Mawson Station

Mawson Station lies along the shore of Holme Bay, where the exposed rock of the Framnes Mountains meets the ice-bound coast of Mac. Robertson Land. Established by Australia in 1954, it is the country’s longest continuously operating Antarctic research station and honours geologist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. Its setting differs sharply from Antarctica’s vast interior: sea ice, glacier-fed terrain and mountain outcrops define a compact coastal foothold in East Antarctica. The short austral summer shapes activity here, while the bay and surrounding ranges give the station a powerful sense of scale and isolation. Explore nearby webcam locations that provide complementary perspectives on Holme Bay and Mac. Robertson Land.

The terrain of Australian Antarctic Territory ranges from ice-shelf-lined shores beside the Southern Ocean to the high Antarctic plateau far inland, creating a continent-scale realm overwhelmingly covered by ice. Across its East Antarctic sector lies part of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, an immense frozen mass that influences conditions well beyond the coast. There are no permanent civilian towns; human presence centres on scientific research and the demanding logistics needed to operate in polar conditions. Australia accepted the territory from Britain in 1936, and its claim operates within the Antarctic Treaty system. Discover how the Australian Antarctic Territory connects with East Antarctica by browsing webcams nearby.

Among Earth’s polar regions, Antarctica stands out for being the coldest, driest and windiest continent. The vast Antarctic ice sheet holds most of the planet’s freshwater ice, while the Transantarctic Mountains divide much of the continent between East and West Antarctica. Along the Ross Sea, sea ice and open water support colonies of penguins, seals and seabirds during the brief austral summer. Antarctica has no permanent population, but international research stations operate under the Antarctic Treaty system, founded on the 1959 treaty that set the continent aside for peaceful scientific cooperation. Historic expedition huts near Ross Island recall the early polar journeys of Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton. Find related webcams in the surrounding area to build a fuller picture of Antarctica.