23.08.2010

An exhibition of early Antarctic photography is currently showing at Canterbury Museum's Robert McDougall Gallery.  It features extraordinary images taken by Herbert Ponting during Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova expedition (1910-13) and dramatic icescapes by Frank Hurley on Shackleton's Endurance expedition of 1914-16. The exhibition runs until 20 February next year.  For more information go here.

18.08.2010

TVNZ weather presenter Karen Olsen is currently at Scott Base from where she will deliver live broadcasts.  The expected schedule includes a live broadcast into the 6pm news today, Friday and Saturday.  She will also be broadcasting live into the Breakfast Show at around 7.40am tomorrow.

13.08.2010

The first flight of the season departs from Christchurch today. Over the past two years successful trials have been held for night vision landing and so the first of three Winfly night vision flights will depart at 3pm today, and land around 8pm this evening.  With a short on-ground time, the flight is scheduled to arrive back in Christchurch around 3.15 am tomorrow.  An increase in early season science means that there will be a total of seven Winfly flights, the last being on 26 August.  Summer season flights are due to begin in about one month on 23 September. Read or download the Press release here.

09.08.2010

Now that light is returning, after four months of total darkness, the webcams at Arrival Heights and at the Wind farm on Crater Hill have been re-activated and can be viewed here.

04.08.2010

The date and location of next year's Antarctic Conference has been announced. Information regarding that and the decision to hold a bidding round this year for logistics support is included in the latest science update which you can read or download here.

16.07.2010

Following a very successful trial last season the Scott Base Volunteer Programme will continue this year. The work undertaken will be predominantly exterior and interior painting; two applicants will be selected and will spend about 4 weeks at Scott Base from mid-December 2010 to mid-January 2011. Applications close 20 August 2010, and further details and application forms can be obtained from the Society's website or read the press release here.

14.07.2010

Antarctica New Zealand is very pleased to have gained CEMARS certification and is committed to a four-year plan to reduce its carbon emissions.  CEMARS certification (certified emissions measurement and reduction scheme), is essentially the first two steps (measure and manage) of carboNZero certification.  These two steps are independently verified (both the method used, and the measurement made, are audited) and then certified.

 

The Disclosure statement says that: Antarctica New Zealand meets the requirements of CEMARS certification having measured its greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with ISO 14064-1 and committed to managing and reducing its emissions in respect of the operational activities of its organisation. The full disclosure statement can be read here.

12.07.2010

At the recent Antarctic conference students were judged for their oral and poster presentations.  Prizes were awarded as follows: best student oral presentation: first: Jessica Ericson - University of Otago; second: Rachael Rhodes -  Victoria University of Wellington; third: Ruma Ghosh - University of Otago. Best student poster presentation: first: Mette Riger-Kusk - Gateway Antarctica; second: Rory Mearns - Victoria University of Wellington; third: Chelsea Vickers - University of Waikato; fourth: Kurt Joy - Gateway Antarctica; fifth: Oliver Marsh - Gateway Antarctica. Congratulations to all on the very high standard of poster and oral presentations.

09.07.2010

Another successful Antarctic conference has been held this week, hosted at the University of Canterbury by Gateway Antarctica.  Along with all the high-quality talks and posters presented, the scholarships for post-graduate research were awarded: to Kurt Joy, who is undertaking his PhD at the University of Canterbury and who won the HNZ scholarship, and Jurgen Kolb, studying for his PhD at Massey University won the scholarship offered by Kelly Tarlton's. Holly Winton, Victoria University of Wellington and Abigail Lovett, University of Otago were joint winners of the New Zealand Post scholarship to continue their Masters research. You can read more about their research here.  Congratulations to all scholarship winners and good luck with their Antarctic research.

Rob McPhail, well-known to all Antarcticans, who has flown for Helicopters New Zealand for four months of each of the past 19 years in Antarctica, has clocked up about 4000 flying hours in the region.

The New Zealand Geographic Board approved the name in March and a presentation was made to Rob when it was announced at the annual Antarctica New Zealand conference at the University of Canterbury on Monday night.

 

Rob said the outcrops that now bore his name were an incredible example of ventifacts, or wind-scoured rocks. He describes them as a stunning piece of natural art.

 

The name McPhail Turrets was proposed by Victoria University scientist Nancy Bertler. She said she spoke for all Antarctic scientists who trusted McPhail with not just their research, but often their lives.

05.07.2010

Textile artist Clare Plug travelled to Antarctica through the Artists to Antarctica programme in 2006.  A major exhibition comprising 30 textiles and banners detailing Clare's response to her Antarctic experience, is now on at Canterbury Museum, running until 26 September.

