What is it like to live in the 'Red Shed' at Mawson?
As we settle into our 'new digs' (having been here a month now), there are many questions being asked by families and friends of our Mawson expeditioners. One of which is: “What’s it like to live on an Antarctic station?” So, in response here’s a rundown on what our living quarters are like in the Red Shed, and why this building will be central to how we (hopefully) retain our sanity over the course of a seven-month wintering season.
The Red Shed is the building where our team spends most of their time eating, sleeping and enjoying various indoor activities – especially when there’s severe weather events outside, sometimes for days at a time. This building contains many of our communal facilities alongside 40 bedrooms. These include the downstairs mess, kitchen, cardio room (or alternate gym) and a one-stop medical centre. Moving upstairs we have various lounge and living areas, including our library, cinema/theatrette or movie room, bar, the ‘dog room’ and a walk-in ‘Woollies’. Here’s a little bit more on each:
Open living areas. These are very comfortable and allow people to either find their own personal spaces to relax and read a book, or to gather as a community to play pool, darts, chat or partake in the many board, puzzles and card games on station. An added bonus to the start of our season (thanks to our chippies) is that we now have newly-constructed chairs, lounges and tables to break in and enjoy. Creating an atmosphere where expeditioners can in some way replicate what they might do back home (including lounging around and falling asleep on couches) is really important to the overall wellbeing of our community. It is therefore no surprise that making the Red Shed 'homely' right from the outset has been a key focus for us these last couple of weeks.
The Dog Room. One of the best things about Mawson is that we have a lot of memorabilia that provides valuable insights into the history of the station’s establishment in 1954 and the events/previous expeditioners that forged the way ahead for the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (or ANARE – now contemporarily known as the Australian Antarctic Program or AAP). Compartmental to this era are the sled dogs that were an integral part of station life as well as being key to many deep-field traverses. While the Dog Room is a focal point for this history on display, there are many nooks and crannies around station that house various artefacts, including our two ‘guard dog’ resident huskies. Fortunately, these are encased in glass to help protect and preserve them from the inevitable daily pats they would receive from passers-by.
Kitchen and mess. Some would argue the central hub on station. Not only do expeditioners frequent the mess for sustenance but it's also a great place for gatherings around the table with coffee, tea, or snack in hand. The mess is often decorated for special events like candle-lit dinners, and we are truly spoilt by the variety and quality of food available to us all year round. Over winter, our expeditioners have the option to pretty much prepare whatever food they desire outside traditional meal times – as long as the chef’s provisions remain untouched. There are also many ‘grazing’ options available, which makes achieving a balance between ‘eating vs burning’ calories an ongoing battle. More on that later.
Theatrette and library. There’s a huge collection of movies, documentaries, TV series, DVDs and VHS videotapes, vinyl (ie: records for the uninitiated) and magazines on station. Often expos will bring their own personal collections to share with the community. It’s usual that a week’s routine consists of night sittings to watch everything from various drama, sitcom or ‘trash’ TV series – interspersed with documentaries and the latest-release movies. (A few have also adopted early-morning yoga sessions in the theatre as a way of starting the day on a healthy note.) The library not only retains an assortment of literature (including an array of publications and yearbooks reflecting our rich Antarctic history) but this room also houses a sewing machine, board games, jigsaw puzzles and other community-focussed amenities.
The Bar. One of the areas used to watch streamed sporting events, play darts and generally mingle in groups… whether it’s to share stories or a single malt whiskey. The bar hosts various themed parties and other station celebrations throughout the year. Some would say many of the world’s problems have been solved in Mawson's bar over the years!
Fitness Room. While we have a well-equipped gym in our Green Store, it’s handy to have some light weights and cardio equipment available inside the Red Shed, especially when blizzards restrict outside movement for days at a time. At this early stage of our season, many have already contemplated getting into the fitness scene ‘once the dust has settled’ on station, while others are pre-emptively getting ahead of the bell curve (ie: to burn off as much energy as is being consumed in the mess). It’s certainly an enduring battle throughout the year to either preserve, or work-off, an expeditioner’s ‘first layer of survival’ and therefore succumb either to the chef’s culinary delights or health advice from our doctor.
Woollies. On station, there’s no credit card required to shop at our version of Woollies. Stocked with basic toiletries and other supplies, expeditioners can take what they need to keep on top of most personal grooming needs. Our station supply officer ensures that Woollies remains well-stocked, with top-ups sourced via bulk supplies residing in our Green Store. It’s scary how much toilet paper is held on station though… and we’re well past the toilet paper hype that was associated with COVID lock-downs in previous years!
Medical centre. The doctor’s part of the shop has quite a sizable footprint, with its various rooms and equipment designed to cater for (almost) any ailment through to medical emergencies. Think of it as a mini-hospital but not as expensive to visit! Of note in the picture is one room that houses a dental chair. While our doctor is highly capable, most AAD-employed medical practitioners only get around 1-2 weeks of dental training before heading south. So, the key message here is look after your teeth or (potentially) take your chances in the chair.
Personal Rooms. Finally, of most interest is what an expeditioner’s room looks like. Generally small, compact, but functional and comfortable. The walls around station are pretty thin however, so headphones are definitely a requirement if you like loud music or watching movies. Some are lucky to have a window with outside views, while others prefer complete darkness (especially for summer, where 24-hour sunlight plays with our bodily circadian rhythms). While some need more space to store personal items, it’s surprising just how much you can stow away in the various drawers and cupboards (especially if you’re good at playing Tetris). Most expeditioners bring items from home to make their room ‘their sanctuary’ - a nice place to be when investing in some personal down-time.
So that’s a quick download on Mawson’s Red Shed. While living on station will never replace what we have (and miss) at home, it will certainly keep us warm, content and hopefully our well-being intact.
Dave Buller, Station Leader
