Borchgrevink’s Hut
CAPE ADARE
The Conservation Plan for Borchgrevink’s Hut at Cape Adare, developed as part of the Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project, can be purchased by emailing info@nzaht.org
History of Expedition
1898 – 1900
British Antarctic (Southern Cross) Expedition, Cape Adare, Northern Victoria Land.
Borchgrevink’s party of 10 men was funded by magazine magnate Sir George Newnes. The expedition was scientific in nature with the aim of studying wildlife, completing meteorological and magnetic observations, and exploring the continent’s interior. Many of the expedition’s scientific records were lost but they did achieve some ‘firsts’: first to erect a building on the continent, winter over, and use dogs, sledges and skis for travel over land and sea ice. Expedition members Bernacchi and Colbeck produced a detailed map of the area that was used by later expeditions.
HUT LAYOUT
Carsten Borchgrevink’s expedition erected two huts, the living hut and the stores hut. Both measured just 5.5×6.5 metres each – a very small space for 10 men to live in for a year.
The third hut, built by the Northern Party, was a small hut modelled on the same pattern as the larger hut at Cape Evans. This hut has not withstood the high winds at Cape Adare and, with the exception of the cold porch, has collapsed leaving little more than the main frames of the end walls.
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Gallery
The scientific staff on the ship before sailing south from Australia
© Canterbury Museum - credit: Norsk Polar Institute
The expedition members pictured just before spending the first winter on the Antarctic continent, 1899.
© Canterbury Museum - credit: Canterbury Museum
Borchgrevink’s Hut, Cape Adare
© Antarctic Heritage Trust - credit: Antarctic Heritage Trust
William Colbeck
© Canterbury Museum
Borchgrevink’s hut at Cape Adare is built amongst a colony of over 400,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins.
© Antarctic Heritage Trust - credit: Antarctic Heritage Trust
The huts as photographed on the arrival of the Scott’s Discovery expedition at Cape Adare in 1902.
© Canterbury Museum - credit: Canterbury Museum
Borchgrevink (facing camera) playing chess with Klofstad.
© Scott Polar Research Institute - credit: Scott Polar Research Institute
While in the pack ice they took the chance to exercise the dogs. ca 1899
© Canterbury Museum - credit: Canterbury Museum