Winning of Australian Antarctica

The publishing of the scientific reports of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) had been a long and protracted affair being issued between 1916 and 1947. It would take 38 years for all of the BANZARE reports to be published with the last issued in 1975. The difficulty lay partly in that these scientific reports were of little interest to the general reader, so had a low commercial value. However any scientific expedition needed to justify itself and its incurred costs by ensuring the publication of reports of the studies made. The AAE reports were issued by the South Australian Government Printer, and later by the New South Wales Government Printer in return for Mawson depositing AAE materials in that state.

With BANZARE the publication of the scientific reports was supported by a trust fund. There were still lengthy delays in the publication as specimens and reports were farmed out to experts world-wide for analysis, another World War intervened, and then there was the time consuming business of editing and proof reading. Eventually Mawson's daughter Patricia would help him with this labour intensive task.

The frontispiece to the narrative shows Mawson in his cabin aboard Discovery with a portrait of Macpherson Robertson, his sponsor, looking down.

This item is reproduced courtesy of Mark Pharoh, South Australian Museum. It may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from Mark Pharoh, South Australian Museum. To request approval, complete the Quote for Copy/Permission form.