CAPE HALLETT STATION REMOVAL COMPLETE

17.02.2010

With the arrival of the MV Italica at Lyttelton today, the removal of rubbish from Cape Hallett Station is complete.

Over 30-31 January the remnants of the US/NZ Hallett Station were removed by helicopter to the MV Italica.  Some of the items removed earlier have found a permanent home at Canterbury Museum.  The current load of 18 000kg, the bulk of it comprising steel from the large fuel tank, completes the removal of all traces of the station which was operational between 1957 and 1973.

Clean-up began in 1984 and in 2001 a joint US/NZ team carried out an environmental site assessment, which led to a multi-year remediation plan for the station site and surrounding area. More information on Cape Hallett Station can be found here.

The MV Italica off Cape Hallett (© R Brown, Antarctica NZ Pictorial Collection: K002 05/06)

Rubbish at Cape Hallett awaiting removal (© R Brown, Antarctica NZ Pictorial Collection: K500 04/05)