Taking possession

Men of the B.A.N.Z. Antarctic Research Expedition, 1929-31, grouped around a Union Jack flag, cheering and holding their hats in the air.

The British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) was a ship-based expedition conducted over two Antarctic summers during 1929-31. Its primary geographic and political purpose was to take possession or claim territory for the British Crown: 'You will plant the British flag wherever you find it practicable to do so ... read the proclamation of annexation...' (Ayres, p. 173) These claims were to be made in sections of the Antarctic where the government considered it had a realistic 'right' to make a claim i.e. in areas previously discovered by British (or Australian) explorers such as James Clark Ross or Mawson in 1911-14. Careful exception was made to that section of Adelie Land claimed by Frenchman Dumont D'Urville in 1839 and a more westerly section explored by the German Von Drygalski's 1901-03 expedition.

Apart from acts of possession however the expedition would also make biological and geological studies of the coast and of the sub-Antarctic islands: Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard and in the second season Macquarie Island. Dredging and deep sea soundings were also an important aspect of the cruises.

The acts of possession were more difficult than anticipated as ice conditions prevented a close approach to the mainland. Finally on 12 January 1930 an island off the coast of Enderby Land was found and a party went ashore to make the proclamation. At the summit of the island the British flag was raised and a tablet placed at the foot of the flagpole. The proclamation was then read and Mawson, fully authorised by the government to do so, claimed a sector lying between 73 degrees East of Greenwich and 47 degrees East of Greenwich and South of latitude 65 degrees. Everyone cheered while Frank Hurley the expedition photographer recorded the occasion.

Later other proclamations would be made, some made from the aircraft when the ship was unable to approach near to the coast. On 5 January 1931 the expedition was finally able to enter Commonwealth Bay, the site of Mawson's 1911-14 expedition, and make a proclamation there as well. These claims enabled the Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act of 1933. The Act came into force in 1936 and, by arrangement with the British government, established the Australian Antarctic Territory. The huge swathe of territory lay due south of Australia, the 'Australian quadrant' as Mawson had long called it.

Australia strengthened its claims to this territory with the establishment of permanent mainland bases under the management of ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions) following World War II. Under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty all territorial claims have been put aside for the duration of the Treaty.

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