Heard Island
Best months:
December to February
LAST UPDATED 27/08/2008
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introduction

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CIA World Factbook 2002: Map of Heard and McDonald Islands, 8 August 2003

Heard Island is a bleak and mountainous island with an area of 368 kilometres squared.

Its mountains are covered in glaciers and dominated by Mawson Peak, a 2,745-metre high complex volcano which forms part of the Big Ben massif.

Mawson Peak knowned as the highest Australian mountain, and one of only 2 active volcanoes in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island.

travel

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Apcbg; Location of the Islands; 26.06.2006

Getting to the Heard islands is pretty difficult and requires much preparation and planning as there are specific requirements.

To gain access you will need to join a specialist scientific expedition on board a ship and you'll need special permission from the Australian Antarctic Division due to its status as a nature reserve. There are no inhabitants on the island and living conditions will be very rough indeed.

where to stay

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Fishdecoy; Ice cave, Antarctica; 1978

Find youself a nice cave to get shelter from the sub zero freezing temperatures of the Southern Ocean storms battering the islands and pitch your tent inside it.

If you're lighting a fire - and are successful at doing so in this wet and frozen climate - make sure the cave has adequate ventilation, good luck with drying your wetsuit and preventing it from freezing solid.

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