The broadscale distribution of flora (lichens, mosses, non-marine algae)and fauna (penguins, flying birds, seals)in the Stillwell Hills was mapped using GPS technology. Samples of flora were collected for taxonomic identification. Data were recorded and catalogued in shapefiles.

Geoscience Australia surveyors Bart Thomas and Ryan Ruddick travelled to Macquarie Island on the Australian Antarctic Division's voyage VMI in November/December 2016. Survey work for a number of Australian Antarctic projects was undertaken at the station on Macquarie Island. Project 4092 - Geoscience Australia geodetic and geophysical monitoring program: - Upgrade and modernise the GNSS equipment. - Undertake a local monitoring survey of the GNSS equipment. Project 5067 – Tide Gauges: - Validate tide gauge reference marks on station and at tide gauge. Project 5092 – Modernisation and Infrastructure: - Survey the pits and lights between the ANARESAT dome and the fire hydrant. - Spot heights along the isthmus. - Survey the corners of the spa and sauna building and Riometer. Project 4036 – Remediation of petroleum contaminants in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic: - Provide heights on Piezo Tubes.

The ANARE Health Register, which has been in operation since 1987, is designed to gather, store, analyse and report on all health related events occurring in the ANARE population. The principal aims of the project are to: - quantify the occurrence of ill health in Antarctic personnel. - compare the incidence rates with those in the domestic population. - assess any trends in health events. - identify high risk groups, in order to modify conditions accordingly. - assess the role of pre-existing health conditions. - examine the causes of injury. - quantify the procedures performed and drugs administered. The results of all medical consultations are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases and analysed on both a monthly and an annual basis in order to assess any emerging trends. In addition to serving as a long-term data base for epidemiological studies, the Health Register is proving to be a useful tool in the day-to-day operations of the Polar Medicine Branch of the Australian Antarctic Division.

The 'Australian Antarctic Territory coastline 2003' dataset is a digital vector representation of the coastline of Antarctica, between 45 to 160 degrees east, based on both the edge of permanent ice and grounding line, derived by means of remote sensing interpretation. A 'proof of concept' methodology over a test area was carried out to compare a number of complementary remote sensing techniques, including interferometry and airborne ice radar profiling, to confirm validation of grounding line as mapped from Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery. This methodology concept then served to validate grounding line locations elsewhere along the coast of the AAT. The National Mapping Division of Geoscience Australia and the Australian Antarctic Division developed this dataset as a joint project. Where available, Australian Antarctic Division supplied large-scale vector data of various areas around the AAT, which were included as part of the main coastline dataset. These included: * Holme Bay 1:25,000 GIS dataset * Larsemann Hills - Mapping from aerial photography captured February 1998 * Rauer Group 1:50000 Topographic GIS Dataset * Vestfold Hills Topographic GIS Dataset * Windmill Islands 1:50000 Topographic GIS Dataset * Cape Denison and McKellar Islands GIS dataset from Ikonos satellite imagery Refer to the metadata record for each of these datasets for further information. The coastline dataset is comprised of three parts: one polygon coverage consisting of ice features, and another one consisting of coastal features. A third coverage consists of only island point features (islands too small to be shown as polygons). This dataset supersedes the Australian Antarctic Territory Coastline 2001 dataset which is also part of SCAR's Antarctic Digital Database (ADD) version 4 and version 5. It replaces data digitised from Landsat 4 and 5, with that from Landsat 7 ETM+, because of its more reliable positional accuracy and more recent acquisition. The Australian Antarctic Territory Coastline 2001 dataset and metadata record have been archived. Please contact the Australian Antarctic Data Centre if you would like a copy of this data and metadata.

