One of our resident plumbers shares his passion for roast dinner nights at Mawson, while another expeditioner shares their unlikely attachment to solar panels.
Monday roast dinner nights at Mawson
Mondays are universally regarded as one of the less favourable days of the week for most people. The start of a new working week, the thought of the weekend being over, and getting back to the daily grind can be a lot to handle. So much so that people resort to excessive amounts of coffee, other forms of caffeine and vices to get through a typical Monday. Some even going so far as to write songs about their dislike of said day.
For us here at Mawson station, this is not the case. Why I hear you ask? Because Mondays are Roast Dinner Night!
The light at the end of a small tunnel, Roast Dinner Night is a gateway to success for the rest of the week.
The fuel that keeps everybody’s head above water, knowing that if you make it through the day there will be a beautiful roast dinner (with all the fixings) and even a dessert (or birthday cake) to top things off.
With a belly full of roast goodness, tackling any challenges or dilemmas the week may throw at you, are now nothing but a walk in the park.
I don’t have a background or any qualifications in psychology, but I feel that if more people had roasts on Mondays the world would be a better place.
Thanks for your time,
Pat – Roast lover (first) and plumber (second)
Solar panel fascination
Every expeditioner needs a purpose. Some come to Antarctica to study ice cores, others to track emperor penguins. I came to haul solar panels.
It all started back on Macquarie Island. During a 10-day, 145 kilometre trek to the far south to repair the Mt Ainsworth VHF repeater, I somehow ended up with a massive solar panel strapped to the top of my pack. By the end of that trip, after hauling that awkward piece across the rugged Macca terrain, it became a bit of a personal badge of honour.
Naturally, when I deployed to Mawson, I told our senior communications technician that I was ready to keep the tradition alive. If a solar panel anywhere near the station or the field huts so much as blinked, I was their man to carry the replacement.
We had just wrapped up a deep field expedition, giving me the perfect opportunity to embrace my affinity for solar panels. However, traveling 100 kilometres out on the Mawson sea ice is a far cry from walking the Macca overland track. Progress is a game of patience. It means constant stopping to drill the ice, verifying that the thickness is safe enough to support our Hagglunds vehicles. The absolute minimum requirement for the heavy vehicles is 60cm, but our 100cm drills hardly ever punched through the sea ice.
There was a moment of tension when we approached an area where five day old satellite imagery had flagged a massive crack in the ice. We approached slowly and with caution, concerned about what we might find, but once the drills went down, the ice proved to be incredibly solid, consistently showing well over 100cm.
With the route proven safe, I suited up at the site, fully prepared to maintain my status as the division's premier solar pack horse (at least for 2026). I had the pack ready, the straps adjusted, and the enthusiasm dialled up.
Unfortunately for my personal tradition (but fortunately for the Australian Antarctic Division’s maintenance budget), the Taylor Glacier panels out at Colbeck are far tougher than I bargained for. The team checked the infrastructure, and everything was working flawlessly. Not a single panel needed replacing.
My streak might be on pause for now, but the offer stands. If any field huts need a solar upgrade before my 12 months are up, you know who to call. The pack is always ready.
Cris Ambrozie (station supply officer)
