch. However, the system caught up and both barrel and staff arrived in Antarctica in time for the next stage of the journey. Once at Scott Base, the barrel was gradually exposed to lower temperatures, eventually being stored (wrapped) outside at ambient temperatures of around -15 degrees C. The distance between Scott Base and Cape Royds is a little under 40km, and the terrain is a mix of the lower slopes of the active volcano Mt Erebus, and frozen sea ice. The barrel was transported to a ridgeline near Shackleton’s historic hut using a container slung underneath a Southern Lakes helicopter. From the top of the ridge, the AHT team transferred the barrel to a polypropylene sled and towed it down the hill to its final resting place outside Shackleton’s Nimrod hut.

Mike Gillies

Shackleton’s Nimrod Hut, Cape Royds

This area and adjacent areas were used by Shackleton’s expedition to stage/store all sorts of equipment, food cases and barrels. There was a constant ebb and flow of different items. The barrel is too large to fit comfortably inside the hut, and like the stores boxes also found outside the hut, forms part of the story of the enormous quantity of supplies needed for an over-wintering party of 15 men, as well as dogs, ponies and a motor car.

The Speight's barrel is now in position outside Shackleton's Hut.Antarctic Heritage Trust

The Speight’s barrel is now in position outside Shackleton’s Hut.

Trust Executive Director Nigel Watson says it was a poignant moment to see the barrel be returned there.“Just as when we returned Shackleton’s whisky to the ice, there was some celebration at the barrel’s return. Conserving Antarctic artefacts is an incredibly meticulous process so it’s always satisfying to see them put back with a new lease on life that will see them survive for generations to come,” concludes Nigel.

What happened to the beer?

Beer will freeze if left outside on all but the warmest of Antarctic summer days, and in fact the beer may even have been consumed during a special occasion on the ship (SS Nimrod) and the barrel re-purposed for another use. We have not yet found a record that detailed, but some records indicate that the tragic accident where Captain Aeneas Mackintosh lost an eye, was caused when a hook carrying up a barrel of beer from the Nimrod’s hold, sprang loose and hit him in the head.

Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica.Antarctic Heritage Trust

Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica.

The barrel location provides shelter from the two prevailing winds at the site (north and south winds), which lowers the damage caused by wind and ice erosion, and protects the barrel from being moved by the stronger gusts during storms.Part of the work the Trust carries out on an annual basis is snow removal, monitoring and maintenance of all aspects of the building and artefact collection. Over the next few years we will be checking the barrel on each visit, and will keep an eye on its condition.

The interior of Shackleton's Hut.Antarctic Heritage Trust

The interior of Shackleton’s Hut.

https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/shackletons-hut-at-c5c366cb31a61e4.69025838-600x600.jpg 600 600 Comms https://nzaht.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/logo-dark.png Comms2019-01-11 00:08:092020-04-06 22:18:27Shackleton’s 111-year-old Beer Barrel

Latest Inspiring Explorers Updates

  • Ihlara, Sadra and Laurette exploringFirst Day in AntarcticaMarch 13, 2020 - 2:42 pm
  • Take a Musical Trip to AntarcticaApril 28, 2021 - 2:52 pm
  • A'aifou PotenamiSharing Stories to InspireSeptember 7, 2020 - 12:03 am
  • COVID-19 UpdateMarch 20, 2020 - 1:11 pm
  • Inspiring Explorers Anzac and LauretteAn Alien EnvironmentMarch 25, 2020 - 8:23 pm

Instagram

antarcticheritage

Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time Matariki signals the Māori New Year. It is a time of renewal and celebration in New Zealand that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster during mid-winter. �Closely connected with the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster brings the past year to a close. �Matariki is a time for �remembrance, �celebrating the present and looking to the future.

To celebrate Matariki, Christchurch’s Cathedral Square and surrounding areas will be transformed with a series of innovative lighting installations, projections and illuminated artworks as part of the Tīrama Mai festival. Tīrama Mai, meaning to illuminate or bring light, celebrates our people and our unique local landscape, so make sure you come and check it out!

