The Australian Antarctic Division joins the rest of Australia in celebrating Heritage Week in 2011.
The week runs from 14–20 April, and also incorporates the International Council on Monuments and Sites’ International Day on 18 April.
The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) conserves and manages cultural heritage in Antarctica and the subantarctic, including the World Heritage listed Macquarie Island and Heard and McDonald Islands.
Each of Australia’s current and past Antarctic and subantarctic stations have important heritage sites and buildings, many of which are listed on the Register of the National Estate.
The AAD also manages heritage from Australia’s first expedition to Antarctica: the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, led by Douglas Mawson.
The Mawson’s Huts buildings are on the Register of the National Estate, the National Heritage List, the Commonwealth Heritage List and the Antarctic Treaty list of historic monuments.
Expeditions to the huts, organised by the Mawson’s Huts Foundation and the AAD, undertake conservation work to preserve the huts and the artefacts inside.
Celebrations are planned for the coming centenary of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Visit the AAE centenary website for further information.