Hundreds of icebergs are spread over a large area around Macquarie Island drifting towards New Zealand.

They have calved from a larger iceberg that was perhaps 30 square kilometres in area and originated from the Ross Ice Shelf nearly a decade ago.

On its journey to near Macquarie Island, that larger iceberg has drifted about a quarter of the way around the Antarctic coastline from where it formed, to the West Ice Shelf.

The first sightings were made by expeditioners on Macquarie Island nearly three weeks ago.

The icebergs vary in size from 50 metres up to two kilometres in length.

The Australian Antarctic Division is tracking their paths as they head north and east.