His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales today was briefed on Australia’s Antarctic science program and Tasmania’s role as the hub for major Antarctic research institutions.

The Prince and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall are in Tasmania as part of a week-long Australian leg of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour.

Scientists from the Australian Antarctic Division, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and CSIRO spoke about Australia’s current Antarctic and Southern Ocean climate research and ecosystems management.

The event included a series of displays on Ice and Climate, the Antarctic Blue Whale project, Sustainable Fisheries, the Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystems Experiment (SIPEX 2) and the Southern Ocean.

The Prince was met by Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water Senator The Hon Don Farrell and the Antarctic Division’s Director Dr Tony Fleming.

Briefing the Prince were the AAD’s Chief Scientist Dr Nick Gales along with other Division staff Dr Mike Double, Dr Victoria Wadley, Dr Andrew Constable, Dr Tas van Ommen, Dr Mark Curran. Other Antarctic institutions were represented by Dr Richard Coleman (IMAS), Dr Tessa Vance (ACE CRC), Andrew Wright (CCAMLR), Dr David Agnew (Marine Stewardship Council), Dr Steve Rintoul and Dr Susan Wijffels (CSIRO).