2. Mawson's Antarctic proclamation, 1931
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The joint British, Australian and New Zealand expedition to Antarctica (also 
known as BANZARE) in 1930-1931 laid claim to vast tracks of the continent in the 
name of King George V. Eric Douglas recorded the event in his diary, 'yesterday 
at noon the Flag was hoisted and the Proclamation read out... after this three 
cheers were given and the Ceremony was completed'.

Under the command of Douglas Mawson, 42 per cent of the continent was claimed as 
the Australian Antarctic Territory. This proclamation, later called the Mawson 
Proclamation, was actually buried in the ice to be found over forty years later 
by another expedition team in 1976.

Mawson's first visit to Antarctica was in 1907 as part of Ernest Shackleton's team. 
In 1911, Mawson set out again in charge of the Australasian Antarctic Research 
Expedition. As part of this expedition, the crew designed and built five simple huts 
at Cape Denison, in Commonwealth Bay, about 300km south of Hobart. These huts would 
be their home for the next two years of scientific research, and were used again for 
the 1930s BANZARE expedition. The important role these huts played in early 
exploration has ensured their worthy inclusion on the National Heritage List.

In 1947, the Australian Government established the Australian National Antarctic 
Research Expedition initiative with Mawson as one of the key advisers. He went 
on to recommend the establishment of a permanent base on the continent, and in 1954,
Mawson Station was established. The station still operates today and is a lasting 
reminder of the important role of these brave Antarctic pioneers.
  
Today Australia maintains three stations on the Antarctic continent - Mawson, 
Davis, and Casey - and a subantarctic station on Macquarie Island. These stations 
conduct research on how to protect this unique ecosystem and to understand the 
role of the region in the global climate system.