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Hobart's Antarctic & Southern Ocean links

History books suggest Tasmania’s Antarctic experience began with the arrival of Captain James Cook at Bruny Island in 1773, after his historic journey through Antarctic waters. However, the first person to make real contact with Antarctica was the sealer Captain John Briscoe. Briscoe arrived in Hobart on 10 May 1831 on the brig Tula after travelling in Antarctic waters and naming the area east of Mawson Station Enderby Land.

From that time on, most of the famous names associated with the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, including Dumont d’Urville, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink, Roald Amunsden and Douglas Mawson used Hobart as a base for their quests.

Hobart is home to the French and Australian Antarctic resupply and research vessels, and has been the departure port for national and international Antarctic expeditions as long as there have been expeditions. It is one of the world’s outstanding natural harbours virtually unaffected by tides and fog, and there is no restriction on tonnage.

Since 2008, direct flights have operated between Hobart Airport and Australia's Casey station.

Macquarie Island, a Tasmanian subantarctic island in the Southern Ocean, provides a rich Antarctic experience to the small numbers who visit each year. In recognition of its outstanding geological significance Macquarie Island was listed as a new World Heritage Area in 1997 - the second World Heritage Area for Tasmania.