An emotional farewell as wintering expeditioners depart Casey station.

Out with the old and in with the new

Very mixed emotions this week at Casey, as the 68th ANARE expedition came to a close and the 69th began.

The first of the ‘68 Gang’ left on Sunday, with Doc and Grant bidding a teary farewell to their Antarctic mates, who’d shared the winter of 2015 with them on a tiny speck of land on the edge of the Antarctic continent.

A few days after, the remaining winterers (Jeff H, Jeff R, Scotty, Benny, Col, Chris, Neil, Gordon, Zach and Rob) who were due to depart, followed the melancholy track up the hill, over the plateau and on to Wilkins to catch the plane back to ‘the real world'.

A handful of hardy souls from the ‘14/'15 season are staying on over the coming summer: Mat, Tim, Emry, Pete, Kell, Will, Deano, and Doug.

Wide eyed members of the incoming crew will take the reins now, and follow on the cycle of renewal that happens every year with the new season’s crew taking over from the last as they've done here for the last 69 years.

Thanks ‘ANARE 68 Expos’ for an excellent season and best of luck ANARE 69 for the season ahead.

Expeditioner hugs her colleague before departing station
Bus departs with winter crew
Expeditioners wave goodbye to departing crew
Bus departs station
Weather observer departs his office for the last time.
Winter medallions laid out ready for presentation to the ANARE 68 Winterers.
Station leader a deputy shake hands at the end of the season
Aircraft departs Wilkins aerodrome.

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