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exacting work in sub-zero conditions and quickly exhausting. But this is satisfying work too, each of the team is an Antarctic history buff. This most recent summer, one of Mawson’s sled dogs known as ‘Grandmother’ was moved to a temporary home under Mawson’s bunk. The dog was recovered from the polar plateau inland from the hut in 1997, still curled up on the snow where it had died during a prolonged blizzard. The dogs were important workers for the expedition - and in extremis, a source of food. Among our finds was a complete set of clothing belonging to Belgrave
Ninnis, who lost his life in Antarctica aged just 25. The trousers and jumpers and shirts were left washed and neatly folded on a small wooden structure several hundred metres from Main Hut. Nicknamed ‘Cherub’, Ninnis was one of the most popular members of the expedition. He died in December 1912 when his sled broke through a crevasse while on a sledging expedition 500km away from of the hut with Mawson and Swiss ski champion Xavier Mertz. Perhaps due to their diet of weakened sled dogs, Mertz weakened and died during the return voyage – it was a starving and debilitated
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The climate proved to be little more than one continuous blizzard the year round ~ Explorer DOUGLAS MAWSON
BITTER Photographer Frank Hurley documented the pioneering years of Antarctic exploration with iconic images of Douglas Mawson (top left) and the brutal, windswept conditions (left) that stil batter Commonwealth Bay today. From the State Library of NSW collection.
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Mawson who barely made it back to Cape Denison after an epic journey of lone survival against the odds, only to see his ship sailing over the horizon and leaving him trapped in Antarctica until the following summer. Weeks later, the expedition’s primitive wireless set allowed a short a message to his fiancee Paquita Delprat: “Deeply regret delay. Only just managed to reach hut. Effects now gone but lost most of my hair. You are free to consider your contract but trust you will not abandon your second-hand Douglas." Paquita replied: "Deeply thankful you are safe. Warmest welcome awaiting your hairless return." Multiple expeditions focusing to