AURORA berthed in Sydney Harbour, Circular Quay West, before Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition The 386 ton barquentine-rigged sealer AURORA was built in Dundee in 1876. The vessel was used by Sir Douglas Mawson on his Australasian Antarctic expedition of 1911-1914. In 1914 AURORA underwent a refit in Sydney before being used to transport Sir Ernest Shackleton's Ross Sea party during the expedition of 1914-1917. During this time AURORA was beset in the ice and drifted for 9 months in the Ross Sea. In 1917 the vessel was used to rescue the surviving members of the Ross Sea party from Cape Evans.