02.07.2010

Reports from workshops and conferences attended by Antarctica New Zealand staff as well as the imminent Annual Antarctic Conference are a few of the many items of interest to be found in the latest science update which you can read or download here.

23.06.2010

Applications close on 16 July for a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at NIWA. The successful candidate will have a PhD in marine ecology as well as extensive experience in modelling physiological and ecological processes. This post-doctoral scholarship is funded by Air New Zealand and NIWA, in collaboration with Antarctica New Zealand and WWF-New Zealand and does not involve any Antarctic field work.  For further information about NIWA, a full position description and online applications please visit the NIWA website.

22.06.2010

Antarctica New Zealand has a large image collection holding photographs from the beginning of New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica during the Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1956-1958, through to the present.  The collection is held as part of the public record, and will eventually be transferred to Archives New Zealand for preservation in perpetuity.  In the meantime it is held at Antarctica NZ in a variety of formats: transparencies, contact prints and digital images, and is available for researchers to use by appointment.  We are now hosting some image galleries on this website with a selection of images under the following categories: Science, Environment, Historical, Scott Base, Transport, Out and about, Special Events, Wind farm construction.  Click here to see the images currently in these galleries.

 

10.06.2010

The draft Science Strategy: New Zealand Antarctic and Southern Ocean Science Directions and Priorities 2010 - 2020 is now available for public consultation. It is anticipated that the document, if adopted, would provide a coherent strategy to guide New Zealand Government agencies in investing in research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the next ten years.

 

Written submissions are requested by Friday 6 August 2010.  To read or download the document and accompanying letter go here.

08.06.2010

Prominent landscape photographer, Andris Apse, received a Queen's Birthday honour for services to photography.  As well as his work in New Zealand, he has twice travelled to Antarctica, as an Invited Artist in 2003/04 and again in 2007/08.

 

Antarctica New Zealand congratulates Andris on his appointment to the New Zealand Order of Merit.

31.05.2010

The statement of intent, setting out Antarctica New Zealand's programme for the next three years is now available.  It can be downloaded here.

25.05.2010

New Zealand singer and song writer Dave Dobbyn, photographer Laurence Aberhart and sculptor Joe Sheehan, are the three recipients of the 2010/11 Antarctica New Zealand Arts Fellowships. The artists will travel to Scott Base, Antarctica in November to take part in the programme, which targets prominent New Zealand artists. For more information read the Media release here.

24.05.2010

The 33rd meeting of the Treaty Parties and 13th meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) have concluded in Punta del Este, Uruguay with accolades for retiring Chair, Neil Gilbert. Neil is Antarctica New Zealand's Environment Manager and has been Chairman of the CEP for the last four years.

 

The CEP reports directly to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) which gives effect to the principles of the Antarctic Treaty and the Environment Protocol. The latest meeting discussed issues relating to the management of Antarctic tourism, managing the effects of climate change in the Antarctic, biosecurity and bio‐prospecting and at its conclusion Neil Gilbert received an unprecedented standing ovation. ATCM Chair, Dr. Roberto Puceiro, thanked Neil for having achieved a "Herculean task in chairing the huge workload of the CEP over the last four years through some very challenging issues and for a warmth that will remain with us for many years to come". Dr. Roberto Puceiro described Neil as "a leading light for our organisation, that will go down in the history of our work."

 

The ATCM Chairman's comments were backed up by many other nations who thanked Neil for improving relations between CEP and ATCM and making a significant contribution to environmental protection in Antarctica. Antarctica New Zealand warmly congratulates Neil on this tremendous achievement.

20.05.2010

Antarctica New Zealand is interested in receiving feedback on two issues: holding a bidding round every year that will offer logistics to successful applicants for up to four years; and a proposal to extend the breadth of the information we collect on outputs from research programmes.  More information on these two issues along with a reminder for the Antarctic Conference can be found in the latest update which you can read or download here.

17.05.2010

A recent Colmar Brunton survey has revealed New Zealanders hold Antarctica, and New Zealand's involvement there, in high esteem. Of all respondents to this public awareness survey 70% indicated it was "quite" or "very" important for the New Zealand Government to be involved in Antarctica. For more information download the Media release here.

10.05.2010

For those who want to explore the Scott Base environment, we have now uploaded a 3D model of the buildings created in Google SketchUp.  In order to use it you will need to download the model.  You will also need Google SketchUp Viewer which is a simple tool for viewing the 3D files.  We have also provided a document that explains how to navigate around the model.  Go here to download the model, instructions, and a link to the 3D viewer.

03.05.2010

The latest Science and Information Update is out now with its usual mix of interesting items - you can read it or download it here.