Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
Davis research station is officially in the hands of the 79th ANARE – or Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (as the Australian Antarctic Program used to be known).
Over the past eight days we’ve unloaded about 500 tonnes of cargo and 775,000 litres of fuel and brought tonnes of RTA (return to Australia) cargo back onto the ship.
At the same time, the wintering tradespeople and specialists, doctor and cooks have shown the new team around, handed their roles over and packed up their personal effects.
Some science projects continue while resupply happens. A mapping team has done surveying work at the station and seabird scientists have been doing day trips to check on southern giant petrel colonies a few kilometres away.
The two BK-117 helicopters – used in the Heard Island campaign – were flown off to ship to Davis, where they’ll stay for the summer. A twin otter plane also brought two winterers from Mawson research station to join the ship for the journey home.
The seabird and seal scientists, and the Heard Island field leader, have been taking groups out to Gardner Island on recreational trips to see the Adelie penguin colony there.
It’s a 30-minute walk across the ice and you have to take a survival pack, an ice axe and all your survival clothing in case the weather turns. There are thousands of nesting pairs on the rocky outcrop and you have to stay at least 15m away to avoid disturbing them.
If you can stand the icy wind long enough, you can watch the penguins walking around, collecting rocks for their ‘nests,’ and squawking loudly at each other.
When other penguins aren’t watching, they steal from their rock piles too. All the rocks looked the same to us but clearly some are more attractive than others.
There is almost constant sunshine at this time of year and on the evening trips, walkers would return to the ship in the most beautiful gold light, with icebergs behind them.
By mid-week all the hard work was done and there was a ceremony at the station where the station key was formally handed from outgoing station leader, Nic Bye, to incoming leader Jenny Bonser. The Australian flag of the 78th ANARE was lowered, and that of the 79th raised.
The 78th all moved into their cabins on to the ship – the mess and the observation deck are full of people again!
After a muster and roll call to make sure everyone was on board, RSV Nuyina did a multi-point turn in the ice and we headed back out the way we’d come. The ship sounded its horn and flares were let off from the ship’s helideck, from a hill near the station, and from the station itself.
Another 12 or so days and we’ll be home!
This content was last updated 24 minutes ago on 7 November 2025.