Mawson's Huts Replica Museum

On a remote piece of Antarctic coast stand a couple of huts built by explorer Douglas Mawson. They are still standing after a century of blizzards in the windiest place on earth, but few will get to visit the originals. However, anyone visiting Hobart can walk through very authentic replicas ... and get a rich taste of the 'heroic era' of Antarctic exploration.

The Mawson's Huts Replica Museum is more than just a couple of wooden huts. It's a living museum with displays telling the story of an eventful expedition led by Australian geologist and explorer Douglas Mawson in 1911-14. It was a scientific expedition, but apart from new knowledge it also generated a national hero and formed the basis for Australia's claims to 42% of Antarctic territory.

A notable part of the expedition was Mawson's survival against the odds after his companions died on a long sledging journey. One author has described his amazing ordeal as "the greatest story of lone survival in polar exploration".

This happened around the same time as the tragedy of the Scott versus Amundsen race to the south pole, and just a few years before the incredible survival of Shackleton's Antarctica-crossing team after their ship was crushed by ice. The story of Mawson's expedition is just as worthy in my opinion, but his exploits were a little overshadowed at the time by his better-known contemporaries.

Address: Morrison St & Argyle Street, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
Hours: Closes soon ⋅ 3PM ⋅ Opens 10AM Wed
Phone: +61 3 6231 1518