Heritage values

Antarctica’s unique environment is internationally recognised, and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) protects many of its heritage values. In addition to the general, continent-wide protection provided by the protocol, extra levels of protection can be applied to areas of outstanding environmental, scientific, historical, aesthetic and/or wilderness values through area protection for specific values, and by adding areas to the list of historic sites and monuments. Whereas environmental, scientific and historical values are relatively easy to define, what constitutes aesthetic and wilderness values has not been defined by treaty parties. A recent study highlighted these issues and attempted to identify wilderness areas by quantifying human activities continent-wide over the past 200 years. One result is that, although 99.6% of the continent can still be defined as wilderness, most areas of biodiversity value have been affected by human activities. Protection of Antarctica’s biodiversity would be enhanced by the expansion of the network of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) (Leihy et al. 2020).

Natural heritage sites

Australia manages 12 ASPAs on the Antarctic continent, including one at Commonwealth Bay, and together with other nations manages the Larsemann Hills Antarctic Specially Managed Area. Since 2015, BirdLife International has identified 41 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as important breeding sites for flying seabirds and penguins in the Australian Antarctic Territory (BirdLife International 2021). Four ASPAs (Taylor Rookery, Rookery Islands, Scullin and Murray monoliths, and Amanda Bay) are included in this list. A site must fulfil certain criteria identified by BirdLife International to be nominated as an IBA (Harris et al. 2015). The Antarctic Treaty parties agreed to draw on the information about these IBAs in advancing Antarctic environmental protection objectives.

Australia’s 2 subantarctic islands or island groups – Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the Southern Ocean, and Macquarie Island in the south-west Pacific – were listed on the World Heritage List and the National Heritage List in 1997 and 2007, respectively, because of their ‘outstanding universal value’. The inclusion of these areas on the World Heritage List underlines not only the physical and natural values of these areas, but also their international importance. These areas are also significant for Australia’s Antarctic history, and both have sites of cultural heritage value (Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania & DEST 1996). Heard Island and McDonald Islands is an Australian external territory, managed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). The Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve comprises 71,000 km² in total, and is classified as a 1A Strict Nature Reserve under International Union for Conservation of Nature categories; its natural values are of outstanding national and international conservation significance (Australian Antarctic Division 2014).

Historic heritage sites

The Mawson’s Huts Historic Site at Cape Denison in the Australian Antarctic Territory is Australia’s oldest and arguably most significant historic heritage site in Antarctica (Table 7). At the time of their construction, more than 100 years ago, the huts were supposed to last only a few years. Nobody expected that the huts would still be standing more than a century later and considered a valuable part of Australia’s Antarctic heritage.

The building materials are vulnerable to deterioration, and the natural elements – wind, weather, frost, ice and meltwater – threaten the integrity of the buildings and structures. Corrosion, fungal growth, wind and snow loads, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the freeze–thaw cycle, and high relative humidity inside the main hut also affect the conservation of structures and artefacts (Lazer 2006).

The Mawson’s Huts Historic Site management plan provides guidance for the protection and conservation of the site buildings and artefacts. The Australian Antarctic Division works closely with the Mawson’s Huts Foundation, a not-for-profit charity established in 1996, to determine conservation priorities and methods to manage the site appropriately.

On subantarctic Macquarie and Heard islands, artefacts associated with 19th century sealing activities, such as iron melting pots and oil barrels, remain. The maritime climate promotes corrosion of metal artefacts, and windborne sand and salt particles abrade wooden items. Disturbance by wildlife, land erosion and slippage are also potential problems (Vincent & Grinbergs 2002, Clark 2003, Vincent 2004), as are erosion and exposure of artefacts, and volcanic and seismic activities. Seismic activity is a specific threat to structures on Macquarie Island, although most of the research expedition buildings were built to withstand tremors (Lazer 2006). There are several sealers’ graves in the south-eastern part of Heard Island, not far from a large king penguin colony. Vegetation cover is dense, and continues to cover and engulf the old graves.

Heard Island is a long way from continental Australia, and caring for the components of historic heritage on the island is an enormous challenge. The cultural heritage of Heard Island is conserved through a process of managed decay. This pragmatic management option acknowledges the practical impossibility of conserving all elements of the cultural environment in a remote area with extremely limited access (Vincent & Grinbergs 2002, Lazer 2006). Permitted visits are very infrequent and tend to be restricted to the short summer. The management plan states that heritage values are in a greatly deteriorated state and have been in such a state for a long time and are permitted to disintegrate under the influences of weather and climate. However, the exposed asbestos requires management as it poses a safety risk to people visiting the site.

The AAD liaises closely with vessel operators interested in visiting Heard Island to advise them of permit requirements. Given Heard Island’s remote location, however, it is possible that unauthorised visits occur occasionally, and that activities that would otherwise require a permit, such as entering the Heritage Zone or collecting materials from the island, could occur without the awareness of the Australian Government.

A specific risk to Heard Island is the changing coastline. For example, wooden oil barrels left by sealers at Oil Barrel Point have been steadily eroding out of the beach cliff during the past few decades (Lazer & McGowan 1990). Less than a quarter of those recorded in the 1980s are still in place.