Taken from sections of the report: Introduction This report details the survey work carried out in Antarctica and Heard Island from December of 1996 to March of 1997 by AUSLIG on behalf of Australian Antarctic Divisions Mapping Program. The principle aim of this work was to acquire aerial photography of; the coastal areas west of Mawson, Scullin and Murray Monoliths, the immediate area around Davis station, Gaussberg and Heard Island. A number of other tasks were also carried out. In the following pages each task will be dealt with in terms of the technique employed and the results achieved and coordinates will be quoted as appropriate to the topic being discussed. Where these coordinates have been derived from GPS observations a detailed report on the processing of each baseline can be found at Appendix C. These result files have also been supplied in digital form. The survey work was carried out by the following people : Paul Digney Antarctic Division Volunteer Roger Handsworth Platypus Engineering Noel Ward AUSLIG This report does not cover the specifics of the work carried out by Roger Handsworth, that being the subject of separate reports to be submitted by him. Time Frame The survey field party departed Hobart at 5pm on Monday 9 December 1996 aboard RV Aurora Australis, Voyage 4 of the Antarctic re-supply season. Voyage 4 commenced cargo operations at Mawson on 22 December 1996. The survey party returned to Australia via Heard island from Davis Station departing Davis on 15 March 1997 aboard RV Aurora Australis, Voyage 5. Voyage 5 returned to Hobart on Saturday 29 March 1997. All passengers disembarked at about 5pm that day. The movements of the Survey party between operational areas whilst within Antarctica are as follows : 22 December 1996 - The Stillwell Hills field party, including the survey party, departed for the Stillwell Hills directly from RV Aurora Australis, 10 January 1997 - The Stillwell Hills field party, including the survey party moved to Kemp Peak depot, Stillwell Hills 11 January 1997 - The Survey party move to Mawson by S76 helicopter 29 January 1997 - Move to Davis Station via Sansom Island, by S76 helicopter, 13 February 1997 - 'Day trip' to Gaussberg ex. Davis by S76 helicopter. Aim and Project Brief Work was undertaken by AUSLIG for Antarctic Division in a number of operational areas this season. The principle areas of activity Mawson Station and the coastal areas west to Kloa Point, Davis Station and the Vestfold Hills, Gaussberg and Heard Island. The actual tasks to be carried out and the prioritisation of those tasks, at each location defined by Australian Antarctic Division and were detailed in their Brief to Surveyors(see Appendix A). As the season progressed variations both in the scope of the work programme and the relative priorities of tasks within the programme occurred. Such changes were forwarded from the Mapping Officer if originating in Kingston; or if originating in Antarctica were discussed with the Mapping Officer, if operational circumstances allowed, before implementation. At each location the major task was the acquisition of aerial photography and then establishment of ground control for that photography. Other significant tasks included vertical connections between tide gauge bench marks and the ARGN GPS sites.

Taken from sections of the report: Introduction: The following report is a detailed summary of the surveying and mapping tasks undertaken in the Vestfold Hills and Mac. Robertson Land regions of the Australian Antarctic Territory during the period from 22 December 1978 to 25 February 1979. A copy of the project instruction detailing the tasks originally intended to be undertaken is attached at Annex 37. The entire report is available as a pdf download from the URL given below.

Taken from sections of the report: Introduction The purpose of the 95/96 Antarctic survey season was to provide survey control and to acquire aerial photographs for topographic mapping in locations around Mawson, Beaver Lake, Davis and at Casey in support of the ANARE mapping program as well as providing survey support for other ANARE science programs. The following team carried out this survey work: Roger Handsworth - Antarctic Division Engineer, Natasha Adams - Antarctic Division Volunteer Surveyor, Tom Gordon - AUSLIG Surveyor. Project Outline The Antarctic Division's Brief to Surveyors which outlines the details of the program is included in Appendix A. A number of the tasks detailed were not undertaken, and they include: -Aerial photography of ice sheets for Melbourne University, -Beaver Lake Program, -Casey aerial photography. The main survey program for Antarctica in 95/96 was at Mawson Station, it included the survey control and aerial photography of the Framnes Mountains, Mawson Station and offshore islands in Holme Bay. Secondary tasks included assisting with survey requirements of the tide gauge and placing 2 sets of 3 bench marks for the new tide gauge site at Mawson, ground control for the Scullin and Murray Monoliths, ground control and photography of Taylor Rookery and detail surveying at Mawson. At Davis Station the program included aerial photography of the station and areas in the Vestfold Hills missed in 94/95, survey support as requested by the engineer working on the ASP building and levelling associated with the tide gauge. The limited time at Casey Station was to be spent using the Laser Terrain Profiler (LTP) and levelling associated with the tide gauge.

