This week we take a look at one of our vehicles and report on our film making weekend

Expeditioner Number 15

Hi, my name is JCB and I am one of the expeditioners here on Macquarie Island this year.

I don’t know what everyone would do without me as they are always calling me!

'Where is JCB, I need a cage pallet shifted’ I hear coming from the store. ‘Hey JCB can you empty the rubbish’ the plumber calls.

'I need a load for dirt can you get it for me’ the Ranger calls out. 

Then I get the other side ‘JCB you know you can’t work in Market Square before 8:30am I’ve already told you once this week'.

But I know everyone needs me. I unload all of the supplies for the station come resupply. From food, building supplies, everyone’s personal effects, fuel, in fact everything on station I can move or have moved.

I have a nice life here at Macca. My bigger brother that lives at Davis has to endure a life in the snow whereas I get to hang out at the beach on a sub-tropical (?) island.

Just like the other expeditioners on the island I get to celebrate my birthday. This week I turned two and had my name put up on the birthday board in front of the webcam.

So if someone tells you they do all the work here at Macca they are wrong as at some point I have done something or moved something to make their job possible.

Maccawood 48 Hour Antarctic Film Festival

The Oscars, Cannes, Venice, Edinburgh and Sundance Film Festival are all small fry compared to the annual 48 Hour Antarctic Film Festival.

Competition is tough, standards are high and stations involved spend a huge amount of time working on scripts, casting, costumes, special effects and production to see who can take out the best picture category.

Macquarie Island is no exception with many days and nights spent to come up with the best storyline and casting the perfect expeditioners for the exciting roles in our story which is based on a true event. Maybe with just a modest amount of literary license to make the story just a little more exciting.

The story line is based around a very harrowing life and death experience where one of the expeditioners while out on field training was sucked into a gigantic pit of rotting kelp and had to be rescued by another brave hiker who also risked life and limb in the slime pit. It must also be said that certain others in the party thought it hilarious and didn’t see the danger that was soon to be (re)told in the Maccawood film of ‘The Hydroponic Heroes’.

The day of filming dawned foggy, wet and windy or in other words just another typical Macca day. Atmosphere on set was tense as our director Catherine barked orders at all the unruly extras for the first takes down by the Macca gates. Our brilliant camera crew of Chris and Vicki were in place to start filming our epic adventure of science experiments gone wrong and as we are also up on current Hollywood trends there also had to be superheroes and a villain.

The starring role of villainous kelp monster was played by Danielle who was more than happy to get into the role, literally, by covering herself with the help of station leader Ali in copious amounts of kelp. Danielle did get a little diva like and wanted fresh kelp rather than more authentic slimy rotting mush that we have in abundance.

Our superheroes were played with ferocious authenticity by Greg as Captain Plunger, Tim channeled the perfect Ze Germinator, Cathryn was a very sultry and dangerous Cumulo-Nimbus and Annette was the feisty and brave Secateur Girl.

After the kelp monster was defeated and sent back to sea, the Hydroponic Heroes were farewelled by the grateful station and it was time to get indoor into the warmth and start editing. Rich, with the help of Danielle and Cathryn was in charge of editing our digital masterpiece and now all we have to do is sit back and enjoy our time on Macca before Hollywood comes knocking with an incredible offer that we can’t refuse.

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