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. It is 3800km south of Christchurch and 1350km from the South Pole. Mt Erebus, an active volcano, sits north-east and to the west, across McMurdo Sound, is the Royal Society Range. Here, lies the boundary between the Ross Ice Shelf and the sea ice that forms every winter. From October to February, Scott Base is a bustling hub of scientists, staff and visitors. Up to 86 people can be accommodated at any one time; during the summer season, more than 300 people stay on base.
Tour of Scott Base
Location of Scott Base
- Pram Point, Hut Point Peninsula, Ross
- Island in McMurdo Sound
- 77° 51' S, v 166° 46' E
- 10 m above sea level
Scott Base News
We need you to Colour Our Place, Scott Base!
Scott Base is Aotearoa New Zealand's place in Antarctica. From Sir Edmund Hillary's dash to the South Pole by tractor to the excellence of New Zealand Antarctic science, Kiwis have a long history of exploration and research on t… Read More
Elusive whales visit Scott Base
Whale, whale, whale. What do we have here? The kiwi crew in Antarctica spotted a pod of secretive mammals in the bay in front of Scott Base last month. There was a buzz about base afterwards as the team tried to identify the spec… Read More
New building for science at Scott Base
Sir Edmund Hillary’s legacy lives on as the first piece of the new Scott Base infrastructure is installed in Antarctica. The small but mighty building will support several science experiments, some of which have continued uninter… Read More