Campaign to keep historic Aurora Australis in Australia failsCampaign to keep historic Aurora Australis in Australia fails

Key to Australian Antarctic Program

Built at the Carrington Slipways in New South Wales in 1989, Aurora Australis was regularly chartered for the Australian Antarctic Program, carrying essential cargo and fuel to its scientific stations for 30 years.

Passengers were classified as ‘expeditioners’ and Aurora Australis paved the way for today’s fleet of luxurious polar expedition ships.

Owned by P&O Maritime Services, she returned to Hobart from a final voyage in March.

Plan for Australian Antarctic Heritage precinct in Hobart

The Aurora Australis Foundation (AAF) had planned to create an Australian Antarctic Heritage precinct in Hobart, with the ship as its centrepiece recording Australia’s Antarctic history.

The Mawson’s Huts Foundation has built a replica of Sir Douglas Mawson’s hut in Hobart, which has become a major tourist attraction for local and international visitors.

‘Australia is rightly proud of its military history,’ AAF Secretary/Director Dr Melanie Van Twest said. ‘Australia has a similarly long and courageous story to tell about its Antarctic endeavours and achievements.’

However, Van Twest said Aurora Australis is now to be lost to Australia forever.

Protection removed

Paul Fletcher, the federal minister for communications, cyber safety and the arts, has signed an export permit for P&O Maritime to remove the ship from Australia, removing the protection that it was given as an Australian Protected Object under Commonwealth heritage law.

‘Without government support or substantial private funding — neither of which are forthcoming, despite months of work — we are unable to make an offer to P&O Maritime to purchase and preserve Aurora Australis ourselves,’ Van Twest said.

‘The AAF board sadly and regretfully accepts there is nothing we can do to prevent Aurora Australis being sold to a foreign owner and/or to be broken up for scrap.’

Heritage preservation work goes on

Van Twest said this is not the end for AAF's work.

‘We will work hard to ensure that the spirit of Aurora Australis will be preserved for the future,’ she said.