The 2017 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year, Justin Gilligan, turns his creative eye to the uniqueicy world of beauty and contrast that he found at the end of the Earth on an expedition to East Antarctica.
Justin Gilligan travelled to Antarctica as part of his prize for winning the 2017 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition. The prize was kindly donated by Heritage Expeditions and you too can visit such wild landscapes with Heritage – see p91. The 2019 competition closes on 25 January and we’re pleased to announce that Justin will join Tui De Roy and Glenn McKimmin to judge the 2019 entries.
WATCHING FROM A ROLLING hill peppered with tussocks of endemic grasses, I’m awestruck by the rawness of the scene before me. And I’m grateful the pelting wind and occasional squalls have subsided enough to allow the return of southern royal albatross to the slopes of subantarctic Campbell Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s late afternoon and the sun dips towards the horizon, breaks through the clouds and spotlights the birds, many of which are now on the ground, congregating closely and vocalising with each other.
In the distance, other royals soar like pterodactyls on thermals high above broken cliffs reminiscent of fallen castles. It’s a fitting scene for this iconic species. Like their cousin, the wandering albatross, royals have a wingspan of more than 3m, larger than that of any other bird.
Looking west towards Dent Island and east towards our expedition vessel, the Russian-flagged Akademik Shokalskiy, anchored in Perseverance Harbour, the handful of brave expedition members remaining to take in the scene on this final landing are again reminded just how far removed from civilisation we are. It’s been a consistent theme throughout our 30-day expedition – the feeling that we’re among the fortunate few to have experienced a remote and wild realm where nature rules.
This story is from the January/February 2019 edition of Australian Geographic Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January/February 2019 edition of Australian Geographic Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DESERT DELIGHT
The Great Victoria Desert, Australia's largest, defies expectations. Visibly rich in biodiversity, it challenges preconceptions about how a desert should look.
A NEW BROOME
New experiences with First Nations people on Country are transforming \"flop-and-drop\" tourism in this tropical getaway.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB
For six days last autumn, a ragtag band of walkers came together to tackle the famed Overland Track and explore central Tasmania's spectacular flora, from the tiniest fungus to its towering King Billy pines.
BACK FOR THE FUTURE
Bathurst is one of several regional inland cities holding historic-trades fairs, tapping into growing enthusiasm for a slower, more sustainable way of living and of making things..
HELPING HANDS
These bizarre, shy fish that walk instead of swim face a precarious future in the waters of southern Australia.
COMMEMORATING BROTHERS IN ARMS ON COUNTRY
The military service of two First Nations World War II soldiers, long overlooked by history, is celebrated annually on an outback pilgrimage by an Aussie music legend.
UNEXPECTED PACIFIC PARADISE
Visiting Micronesia's islands and atolls offers an unexpected rare glimpse into remote communities steeped in centuries-old cultural traditions.
THE PATRIOT CONVICTS
A little-known group of political prisoners, transported from Canada to the Australian colonies, had far-reaching effects.
NEW SPACES FOR OCEAN LIFE
In an alliance between Australian marine ecologists and industrial designers, science and art meet to restore ecological function at some of the world's most altered coastal landscapes.
RESCUING AN EMBLEM
Nothing says an Aussie Easter quite like the bilby, but this symbol of the outback is facing a tough struggle for survival.