Taken from sections of the report: This report has been prepared as a supplement to the 1997/98 Survey Report by John Hyslop and contains solely comments and recommendations as seen from the perspective of the volunteer survey student. It is hoped this report may be of some use in the future planning and operation of Surveying and Mapping expeditions to Antarctica. The report has been divided according to each area visited and discusses the work achieved and highlights any possible improvements either in the actual surveys undertaken or the execution of the program as a whole. Typical issues include helicopter operations, aerial photography, the oblique mount, collaboration with other field parties, transportation and so on. VOYAGE SOUTH The voyage south provided the ideal opportunity to begin the detailed planning of the work to come. Flight planning for the photography was started and locations for photo control throughout the offshore islands at Mawson were determined. It was important to prioritize which work was to be undertaken first throughout the offshore islands at Mawson. This was to ensure the most important work was completed before the sea ice deteriorated and prevented travel on quads. The voyage to Mawson went via Casey where the surveyors were required to undertake a small amount of work during the stop over. Ice conditions prevented the Aurora reaching Casey. John and I were unable to make it to Casey due to the long fly off and limited time. Ian Sutherland (Station Leader at Casey) informed us that snow conditions over the station would have prevented most survey work anyway. This was the perfect example that survey work in Antarctica is totally dependent on current weather conditions in addition to the 'A' factor. This highlighted the fact that all plans for work in the Antarctic are required to be 'dynamic' and hence the various priorities listed in the brief were appreciated. It was quite frustrating spending close to 4 weeks on the Aurora before arriving on the continent and beginning the work proper. The frustration culminated in the problem with the Aurora's rudder and expeditioners being told we may be returning to Australia even though we were within fly-off distance to Mawson.

In July 1989 a circular was distributed calling for applicants for survey duties in the Antarctic over the 1989-90 summer season. The aim of this survey was to carry out a number of survey tasks in the Vestfold Hills, Larsemann Hills, Mawson and the Southern Prince Charles Mountains. It soon became apparent that for logistic reasons deployment in the PCMs would be difficult and this part of the survey was deleted. Job reports for this survey season : Larsemann Hills Photo control; SPOT Image control Rauer Group; Law Base; Russian tide gauge conn. Russian Primary Mark connection; Russian ice runway; Blundell Peak; Vestfold Hills; GPS baselines; Ancient Marine terraces, Lake water levels, Over Ice route markers, Mawson Pageos connection. Includes text, tables, aerial photographs and diagrams.

In December 2008, the RSV Aurora Australis had an opportunity to visit Heard Island and McDonald Islands. A number of activities took place and included: - An aerial survey (16th December) from the north coast of Red Island (west end) to the end of The Spit. The helicopter flew approximately 1.5 km offshore and at an altitude of about 1900 ft. Then it flew directly to the west coast and surveyed from Henderson Bluff to Kildalke. Video, stereo photos and photos of wildlife colonies and areas of interest were taken. - An aerial survey (17th December) from The Spit travelling along the south coast. Then repeating the aerial survey of the 16th. The survey of the 16th was in dull light and was repeated on the 17th when light was better. - A ship-based survey from Atlas Roads to the north coast of The Spit was made on the 16th December and from Atlas Roads to Red Island on the 17th December. Stereo photos, photos of wildlife and named features and video were taken about 2nm offshore. - A team of people visited Atlas Cove and assessed the huts and ruins, took stereo photos of heritage items and elephant seals. - A small team flew around the Island and assessed and photographed the hut sites. - On the 17th December, the RSV Aurora Australis sailed past McDonald Islands. Visibility was poor so only a few photos were taken. - Water samples were taken for AAS Project 2899. More information is included in documents and spreadsheets, including some GPS locations of where photographs were taken, by whom and photo descriptions.