Macquarie's Wild Symphony

In the heart of winter’s chill, we roam,

Across Macquarie’s rugged, windswept dome.

With skies a slate of endless gray,

We trek through nature's grand display.

First, a vista vast and wild,

The coastline stretches, untamed, unbeguiled.

In orange coat, I stand with pride,

Against the elements, I will not hide.

Orcas glide in misty sea,

A dance of freedom, wild and free.

In waters deep and currents strong,

They sing the ocean’s ancient song.

Faces stern against the storm,

In yellow jackets, we keep warm.

With every step, resolve we show,

Through rain and wind, together we go.

Then night descends with mystic light,

Auroras paint the skies so bright.

Green ribbons in the darkness flow,

A cosmic dance, a wondrous glow.

In this remote, enchanting place,

We find our strength, we find our grace.

Through science, study, and the climb,

We cherish every moment, every time.

By Adam Schiefelbein, BoM Tech

Beautiful golden light hits the south end of station where there is a small unused hut and then the mountains raise up behind
South end of station with unused hut and mountains behind with bright green aurora dancing in the sky above
Three men in field gear, wearing field packs, stand on the side of a lake and smile to camera
Man at top of large hill climb smiles to camera
Looking down from height along the east coast of Macquarie Island

In celebration of World Ranger Day (31 July)

On this day we celebrate the work of rangers around the world, their outstanding contribution to the protection and conservation of the world’s fauna, flora and natural places.

Here on Macquarie Island (Macca) we have a two-person ranger team. Amy Lewis and Mel Wells are the two rangers at Macca this winter working for the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Their job is to manage the Macquarie Island Nature Reserve and World Heritage Area’s significant geological, flora, fauna and historic heritage values. The Macca rangers also undertake biosecurity surveillance to prevent the accidental introduction of invasive species and pathogens that have the potential to cause enormous damage to the island. Biosecurity is especially important following the recent successful eradication of rabbits, rats, and mice.

Daily ranger life in the sub-Antarctic depends on things like the weather, wildlife movements and time of year. Some of the diverse jobs that rangers will do this year are:

  • Maintain biosecurity surveillance and screening of all visitors and cargo to ensure that no new invasive species are introduced to the reserve.
  • Count seals, penguins, albatross and other wildlife to monitor their populations.
  • Search for burrowing petrels to determine where they are breeding.
  • Manage visits to the Island by tourist ships.
  • Record significant events, such as storms or visits by wildlife infrequently seen at the island.
  • Maintain walking tracks and other infrastructure.
  • Monitor the condition of historic heritage sites, such as old huts and the areas where seals and penguins were historically processed for oil (digestor sites).
  • Oversee the operation of Australian Antarctic Program station and scientific programs to ensure that reserve values are protected.
  • Cleanup marine debris along the coastline.

Many of these jobs require rangers to walk long distances, cross steep and rough terrain and spend lots of time in cold, windy, snowy and rainy sub-Antarctic weather. As well as enjoying the challenges of working on a remote, sub-Antarctic Island, it is very rewarding to be able to help look after the island while exploring spectacular places, having close encounters with special wildlife species and observing how the island’s vegetation is recovering.

Woman with field pack on with track markers sticking out stands and smiles at camera
Woman sits beside field pack on the side of a lake
Two women in wind amongst tussocks raise arms in salute and smile at the camera
Two people with packs on walk away from camera across snow covered beach with heavy snow falling

In celebration of the Opening of the Olympics

What does a small isolated station in the middle of the Southern Ocean do to welcome the start of the Summer Olympics - an Olympics being held in a place so, so far away from where we are, in distance and in culture and convenience? Well we have a French Feast of course!

And what a feast was had on Saturday night. The mess was dressed in red white and blue, we even found in our costume cupboard a replica of the Tour Eiffel to be our table centrepiece.

Annette, our wonderful chef, slaved away for the day – and the days leading up to Saturday – to prepare a beautiful, four-course, French themed meal which was unanimously declared ‘très bien’, ‘délicieux’ and ‘extraordinaire’.

And then there were the outfits. Almost unanimously the community stepped out in French style, some a little more literal than others. So I think I just have to let the photos speak for themselves.

Enjoy a little taste of France from l’ocean Austral.

Bec J, SL

Large dinner table set with white tablecloth and blue and red runner down the center, with a replica of the Eiffel Tower in the middle with candelabra and tealights either side
French inspired place setting with postcards of Paris on the plate
The menu for the French Dinner made to look like the back of a postcard
Small section of the meals shown - seafood bisque, salad with goats cheese croutons, duck, pork belly and poached pear
People dressed as a snail, traditional French man, Mona Lisa and Napoleon pose for the camera
Three people sit at the table with a wall of framed photographs behind them
Two people dressed in black turtlenecks, one with blue hair, one with red scarf and black beanie, stare at the camera
Woman in apron cooks scallops on a large hotplate
Man in stripy shirt and beret helps serve seafood onto bowls on a bench under a heat lamp
Men dressed as typically french with berets, striped shirt, mow and beard
Large print of the Mona Lisa painting with face removed and then person putting face through the hole made
Man dressed as cat burglar carries a print out of the Mona Lisa painting
Woman dressed as a snail with antennae on head smiles and she holds up a plate of lettuce
Print green aurora lights dance over the station buildings
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