Glaciers On Heard Island Receding

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30091, 27 March 1963, Page 8

Glaciers On Heard Island Receding

(N.Z. Preu Association-Copyright)

HOBART. Mar. 25. The glaciers of Heard Island were receding rapidly and seals and penguins were establishing breeding colonies, mem l bers of the Australian Antarctic expedition of 1962-63 reported on their return in the Nella Dan yesterday. It was also found that a number of features on the present map of the island were incorrect,, and the map would have to be redrawn. Under the leadership of the director of the Depart-

ment of External Affairs (Dr. P. G. Law) the Nella Dan has performed the annual relief of Mawson and Davis bases, two of Australia’s permanent stations, and landed and later picked up a party of six men engaged on a special expedition to Heard Island. Dr. G. M. Budd, a physiologist of Sydney University, who led the expedition on Heard Island, said in spite of the failure to reach the summit of the mountain the scientific aims had been achieved. They found that the climates of the two ends of the island were quite different. The officer in charge of Mawson, Mr Michael Lucas, said there was evidence of much Russian activity in the Antarctic. During the year Russian planes had visited Mawson three times on their way to a new Russian base in Enderby Land. Relations with the visitors had been cordial and there had been cases of co-operation.