2007 News Archive

Please note that some of the links in this news archive will no longer be active

13 December 2007

NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR WEBSITE

Today we have launched a new website to profile the various science and outreach activities that New Zealand is involved in during International Polar Year.  For more information go to the website.

30 November 2007

SCOUTS TO THE ICE

It has been 100 years since the Scouting movement began. As part of the wider centenary celebrations New Zealand Scouts Matt O'Sullivan, Tim Johns, Tom Williams and Andy Bartle accompanied by scout leader John Dale have departed for Antarctica hosted by Antarctica New Zealand. For more information go to the press release.

28 November 2007

ANDRILL'S SECOND ANTARCTIC DRILLING SEASON EXCEEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS

A second season in Antarctica for the Antarctic Geological Drilling (ANDRILL) Programme has exceeded all expectations, according to the co-chief scientists of the program's Southern McMurdo Sound Project. One week ago (21 November), the drilling team passed the 1,000-metre mark in rock core pulled from beneath the sea floor in McMurdo Sound, and with a remarkable recovery rate of more than 98 percent. The end of drilling is scheduled for this weekend and only a few tens of metres of core remain to be recovered for an expected final total of more than 1,100 metres. For more information go to the press release.

20 November 2007

ANTARCTIC YOUTH AMBASSADOR GOES TO THE ICE

Jeremy "Jay" Piggott, the inaugural Antarctica Youth Ambassor travelled to Christchurch last week in preparation for his big trip south. He will be keeping a blog for the duration of his travels, with video clips, photos - and his impressions. More information about the Antarctic Youth Ambassador programme can be found here.

13 November 2007

ANTARCTICA NEW ZEALAND BOARD

Paul Hargreaves has been reappointed as Chair of Antarctica New Zealand's Management Board, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. Living Earth director Robert Fenwick, a climate change and sustainable development consultant, has been appointed to the Board to replace retiring Board member Francis Small. Mr Fenwick's appointment runs until June 2010.

7 November 2007

2006/07 ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE

The annual report has now been released and can be downloaded here.

31 October 2007

ICESHEET OCTOBER 2007

The latest issue of Icesheet has now been published and can be downloaded.

28 September 2007

ANTARCTIC PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE SURVIVED ICE AGES

A paper just released in Science suggests that the current thinking that plant and animal life in Antarctica can't have survived the maximal ice age extents, may be wrong. Mark Stevens of Massey University and co-author Pete Convey from the British Antarctic Survey have evidence to suggest that plant and aminal life did infact survive these ice ages. For more information go to the press release.

20 September 2007

INAUGURAL ANTARCTIC YOUTH YOUTH AMBASSADOR ANNOUNCED

The inaugural winner of the Antarctic Youth Ambassador award is Jeremy Piggott from Dunedin. The award, developed by Antarctica New Zealand in partnership with the Sir Peter Blake Trust, was launched by the Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Peter Blake's son, James Blake, as part the 50th anniversary celebrations at Scott Base in January 2007.  For more information go to the press release.

17 September 2007

CHRISTCHURCH ANTARCTIC FESTIVAL

The Christchurch Antarctic Festival will run from 24 to 30 September. It coincides with the opening of the Antarctic summer season, and will comprise a number of events for adults and children. The full programme and other information can be viewed and downloaded at the festival website.

Please note that some of the links in this news archive are no longer active

17 August 2007

WINFLY - SUNRISE SIGNALS START OF FLIGHTS TO ICE

The first sunrise over Scott Base heralds the start of flights into Antarctica next week, following four months of total darkness and six months of isolation for New Zealand's winter-over team on the Ice.  For more information go to the press release.

8 August 2007

INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

Six exciting research projects touching on climate change and protecting the fragile Antarctic environment have been approved to mark International Polar Year. For more information go to the press release.

25 July 2007

NEW CLOTHING RANGE

Antarctica New Zealand has joined forces with Christchurch company Earth Sea Sky to produce a new range of extreme cold weather clothing. For more information go to the press release.

25 July 2007

STATEMENT OF INTENT 2007-2010

Antarctica New Zealand has published its Statement of Intent 2007-2010, which sets out its activities over the next 3 years.

3 July 2007

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Three of New Zealand's emerging science minds were announced tonight as recipients of Antarctica New Zealand's 2007 Postgraduate Research Scholarship Programme.  For more information go to the press release.

29 June 2007

FIFTY YEARS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

A one-off conference next week will celebrate 50 years of success in Antarctica and look ahead to an even more successful future.  Antarctica: 50 Years on the Ice - Just the Tip of the Iceberg will be held in Wellington from 2-6 July.  For more information go to the press release.

18 May 2007

EXTENDED ANTARCTIC SEASON

Antarctica New Zealand, in co-ordination with the New Zealand Defence Force, will extend its 2007-08 Antarctic summer season until mid-April, beyond the usual mid-February close. Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 aircraft will be used to make the first ever late-season flights. For more information go to the press release.

14 May 2007

2007-2008 ANTARCTIC ARTS FELLOWS ANNOUNCED

New Zealand author Tessa Duder and multi-media artist Ronnie van Hout are the two recipients of the 2007-08 Artists to Antarctica fellowships. For more information go to the press release.

Please note that some of the links in this news archive will no longer be active.

16 April 2007

ANDRILL PRESS RELEASE

To read latest media release from the ANDRILL Science Management Office at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, visit the Andrill page.

16 April 2007

ANTARCTIC ARTS FELLOW BERNADETTE HALL

Bernadette Hall's latest book of poetry has received a glowing review. The Ponies includes 19 poems inspired by Bernadette's Antarctic Arts Fellowship in 2004/2005. Writing in The Press (14 April) Tom Weston describes the poetry as enormously accomplished and observes that the sheer bigness of her Antarctic experience as well as its strangeness has forced her to extend her palette and her eye. He declares that it is an essential collection for anyone interested in New Zealand poetry. The Ponies was published recently by Victoria University Press.

26 March 2007

NEW ZEALAND ON ICE EXHIBITION

An exhibition developed by Antarctica New Zealand in association with Te Papa is currently being shown at Te Papa (until 29 April). Celebrating 50 years of New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica, it shows scientific achievements as well as the beautiful and hostile environment which makes working there so challenging. The exhibition will tour to New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Invercargill, Auckland and Dunedin following its opening season at Te Papa.

26 March 2007

REGISTRATIONS FOR CONFERENCE ARE NOW OPEN

A conference celebrating 50 years of New Zealand involvement in Antarctica will be held in Wellington over 2 - 6 July 2007.  Early bird registrations are now open. For more information go to the conference page.

1 March 2007

ANTARCTICA NZ TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR

Antarctica NZ CEO Lou Sanson says his organisation is looking forward to participating in International Polar Year (IPY) which is officially launched in Paris on 1 March.  For more information read the press release.

22 January 2007

ANTARCTIC YOUTH AMBASSADOR SCHEME

In association with the 50th anniversary of Scott Base, Antarctica New Zealand and the Sir Peter Blake Trust have launched a programme that will select a young New Zealander to participate in and contribute to the environmental work in Antarctica. More information and an application form can be downloaded here.

15 January 2007

PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT ANTARCTICA

Prime Minister Helen Clark will visit Antarctica from 18 to 22 January, accompanied by Sir Edmund Hillary, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Scott Base. For more information go to the press release.