Scott Base
Scott Base, New Zealand's only Antarctic research station, perches on a low volcanic headland called Pram Point at the Southern End of Ross Island, 3500kms south of Dunedin and 1350kms from the South Pole.
Its setting is dramatic. An active volcano, Erebus, looming over its shoulder. The Ross Ice Shelf in ramming mode out in front causing the land, pressure waves of ice rear up.
Location of Scott Base
- Pram Point, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island in McMurdo Sound
- 77 o 51' S, 166 o 46' E
- 10 m above sea level
Out to the west, in McMurdo Sound, is the boundary between the Ross Ice Shelf and the sea ice that forms every winter. Beyond the sea ice, 90kms away is the jagged white outline of the Royal Society Range, with Mount Lister topping 4000m through crystal clear air.
Between October – February Scott Base is a bustling hub of science researchers. Scott Base can accommodate 85 people at any one time, during the summer season more than 300 guests stay on Base.
Our Buildings & Our History
The proposal for a New Zealand base in Antarctica was put to the New Zealand Government by the New Zealand Antarctic Society in 1953. Scott Base, in the Ross Region in Antarctica, has been established since 1957.
Our Operations & Our Sustainability
Scott Base is New Zealand's permanent research support station in Antarctica. It is managed somewhat similarly to a private kiwi lodge, with shared bedrooms, one large dining room and a commercial kitchen.
Hillary Field Centre (HFC)
The Hillary Field Centre (HFC) at Scott Base, the southernmost building project in the world, is undergoing a $6.2 million upgrade over a period of three years. Keep up to date with the refurbishment, and stage two progress.