On thin ice:
North and South poles
62 Australian GeographicE
ncircled by savage seas and capped
by thick ice, Antarctica was the last
continent discovered; in contrast, the
Arctic is an ocean of jumbled sea ice. Twice
Australia’s size, our frozen neighbour’s
proximity, minerals and Gondwanan history
drew explorers and scientists. Some of our
strongest and brightest have been seduced
by its deadly and alluring landscape.THE EARLIEST COMPASS in the National Maritime
Museum collection dates from the 16th century. The
case is made of turned ivory, suggesting the owner was
wealthy. The compass is mounted in a brass gimbal ring,
which reduces the effects of a ship’s motion at sea.JAMES CASTRISSION AND JUSTIN JONES
(1982–; 1983–)
These young adventurers were the first Aussies to
kayak unsupported from Australia to New Zealand;
then they finished the first unsupported walk to the
South Pole and back (AG 108). Adventures haven’t
stopped for them, and in 2013 they completed the
first crossing of Okefenokee Swamp, the largest
blackwater swamp in North America.LINDA BEILHARZ
(1960–)
The ‘Icy Pole Lady’, Linda was
the first Australian woman
to successfully ski to both
the North and South poles
as part of a bigger goal to ski
over four icecaps – including
Greenland and Patagonia.DOUGLAS MAWSON
(1882–1958)
Mawson led the tragic 1911–
1914 Australasian Antarctic
Expedition, during which the
ship was trapped in ice and a
number of the party perished.
A scientist before all, he sought
knowledge rather than fame.SYDNEY KIRKBY (1933–)
A leader and surveyor at
Mawson Station, Sydney
mapped the Australian
Antarctic Territory by dog sled
and theodolite. His crew was
the first to view the world’s
largest glacier and explore the
Prince Charles Mountains.SIR GEORGE HUBERT WILKINS (1888–1958)
In a life filled with extraordinary adventures, George
‘Hubert’ Wilkins (at right) is noted for many firsts,
including flights across the Arctic and Antarctic, and
taking a submarine beneath the frozen Arctic Ocean.
He was also a war correspondent, cinematographer,
naturalist, geographer and pioneering climatologist.AN ADVENTURER WHO never chooses the easy road, Tim has undertaken
two extreme Antarctic adventures. In 2007 he used 1913 clothing, equip-
ment and rations to mimic Douglas Mawson’s journey, hauling a sled
hundreds of kilometres across the crevassed landscape. After being made
a Member of the Order of Australia, Tim re-created Ernest Shackleton’s
incredible journey in 2013. In a open boat, using only a chronometer for
navigation and barely adequate clothing, Tim and five others sailed 1200km
across the Southern Ocean (AG 117). Then Tim and two others crossed
precipitous mountains, mostly using historic 1916 gear. This re-enactment
earned him the AGS Adventurer of the Year award in 2013.Tim Jar vis (1966–)
COMPASS: NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM, GREENWICH LONDON; JARVIS: COURTESY TIM JARVIS; WILKINS: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY / GETTY; CASTRISSION & JONES: COURTESY JUSTIN JONES AND JAMES CASTRISSION; BEILHARZ: COURTESY LINDA BEILHARZ; MAWSON: HAYNES ARCHIVE / POPPERFOTO / GETTY; KIRKBY: COURTESY SIDNEY KIRKBY