Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01343:front:0:p58
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01343
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 149332–152128

rings.

Attitudes to the detritus in the dark room have varied markedly since work began to conserve the site. Early works parties, for instance, viewed the undifferentiated mass of material on the floor as 'compost' that should be dug out and discarded, whereas others view the litter as a resource that enriches our understanding of the site's use beyond what the documentary sources provide.

Artefacts outside the huts are in various conditions, with seasonal variations in snow levels limiting the monitoring of some items. Artefact scatter surveys undertaken during 2009/10 and 2010/11 concluded that some objects within the artefact scatter have moved or disappeared. Wind is the most likely cause but wildlife and visitors also move objects.

The interior of the Main Hut has a number of fixtures that were part of the 1911-14 expedition. Situated near the darkroom in the main living area, the stove was used for cooking and heating. The stove has largely been excavated from the ice. The surface of the cast iron stove shows minor surface corrosion. When the hotplate rings were freed of ice, the interior of the stove revealed the remains of coke/wood from previous use. The refractory bricks lining the main oven appeared to be in a stable state. A sheet of metal plate located underneath and in front of the stove appears to have served as a hearth.

Shelving can be found throughout the workshop and living area, many containing a range of artefacts, while others have been damaged by ice and snow. Along the inside walls of the living area, bunk beds can be found with the inscriptions of the expeditioners' initials. Accumulated ice has been removed from the bunks. The bunks are in a relatively good condition except that many planks used to support the mattresses have been removed. The remaining planks were scraps of timber from packing cases and off-cuts of tongue and grooved boards.

The acetylene plant used for lighting is in good condition although chemical by-products from the conversion process remain inside the plant.

2.7.6 Unknown Factors

While knowledge of and confidence in many aspects of the site is increasing, there remain unknown factors and areas of limited data in relation to the condition of the huts and how some of their listed values are conserved and protected, including:

           * All points of ingress for snow and melt water, including the effect of hoarfrost in walls and ceiling through freeze/thaw actions

           * long-term rate of snow and melt water ingress, once all the known ingress points are blocked
    1.
           * the internal climatic changes that have resulted from over-cladding the roof

           * the types of objects located within inaccessible ice-filled verandahs and possible nearby caches

           *