Australia’s new Antarctic Station Leaders have recently headed south to take up their positions on the icy continent and Macquarie Island for 2014–15.

Ali Dean will be the Casey Station Leader for 2014. She has previously worked at Davis in 2010 and 2012. Prior to joining the Australian Antarctic Division Ali worked for the British Antarctic Survey as a geologist and then as a Base Commander at King Edward Point and Bird Island on South Georgia (2005, 2006 2007) and at Rothera on the Antarctic Peninsula (2008). Ali has also worked for the Northern Territory Geological Survey as a geologist in the Australian outback. She lives in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Ivor Harris is the Macquarie Island Station Leader for 2013. Ivor has been a Station Leader at Casey (2003) and Mawson (2006) and at Macquarie Island for the summer of 2010–11. He has worked as a veterinarian, laboratory animal scientist, microbiologist, TAFE teacher and Army officer. Ivor is currently a scientific manager with the Australian Army Malaria Institute in Queensland where he has coordinated major malaria surveys and elimination programs in countries including East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

Narelle Campbell will lead Davis Station in 2014. Narelle was the Station Leader at Mawson in 2008, Casey in 2010 and Macquarie Island in 2012. She has 23 years experience in print media, covering logistics, sales and marketing in senior management roles. Narelle has degrees in social science and counselling and has worked as a volunteer for Missionbeat in Sydney, providing support to homeless people. Narelle is a keen traveller and has walked the Kokoda Track and completed high altitude climbs in Nepal, India, Africa and Chile.

Steve Robertson will spend his first winter in Antarctica as Mawson Station Leader. He has 20 years experience working with Victoria Police and is currently a sergeant. Steve has worked in country and metropolitan police stations, as well as in proactive units working with disadvantaged youth, African communities and as a gay and lesbian liaison. More recently he has been conducting training in firearms and defensive tactics. He visited Macquarie Island on a resupply voyage earlier this year and experienced the ‘true essence’ of Antarctic adventure and working as a team. He is looking forward to seeing his first emperor penguin.

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