Away again, "Nella Dan" at Macquarie Island

Macquarie Island (back then)

Folder: Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
In 1968 I was fortunate to be among the ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions) expedition to Macquarie Island in the Sub-Antarctic as the Weather Observer-in-Charge. As I write this (July 2013) I have just returned from the 45th anniversary reunion of our group.

Times certainly have changed since 1968, not least in the remote southern regions. Our communications with the wo…  (read more)

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01 Dec 1967

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Away again, "Nella Dan" at Macquarie Island

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

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01 Dec 1967

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Going ashore by DUKW

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

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01 Dec 1967

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Landing at Macquarie Island by DUKW, 1967

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

01 Dec 1967

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Around Macquarie Island station, December 1967

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.

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01 Dec 1967

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Macquarie Island station during changeover, December 1967.

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.

01 Jan 1968

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ANARE Station at Macquarie Island, December 1967

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.

01 Jan 1968

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Macquarie Island station from North Head

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.

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19 Oct 1968

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Panorama of Macquarie Island, looking south from North Head, 1968

After several years of mixed intentions, I understand that there are now (2023) plans to rebuild the existing station. Panorama stitched from three film slides, looking south across the station and isthmus toward the main part of the island. (It is about 35km long and 5km wide). Partly because the old Kodachrome film was low ISO, most photos were taken on sunny "Kodachrome" days - sadly that is not representative of the usual weather. Macquarie has about 350 days yearly on which it rains (or drizzles), it is usually overcast, and often foggy. Strong winds, usually from the west, are almost constant. Best viewed large.

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01 Dec 1967

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The station and elephant seals, Macquarie Island

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