In 1911 a group of scientists and adventurers left Hobart under the leadership of Dr Douglas Mawson. They were bound for Macquarie Island and the then unknown parts of Antarctica. The scientists of the expedition produced information that later made an major contribution to knowledge of the region. The exploration of new lands established precedence to claims, formalised in 1936 as the Australian Antarctic Territory. Although James Francis (Frank) Hurley was the official photographer to the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, other members of the expedition also took photographs.
 |
| F. Bickerton looking out over seas near Commonwealth Bay, circa 1912 |
 |
| Cavern carved by the sea in an ice wall near Commonwealth Bay, circa 1912 |
 |
| Wreck of the 'Gratitude', Macquarie Island, 1911 |
 |
| Mushroom ice formation, 1912 |
 |
| A radiant turret lit by the midsummer midnight sun, circa 1912 |
 |
| The Air-tractor, circa 1912 |
 |
| Huskies pulling sledge, circa 1912 |
 |
| Hamilton hand-netting for macro-plankton from Aurora, circa 1912 |
 |
| Arthur Sawyer and sea elephant pup, circa 1912 |
 |
| Skeleton of sea-elephant and Harold Hamilton, circa 1912 |
 |
| Aurora traversing loose pack ice entering the Durville Sea, Dec. 1913 |
 |
| Australian Antarctic Expedition members in the kitchen, circa 1912 |
 |
| Frank Hurley washing cinematograph film on the "Aurora", circa 1912 |
 |
| Start of the first Depot Journey; "The Grottoes", circa 1912 |
 |
| Wild and Watson in sleeping bag tent on sledge journey, circa 1912 |
 |
| Mawson rests at the side of sledge, outward bound on first sledge journey in Adelie Land, circa 1912 |
 |
| Mertz leaving the hut by the trapdoor on the verandah roof, circa 1912 |
 |
| Blizzard, the pup in Antarctica, circa 1912 |
 |
| Ice cased Adelie penguins after a blizzard at Cape Denison, circa 1912 |
 |
| Frozen Adelie, Antarctica, circa 1912 |
 |
| Shags defending nest, Macquarie Island, circa 1912 |
 |
| Basilisk and Ginger at Main Base, circa 1912 |
 |
| Ice mask, C.T. Madigan, circa 1912 |
 |
| Bob Bage and J. Hunter at 65 miles south |
 |
| Bage in the entrance to the Astronomic Observatory, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Young sea-elephants on the beach, Macquarie Ilsand, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Female sea-elephant, Macquarie island, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| King penguins, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Victoria penguin, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Weddell seal, Shackleton Ice Shelf, Antarctica, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Unloading dogs at Western Base, February 1912 |
 |
| Winter quarters, Queen Mary Land winter, 1911-1914 |
 |
| A dreamy Venice in seal-land, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Sclater penguin, 1911-1912 |
 |
| Unloading supplies at Cape Denison, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Madigan at the rail and Mawson stepping from the rail of the Aurora, 1911-1914 |
 |
| In full sledging gear on the plateau, 1911-1914 |
 |
| Photograph from the Expedition [group portrait], 1911-1914 |
 |
| The Aurora seen from within a cavern of the Mertz Glacier Tongue, Commonwealth Bay, Dec. 1913 |
 |
| Cape Denison during a blizzard, crampons had to be worn on boots and ice-axes used, even so progress was very difficult and could be perilous |
(via State Library of New South Wales)