Antarctic Heritage Trust are contributing to the Antarctic Explorer Zone at the Tīrama Mai Festival. The festival starts today in Christchurch, and runs until 3 July 2022, 5 pm to 11pm.

Tīrama Mai is proudly produced by @christchurchcc
#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica
61 years ago #OnThisDay the Antarctic Treaty enter 61 years ago #OnThisDay the Antarctic Treaty entered into force. �

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve countries whose scientists had worked in Antarctica as part of the International Geophysical Year 1957-58. It entered into force two years later in 1961. The total number of Parties to the Treaty is now 54. ��

Since the Treaty came into force it has been recognised as one of the most successful international agreements. The Treaty ensures �that �Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only�, with continued freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation as well as the communication of scientific observations and results from Antarctica.

�📸 Flag of Antarctic Treaty
#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica #antarctictreaty
Inspiring Explorers™ on TV! Antarctic Heritage t Inspiring Explorers™ on TV!
Antarctic Heritage trust has collaborated with Greenstone TV on a new children’s television series, The Explorer Club. The series introduces iconic New Zealand explorers to kids through hands-on adventures of their own.

Episodes 5 to 7 feature the Trust’s Young Inspiring Explorers™ on our 2021 Worsley Weekend.

“It’s important to step outside your comfort zone to push yourself, learn new things about yourself, and develop qualities that you didn’t know you had. What I like about exploring is how good it makes you feel when you achieve something or get somewhere.” – Young Inspiring Explorer™ Keira

Episode 5, ‘High Seas’, follows Young Inspiring Explorers™ Oscar, Quinn, James and Addie as they learn about the adventures of epic Antarctic explorer Frank Worsley in Akaroa, in the South Island of New Zealand. Episode 6, ‘Lost & Found’ features the Trust’s own General Manager Commercial and Partnerships, Marcus Waters, supporting the team with their map skills to become expert navigators like Frank Worsley. Episode 7, ‘Sink or Swim’ sees the team try their hands at building rafts from scratch to tackle the mighty Akaroa Harbour.

The series premiered on 18 April 2022 on HEIHEI channel, which is available to New Zealand audiences on TVNZ’s on-demand platform, tvnz.co.nz. The series has been produced thanks to the support of New Zealand on Air.

Learn more about the Young Inspiring Explorers™ Worsley Weekend 2021 by visiting our website; link in bio.
#inspire #explore #Antarctica #discover
Happy mid-winter! Today we are looking forward to Happy mid-winter! Today we are looking forward to celebrating mid-winter (online!) with our team in #Antarctica who are wintering over with the @antarctica.nz  Scott Base crew. Our team of four conservators are working on a special artefact project over the winter months. Read more about their fascinating work on the Antarctic blog. Link in bio.
Photo: Jane Hamill
�Antarctic Heritage Trust are contributing to th �Antarctic Heritage Trust are contributing to the Antarctic Explorer Zone at the Tīrama Mai Festival in Christchurch, �running from 24 June to 3 July 2022, �5 pm to 11pm.

Tīrama Mai, meaning to illuminate or bring light, celebrates Matariki, our people and our unique local landscape.

Christchurch’s Cathedral Square and surrounding areas will be transformed with a series of innovative lighting installations, projections and illuminated artworks created by some of Canterbury's best lighting artists and creative minds.

Tīrama Mai is proudly produced by Christchurch City Council. More information can be found in the What's On section of the council's website, www.ccc.govt.nz
If you are in Christchurch, come on down and check it out!

��#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica
#OnThisDay in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared aft #OnThisDay in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared after leaving Tromso, Norway while flying a rescue mission in the Arctic.
��Amundsen joined �Norwegian pilot Leif Dietrichson, French pilot René Guilbaud, and three other men in the search for ���Nobile and his crew �after their airship 'Italia' had crashed while returning from the North Pole. The French Latham 47 prototype seaplane boarded by Amundsen and used to look for Nobile was thought to have crashed. �One of the seaplane’s floats and other debris were later recovered however, Amundsen’s remains, and those of the men, were not. Nobile and seven companions were rescued weeks later, but eight of his crew were lost.
�📸 Roald Amundsen, Public Domain
�#OTD #inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica
In the latest issue of the 'Explorer' for June 202 In the latest issue of the 'Explorer' for June 2022 the Trust highlights the latest Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ - �In the Footsteps of Hillary.

