Sum Plumb Tales
From Amber:
The below write up is for anyone who may have a dream to work in Antarctica or those interested in the recruitment timeline. For those who could be pouring over station updates as I did, in order to try to get a better understanding of the place, or those trying to find a small indication of when the next email may grace your inbox (it differs vastly for roles and stations, my timeline is just one of many). It’s a heck of a journey and I hope if you’re reading this it might provide a bit more information than those two Reddit posts and that murder in Antarctica podcast. If after this you’re still keen on more, this is a link for a great podcast from the AAD website. I’d just touched down in Antarctica and was chatting to one of the pilots and he flew for it! Wild!
My AAD Recruitment Timeline
March 2024: Sitting at the Pier Hotel in Port Hedland I get chatting with a fellow by the name of Paul. After hours of thoroughly riveting intellectual plumbing discussion, he gives a great review of his time plumbing in Antarctica and suggests that I might enjoy it as well. I am lucky and truly thankful to Paul for being so generous with his time, sharing so much information on the exciting and fascinating plumbing on stations.
Jan 15th 2025: I submit an Application for plumber with the Australian Antarctic Division
Feb 7th: I’m through to next stage! A medical checklist. I tick away then reach the section on the BMI needed to be allowed to go to Antarctica. Hmm…. I'd better ease up on the croissants.
March 11th: I receive an email booking me in for a technical interview
March 24th: Plumbing technical interview
April 3rd: I find out I'm through to next stage, an Assessment Centre.
26th to 29th April: Assessment Centre held in Melbourne. The assessment centre involves 15 or so candidates completing scenarios and living and interacting over 24 hours in a hotel. There are comms operators, carpenters, chefs, a doctor, a crane operator, ship captain and many others. Assessors watch and take down notes the whole time. It was peculiar but fun. I thought I’d blown my chances when I suggested to the group at the end of the day that there had to be a mole, to which a bloke replied “oh you got me, it’s me” (at the time I thought it was a joke, on reflection, he was most likely the mole).
*Since reaching the AAD head office I have been informed there are in actual fact no moles. *Maybe.*
It was a great bunch of people and made me think I’d be happy going to Antarctica if it was with people like them.
28th April: I get the email for yet another stage, the AAD medical examination, BMI to be calculated. I spit out the half-finished croissant I am eating.
14th May: Police checks requested.
16th May: I complete medical, the BMI is good, phew, I celebrate with a croissant (not really).
June 18th: I’m medically approved.
August 15th: After a break of about two months of no news I receive an email booking in for the final stage, the Psychological Adaptability Assessment. At least I’ll have an entertaining story to tell if this is where I stall in the application.
Sept 2nd : After completing an online questionnaire and an online video assessment with a psychologist I receive an email with a recommendation of 'suitable for the Australian Antarctic Program’.
Sept 17th : I get a phone call offering me a summ,er position with the AAD. There are happy tears and phone calls to those incredible people in my life that came along on the recruitment journey with me. The contract comes through a day later.
Oct 11th : I leave town bound for Hobart for training, leaving for Antarctica on the 11th of December.
All the waiting, checking of emails and recruitment steps were definitely worth it as I sit here at Casey station. I shake my head daily at how lucky I am to be waking up to icebergs, great people with incredible stories, Adelie penguins, weekend camping trips and a sense of community so wholesome and warm it’s reminiscent of life in Port Hedland.
The plumbing is rewarding, fascinating and so very important to keeping the station running and ensuring the incredible science work being done here can continue. If you’re going through the recruitment, the waiting time is sometimes painful and the process is longer than a pregnancy. But that baby is for sure worth it and you’ll forget the pain? Who knows!
I haven’t done that, so I'm unsure of the validity of this comparison, but I do know I’d go through it again and again to be part of this incredible Antarctica experience that is the Casey Station 79th ANARE.
From Adam:
*Read in a thick South London Cockney Accent*
Alright Alright.
Oi Oi Adam 'ere.
Originally from London, now living on the sunny coast, saw this job on Seek and thought, why not, never even knew about it.
It’s been the experience of a lifetime, I’d highly recommend it to anyone.
I don’t feel overly isolated from me family due to a reasonably good internet connection, I talk daily with them and still feel part of their lives.
On station they all take the mickey out of me ere coz I’m a cockney geezer.
But secretly they all want to speak like me and I knows it.
The work is interesting and different, essentially though it’s still just plummin just on a different continent, innit?
Lots of trips available out on boats or staying at remote huts, I’ve chucked some photos 'ere for you to put your peepers over.
As for our base, the Red Shed - there’s pool, darts, a bar, lots of board games and my favourite, the cinema. I am known as the Odeon Master.
Nobody puts anything on in the Odeon without going through the movie mafia.
The only exception being, do not mess with the chefs. They get to watch Bake Off whenever they want.
Always stay on the right side of the chefs.
PS. The food is Pucca, innit? (Translation by Amber: the food is splendidly fabulous darling)
On that note, I’ve just ‘erd the lunch bell and I’d better not mess with me first of the line reputation.
Alright, innit?
From Ben:
As one of the summer plumbing crew we get most weekends off, so I joined the Casey Ski Club. We have a cross-country ski loop, with easy access from the station, that comes with awesome water views. Penguins, skuas; word has it there were orcas in the bay just last week! A few laps makes great preparation for a ski expedition.
The plan was for a 32 km round trip from Casey station heading south to Robbo's hut, the Hilton of off-station huts, built for scientists working in the field, expeditioners on a mission, or anyone who can get there for a weekend away.
It was a long haul uphill with full packs and sleds stocked up for comfort rather than speed.
Two hundred metres elevation on ski's is a workout and reward, with awesome blue ocean views, towering white icebergs glimmering in the distance, blazing sun at 1.5 degrees reflects off every surface. Quick stop for a cold snack lunch and reapply sunscreen. We are getting baked out here.
The blizzard a few days before had blasted the dry loose snow off up high and left ice exposed.
Exhilaration of a fast downhill, punctuated with terrifying blue ice patches where grip is a fantasy. Bulletproof surface makes a passenger of accomplished skiers.
Our trip leaders birthday means it's party time when off station. Three course dinner rescued from the last nights leftovers fridge, a few beers on the deck, truly amazing expedition stories by the vastly experienced crew, game of cards, laughs ‘til you cry, and candles on the birthday cake topped off a great night.
Next morning we sat in the sunshine and wondered at the curious busy little Adelie penguins always chatting in groups, while the emperor penguin looked on, hardly moving, with no interest at all. An elephant seal cruised by just a few metres off the rocks on his lap of the bay.
Ominous dark clouds on the horizon and morning sched confirmed there was wild weather on the way. Better hit the trail home so we don't get caught out.
It was tough going up the hill, into the wind. Got knocked back repeatedly by the gusts. Skis skated out from under me when the hard snow froze into solid bits of broken ice.
Half way home, the cloud closed in and the wind suddenly picked up. Flights from the skiway nearby cancelled, and the planes were snowed in, frozen in position.
We hit the R line at 250 m elevation and finally got the downhill home. A hot meal from our wonderful chefs and a chat with the field expedition leaders. How about we go boating next weekend?
