Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01343:front:0:p49
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L01343
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 125946–128733

disturbed by human activities making it one of the most diverse and unique. The site is a fundamental part of the history of Antarctic exploration and of the two bases constructed by Australians during this period it is the only surviving base. The overall site with its range of buildings, scientific equipment and artefacts demonstrates life in Antarctica during this period.

The site is significant for its association with Sir Douglas Mawson and the members of the AAE for whom the site was a base and home for two years. It is a memorial to the members who lost their lives, and also to the contribution that Mawson and his team made to Antarctic science and geography.

The scientific community, the Antarctic veteran community and the larger Australian community view Mawson's Huts as a symbol of the achievements of the AAE and Mawson himself. The AAE has become an integral part of Australia's exploration history and has gained a mythic quality. The science and veterans community value the AAE for its role in Antarctic scientific research and for the way it became a model for further exploration in the Antarctic.

The Mawson's Huts Historic Site is of aesthetic value. The location of the huts on a small rocky peninsula surrounded by a vast area of ice and sea evokes a powerful sense of isolation. Important visual elements also include the setting of the AAE hut structures and memorial cross and the British and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) proclamation pole. The building form of the huts themselves shows the functional and efficient planning that was undertaken in response to the site position and the elements. The weathering of the huts and decay of the remains gives a feeling of time elapsed and relates to the exposure to the elements.

The Mawson's Huts Historic Site is an area of substantial archaeological deposit and archaeological potential. The site has already yielded archaeological evidence providing insight into the living conditions experienced by the AAE. The interiors of the huts are important in that they contain evidence of the domestic and work life of the AAE. The site still retains a great deal of physical evidence which can be interpreted by archaeological study.

The Huts are of technical significance being excellent examples of the innovation and technology used to combat the extreme conditions of the Antarctic and provide functional living and working quarters. The huts were designed by Douglas Mawson and pre-fabricated in Australia before the expedition. Mawson developed the huts using his own knowledge and experience. The designs incorporated the need for wind resistance, simplicity, portability and resistance to the cold.

Mawson's Huts are significant as evidence of Mawson's design theory that