Special Visitors to Historic Huts
The Trust was delighted to host two sets of special guests this season in Antarctica. The Trust’s Patron-in-chief and Governor-General of New Zealand, Her Excellency Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, and His Excellency Dr Richard Davies met New Zealanders at Scott Base working on a range of environmental and conservation projects on the ice while being hosted by Antarctica New Zealand. During their visit, Their Excellencies had the opportunity to visit Scott’s and Shackleton’s huts and the TAE/IGY hut at Scott Base.
Her Excellency said, “I appreciate how much highly skilled and time-intensive work goes into conserving our important Antarctic heritage on the ice. I was pleased to visit these historic sites with the Trust’s expert team, who shared both the extraordinary history of the early polar explorers, and the Trust’s journey to preserve these precious windows into our past.”
Dame Cindy is the first Governor-General and Governor of the Ross Dependency to visit while in office since Dame Sylvia Cartwright in 2003.
The Trust was also pleased to host the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Hon Paul Goldsmith who joined the Trust’s Invited Visitor’s programme. As part of his trip, the Minister spent two days camping out with Executive Director Francesca Eathorne and Trust staff Lizzie Meek (Heritage Manager) and Shannah Rhynard-Geil (Artefacts Programme Co-ordinator) at Cape Evans – home to Scott’s Terra Nova hut.
The Minister also visited Cape Crozier to see the remains of the stone igloo left behind by early polar explorers Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Birdie Bowers and Dr Edward Wilson. The Trust conducted a heritage condition assessment on the igloo during the visit as it had been some years since they had the opportunity to do so. The site is protected under the Antarctic Treaty as an Historic Site and Monument (HSM 21).
Executive Director Francesca Eathorne said, “It was poignant to visit such a remote place that has been immortalized through the book The Worst Journey in the World. As there was only moderate snow cover at Cape Crozier, many of the remnants of their journey were visible, including bamboo poles and canvas and a wooden box.”
Minister Goldsmith shared “The huts of Shackleton and Scott remain as testaments to the spirit of adventurism and indomitable will shown by the explorers and scientists who lived in them. It’s sobering to see the beds of Scott, Oates and the others who were doomed to lose their lives in horrific circumstances. But the huts are also testament to the love and care shown by many heritage specialists who have dedicated themselves to preserving these remarkable pieces of history. They have triumphed.”
The Trust acknowledges Antarctica New Zealand for their support of the Invited Visitor’s programme.
