tiabunna's photos

"Rachel" was the name given to the ancient (WW2 vintage) AA3 Mk VII anti-aircraft radar that had been used to track weather balloons at Macquarie Island since (I think) 1953. She lived in a small hut, to give some weather protection, with a radome above. One of our first tasks was to dismantle the hut and decommission her, to be replaced with a new WF2 radar.

Our new WF2 balloon tracking radar in its red radome shows up well in this photo, taken about February in 1968. The "Nella Dan" was stranded on the rocks adjacent to the radar in December 1987 and scuttled offshore on Christmas Eve of that year. You can find some excellent photos of the stranding by entering "Nella Dan Macquarie Island" in the Flickr search box.

Taken during the annual changeover of expeditions. Looking across the main part of the station down the isthmus toward the main part of the island. In the foreground, the surgery is being extended, while in the distance on the left, a DUKW is unloading meteorological stores.

Looking past the radio shack (yellow) and meteorology office area, with some of the many aerial masts. In those days Macquarie was not a Tasmanian National Park, so that's smoke from burning rubbish in the distance. No fires allowed now! The weather here is more typical than in most of my photos.

Taken during changeover of annual expedition parties, looking past the Nissen Huts used for storage and down the isthmus past the radio and meteorology offices, with the main part of the island beyond.

Taken during station changeover (see DUKW unloading in background), December 1967. Elephant seals in the foreground.

First send someone in front to get the seals out of the way! From an old Kodachrome slide.

Landing at Macquarie Island, December 1967. From an old Kodachrome slide.

From an old slide, going ashore by DUKW from the "Nella Dan" at Macquarie Island, December 1967