For this expedition, Antarctic Heritage Trust partnered with Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Otara to offer students the chance to walk in the footsteps of their school’s namesake by climbing Mount Ollivier, one of the first peaks Sir Edmund Hillary climbed, in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, Aotearoa New Zealand. �Sir Edmund Hillary described climbing Mount Ollivier as, “My happiest day I have ever spent…my new enthusiasm for the mountains went home with me and gave me little rest.” This was a sentiment echoed by Inspiring Explorers Sarah Magele, Jaylee Savage, and A’aifou Potemani after achieving the same feat.

�Read all about the expedition on our website; link in bio.

�📸 Inspiring Explorers Jaylee Savage and A'aifou Potemani near the Summit of Mt Ollivier. Inspiring Explorers and expedition guide Lydia Brady at the summit. AHT
�#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica #TheExplorer��
Much has been written about the fate of the ponies Much has been written about the fate of the ponies during Scott’s 'Terra Nova' expedition. Scott talked at length in his journals about the ponies’ ability, or lack thereof, to walk across land covered in soft snow, and it was obvious he felt frustrated and distressed by the hardship the ponies suffered.

While our winter on-ice conservation team have been working to conserve artefacts from Scott’s Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans, it was interesting to see that there are slight differences in the design of the snowshoes. Check out our latest conservator blog to read more about the pony snowshoes from Scott's British Antarctic 'Terra Nova' expedition 1910-13.

Read the blog on our website; link in bio.

�📸� Original English-made pony snowshoes.� New Zealand-made mule snowshoes. �Belinda Hager/ �Shannah Rhynard-Geil/ AHT
�#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #Antarctica
A dog hospital, food stores and a ship’s anchor A dog hospital, food stores and a ship’s anchor – these are historic Antarctic artefacts left behind from expeditions of the heroic age and now revealed in 2022. 

A collection of items has been made visible to the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s conservation team this season due to a season of low winter snow accumulation and high snowmelt. Mutton carcasses, the ship 'Aurora’s' second anchor (still with the shackles attached) and a scientific measuring device were among the items revealed.

The items are located around Scott’s Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans - the iconic base associated with Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s British Antarctic Expedition (1910–1913) and his ill-fated expediton to the Geographic South Pole. 

Antarctic Heritage Trust lead conservator Jane Hamill says these sightings are really important, as the objects either weren’t recorded or had only rarely been seen over the last 105 years. 

“These items tell us a lot about the activities that went on in and around the explorers’ hut. As a conservator, these are the finds that excite us and reinforce why we do what we do,” says Jane. 

Footage courtesy of Anthony Powell/Antarctica New Zealand
#inspire #explore #discover #conserve #antarctica
Load More Photos Follow Me

Facebook

  • About Antarctic Heritage Trust
  • Our People
  • Latest News
  • Contact Us
DONATE JOIN

Stay in touch

Subscribe to our quarterly Antarctic Heritage Trust newsletter

SIGN UP
© Copyright 2020, Antarctic Heritage Trust - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy - Registered Charity: CC24071
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Vimeo
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Mail
Scroll to top
Stay in touch!

Subscribe to our quarterly Antarctic Heritage Trust newsletter.

    NZAHT ExteriorSledging team outside Terra Nova hut, Herbert Ponting
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior
    NZAHT Exterior

    Adding gallery of images through Add Media

    NZAHT ExteriorAntarctic Heritage Trust

    knsdvknd

    NZAHT ExteriorAntarctic Heritage Trust

    asdvjbdjbv

    NZAHT ExteriorAntarctic Heritage Trust

    dsvdv

    NZAHT ExteriorAntarctic Heritage Trust
    NZAHT ExteriorAlasdair Turner