Australian Antarctic Division
AAD · Antarctic Division
1948 – present
Division responsible for Australia's Antarctic program: it runs the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions, the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic stations, shipping and aviation, and Antarctic science, and supports Australia's Antarctic Treaty interests.
How it came into existence
Set up in 1948 as the Antarctic Division of the Department of External Affairs to organise the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE), which had begun with the 1947–48 voyages to Heard and Macquarie Islands; Phillip Law became its director in 1949.
- Antarctic expeditions (ANARE)
- Antarctic policy support
Changes during its life
- 1968Moved from the Department of External Affairs to the Department of Supply.
- 19 December 1972Moved from the Department of Supply to the new Department of Science.
- 1981Headquarters moved from Melbourne to Kingston, Tasmania.
- 24 July 1987Moved to the Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, and has since remained in the environment portfolio.
- 1 July 2022Became a division of the new Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Main functions
- Leading the Australian Antarctic Program
- Operation of Mawson, Davis, Casey and Macquarie Island stations
- Antarctic shipping and aviation logistics
- Antarctic and Southern Ocean science
- Environmental management of the Australian Antarctic Territory
- Policy support for the Antarctic Treaty System
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Lineage
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Sources
Government records and websites
Other sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.