Rare Photos of the First Australasian Expedition to Antarctica in 1911

In 1911, a group of scientists and adventurers went to explore new areas of Antarctica. The expedition was led by Dr. Douglas Mawson geologist, explorer and academic.The journey was meant to chart the 2,000-mile coastline of Antarctica that lay south of Australia and lasted until 1914. During the expedition, Mawson lost his sledging team member, Lieutenant Belgrave Ninnis, his other team member, Xavier Mertz and six of their dogs.

Mawson’s book The Home of the Blizzard recounts his harrowing tale, as well as the expedition’s triumphs.

Thanks to the work of James Francis “Frank” Hurley, official photographer at Cape Denison, we have a rich archive of images that capture the spirit of these intrepid explorers.