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ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S most remarkable pho-
tographers, James Francis ‘Frank’ Hurley
brought back early images and movies of far-
fl ung places – Antarctica, New Guinea and
the battlefi elds of Europe. Truly a photogra-
pher in the thick of the action, his images
show a daring spirit and love of adventure. In
1911 Hurley became offi cial photographer to
Douglas Mawson’s fi rst Australasian Antarctic
Expedition (AG 119). At the windiest place
on Earth, he worked enthusiastically taking
stills and moving images, and took part in a
record-breaking sledging journey to the
South Magnetic Pole. Back home he fi lmed
an expedition through northern Australia
before joining Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous
Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914–17.
Hurley was forced to leave behind many of
the glass plates, but kept 120 precious
images. He then became official war
photographer for the Australian Imperial
Force from 1917 to 1918, producing the only
colour-plate photographs of World War I.Frank Hurley
(1885—1962)
DURING THE 1920S,
Hurley took the fi rst
images and fi lm,
including aerial views,
of remote parts of New
Guinea, especially its
tribal people. He also
undertook expeditions
in the Torres Strait.HURLEY USED this
movie camera for 30
years; it accompanied
him from Antarctica to
the Middle East, and
recorded important
events at home, such
as the building of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge.“I have lived a life that suited me
best. I took risks and never regretted
them. If I could start again, I would
do everything in the same way.”
FRANK HURLEY, 1949BACKGROUND: SCOTT POLAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE / GETTY; TRIBAL FIGURE: COURTESY AM; CAMERA: AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC