Mawson's Huts

The Mawson 's Huts ( German: Mawson huts) are located in the Australian Antarctic Territory, Antarctica, about 3,000 kilometers south of Hobart wooden building at Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay. It is the first building, built by the Australians in the early 1910s in the Antarctic. Today they are under monument protection.

Importance

The cabins were the base station for scientific and geographical exploration of the South Pole by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914 under the direction of the geologist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. The branch is one of the six surviving stations in Antarctica, derived from the so-called " Golden Age of Antarctic research."

The expedition had made ​​a first radio link from the Antarctic to the Australian continent via a relay station on Macquarie Island. Mawson also brought the first airplane to Antarctica, which was, however, already been destroyed by a storm in Adelaide and had been converted to a propeller-driven sleigh.

Terrain and Buildings

The Main Hut, the main lodge, there is a lounge for 18 persons, a workshop and a veranda. It is located at the end of the boat harbor of the Main Valley. On the west elevation, the Memorial cross the expedition of 1913 is built.

The building complex consists of four log cabins, two of which are still intact and two are ruins. The transit Hat ( roofless ruin ) is a 30 m east of the Main Hut, the Magnetograph hat ( intact) and the Absolute Magnetic Hut ( Ruin without roof) are located on the lake side facing the Proclamation Hill, 260 m east of the Main Hut.

In addition to the buildings located on the grounds landmarks of scientific investigations, two fallen towers and other historical items, such as cans, wire and insulators of the transmitter system, the memory cross with plaques of the expeditions.

Conservation

The climate in the Commonwealth Bay is characterized by strong winds, snow and ice. The buildings were for years to decay. Only expeditions by the Australian Antarctic Division since the late 1970s and since 1997 the private Mawson 's Huts Foundation undertook preserving and securing work, especially against the collapse of the roofs.

Since 1972 the area has been recognized by the size of 130 acres with the cottages as Historic Site and Monument, declared 2004 to Antarctic Specially Protected Area and Antarctic Specially Managed Area to and registered in the Australian National Heritage List in 2007.