https://www.antarctica.gov.au Cool Australian Antarctic Division news about scientific research, stations (bases), expeditioners, wildlife, ships, the environment and jobs in Antarctica. en-au Copyright 2026, Commonwealth of Australia Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:11:10 +1100 60 Antarctic navigator and mariner, Captain John King Davis, has had a memorial stone and plaque added to his grave at the Melbourne General Cemetery. Despite his contributions to Antarctic exploration, Captain Davis's grave has been unmarked since his death in 1967. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/memorial-stone-plaque-placed-at-captain-john-king-daviss-grave/ Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/memorial-stone-plaque-placed-at-captain-john-king-daviss-grave/ Antarctic scientists have trialed a DNA ‘barcoding’ technique that could improve biosecurity measures that help protect polar ecosystems from invasive marine species. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/edna-surveys-could-improve-marine-biosecurity/ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:09:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/edna-surveys-could-improve-marine-biosecurity/ The second season of drilling for the Million Year Ice Core project has finished. Scientists retrieved ice cores from 400 metres, containing a climate history of the past 13,100 years. Science Lead, Dr Joel Pedro, and Traverse Leader Damien Beloin, talk about the season's achievements. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/ice-age-drillers/ Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/ice-age-drillers/ Heard Island expeditioners are on their way home. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/rsv-nuyina-heads-for-home-from-heard-island/ Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/rsv-nuyina-heads-for-home-from-heard-island/ This week at Heard Island, project teams installed an autonomous weather station and flew 'beyond visual line of sight' (BVLOS) drone flights over McDonald Island. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/australian-antarctic-program-puts-eyes-in-the-sky-over-mcdonald-islands-on-v2/ Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/australian-antarctic-program-puts-eyes-in-the-sky-over-mcdonald-islands-on-v2/ This year we're celebrating 50 years of women's participation in the Australian Antarctic Program. Learn more about the challenges and rewards they faced in our feature ‘Ice breakers – 50 years of women in Antarctica’. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/ice-breakers-celebrating-50-years-of-women-in-antarctica/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/ice-breakers-celebrating-50-years-of-women-in-antarctica/ Scientists working with the Australian Antarctic Program have returned to the remote and spectacular Heard Island and McDonald Islands for the second time this season. Project groups will spend the rest of the month working from camps on the island and from the ship, investigating marine and terrestrial life, mapping the sea floor and removing marine debris and other detritus from the Heard Island coast. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/scientists-look-for-life-and-litter-on-second-voyage-to-world-heritage-listed-island/ Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/scientists-look-for-life-and-litter-on-second-voyage-to-world-heritage-listed-island/ The Australian Antarctic Division’s bespoke ice core drill, designed to drill ice more than 3000 metres deep and over one million years old, has collected its first ice core. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/australias-deep-drill-cuts-its-first-antarctic-ice-core/ Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2026/australias-deep-drill-cuts-its-first-antarctic-ice-core/ Knowing whether a seabird species is present or absent from a site is critical for population and biodiversity studies, detecting change in species’ distributions, and prioritizing sites for protection. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2025/to-see-or-not-to-see-distinguishing-absence-from-ignorance-to-improve-seabird-conservation/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2025/to-see-or-not-to-see-distinguishing-absence-from-ignorance-to-improve-seabird-conservation/ RSV Nuyina is heading to the magnificent Heard Island and McDonald Islands for the second time this year, this spending 25 days investigating the World Heritage-listed islands' flora, fauna and historic structures. The science and environmental management visit will follow the resupply of Casey research station. https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2025/australian-antarctic-program-heads-to-heard-island-and-mcdonald-islands-again-on-v2/ Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +1100 https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2025/australian-antarctic-program-heads-to-heard-island-and-mcdonald-islands-again-on-v2/