Australia’s new Antarctic Station Leaders are preparing to go south to take up their positions on the icy continent and Macquarie Island for 2012–13.

Allan Cooney will be the Casey Station Leader for 2013. Allan has a broad range of experience as a farmer, artist, General Manager, Executive Director, CEO, Project Manager and Company Director across government, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Over the summer period, Bill De Bruyn will return to Davis station where he was Leader in the 2008–09 season.  Bill is a Police Superintendent with over 40 years of operational service in Victoria Police.

Jason Ahrens will take over from Bill as the winter Station Leader at Davis.  Jason is a builder by trade and has been south on two previous occasion. The first was in 2007 to Davis as a Deputy Station Leader, Building Services Supervisor and Plumber. The second trip was to Macquarie Island as the Station Leader in 2009/10.

The Macquarie Island Station Leader for 2013 will be Mark Gasson. Mark has previously worked as a Philosophy lecturer, Blacksmith, Rescue Boat Captain and Power Boat Instructor. He is also CEO of a not-for-profit organisation that provides assistance to disadvantaged young people.

Graham Cook will return to Mawson as Station Leader after previously working as the Station Leader at Mawson in 2005, Davis in 2007, Casey in 2009 and Davis again in 2011. Graham has previously worked as Operations Manager at various hotels and resorts, and has run a number of Aboriginal community stores and enterprise developments in remote regions of Australia.

Hear more from the new Station Leaders in the video below. Graham Cook is yet to arrive at the Australian Antarctic Division’s headquarters for training, so check back to hear from Graham early next year.

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