Douglas Mawson Douglas

Written Written by Nicole Bogue Douglas Mawson Douglas

Douglas Mawson Springboard 5

Steve Irwin Fred Hollows Other Biographies in Springboard 5: seals in this area. Later on, he Later was on, one of the first to work to the save whales and but also a brave explorer. He but also a explorer. brave Antarctica went to times. several He almost lost his life there. Australia’s greatest heroes. Australia’s was Mawson a brilliant scientist, This biography tells the story oneof Douglas of Mawson, For inspection teachers' Douglas Mawson

Written by Nicole Bogue Cover images of Douglas Mawson peering over edge of crevasse (top left), Douglas Mawson (middle), Nimrod in Antarctica (right) Douglas Mawson Getty Images (Time & Life Picture cover top left, Mansell p19); Photography by National Library of Australia (an23478526 cover middle, vn3160740 cover right, an23478526 p1, vn3160740 p9, ONLY vn3239568 p10, vn3124321 p12, vn3119521 p23, an23323331 p24, vn3123146 p25, an10932811- 3 p26, an13751629-48 p27); Corbis/Tranz (p6); Hedgehog House/R. Morrison (p8); Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales (p5, p11, pp13–15, pp16–18, pp20-–22); South Australian Museum (p28); Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia (p29 top); Reserve Bank of Australia (p29 bottom)

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Published by Introduction...... 6 Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd Level 1, 15–19 Claremont Street, South Yarra, Victoria 3141 Beginnings...... 7 www.macmillan.com.au

Edited by Jane McKenzie/Ruth Adeane-Nancarrow Research and Discovery...... 8 Designed by Kevin Currie Printed in Hong Kong The British Antarctic Expedition 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1907–1909...... 9 ISBN: 978-1-4202-6182-0 The Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911–1913...... 14 Trapped for Another Year February–December 1913...... 23 British, Australian, and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expeditions 1929–1930 and 1930–1931...... 26 A Hero Returns...... 28 Glossary...... 31 Index...... 32

Yorkshire, England onIs May5, born in

1880 Time Line of Douglas Mawson’s Life Wales, Australia South New in family his with Arrives

1885 of Sydney University at degree Engineering Bachelor of Gains survey out ageological (Vanuatu) to carry HebridesNew to the expedition Joins an

1890

1895 of Adelaide University at a science lecturer as job first his Begins of Sydney University at degree Science Bachelor of Gains Ernest Shackleton Ernest led by Expedition, Antarctic Is amember of British the 1900 University of Adelaide University atof degree Science Doctor Is awarded

1905 Expedition Antarctic Australasian the Leads Mawson Douglas Becomes Sir Delprat (Paquita) Adriana Francisca Marries

1910

1915

1915 United States oftour the alecture Makes War Britain Iin World in Serves

1920 Empire (OBE) Order of British the the Is awarded Adelaide ofGeology, University Becomes Professor of and the Commonwealth Commonwealth the and Unitedthe Kingdom academy of science of the Society, Royal the Becomes aFellow of 1925

1930 Expedition Antarctic Zealand New Australian British the Leads

1935 of Science for Advancement the Association Zealand New and of Australian the Becomes President

1940 Mawson Douglas explorer Antarctic

1945 of Sydney University atof degree Science Doctor Is awarded inspection inspection Brighton, Australia South onDies 14, October in

1950 For teachers' teachers'

1955 ONLY

1960 For inspection Where Douglasteachers' Mawson Introduction Beginnings Was Born

Sir Douglas Mawson is an Australian hero. He was an Life began for Douglas ONLY important scientist. He is famous for his great contributions Mawson on May 5, 1882, in North Sea to the study of rocks and minerals. Shipley, Yorkshire, England. Scotland Mawson was an explorer, too. He went to Antarctica His father, Robert, was a cloth several times. He almost lost his life there. Most of all, trader. His mother’s name was Mawson is famous for his amazing story of endurance in the Margaret. Douglas had an Northern coldest place on Earth. older brother named William. Ireland Shipley When he was two years old, Douglas and his family Ireland England moved to New South Wales, Wales Australia. The two Mawson London boys went to a small country 0 km 300 school. Later, they went to Fort Street High School,

in Sydney. 0 50 100 150 200 250 Miles 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Kilometres When he was 16, Douglas went to the University of Sydney. There, he studied mining. Douglas Mawson gained his Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1902. Rocks and minerals fascinated Mawson. He knew they held clues about what Earth was like millions of years ago. He began work on a degree in the science that deals with how Earth formed and the rocks it is made of, or geology.

Douglas Mawson in 1911

For inspection teachers' Research and Discovery The British Antarctic Expedition 1907–1909 Mawson wanted to do research and discover new things. In ONLY 1903, he went on his first exploring journey, or expedition. Mawson heard about a British expedition to Antarctica. He travelled to the New Hebrides, now called Vanuatu, and Of course, he wanted to take part. He met with Ernest helped study the geology of these islands. Shackleton, the leader of the expedition. Shackleton gave Then Mawson went back to university. He gained his Mawson a place on the team. Mawson would go to the second degree in 1905. Then he went to Adelaide, in South frozen continent. Australia. There he began his first job as a science lecturer. On New Year’s Day, 1908, Nimrod docked near sea ice Mawson studied minerals that give out rays or particles. Shackleton’s ship, Nimrod, left in Antarctica These minerals are called radioactive minerals. He was Lyttelton, New Zealand, for one of the first scientists in Australia to study them. He Antarctica. Mawson was on board. described a radioactive mineral called radium and gave His university teacher, Professor Radium Hill its name. Mawson even found a new mineral. Edgeworth David, was also a He named it davidite, after a member of the team. The expedition university teacher and friend. members spent five weeks at sea Mawson found clues to before arriving in Antarctica. the past in the rocks of South The team spent the next two Australia. This hot, dry weeks unloading all their supplies. country was once covered It was getting colder. Soon the sea in huge rivers of ice called would start to freeze. Nimrod would glaciers. Mawson wanted to have to go back before it got trapped find out what glaciers do to in the ice. rocks. His interest in glaciers By the end of February, the ship would lead him to Antarctica. had gone, and the 15 men left behind had put up a hut to live in. They spent another month building bunks and

Glacier ice made the grooves in these South shelves, and making their home more comfortable. Australian rocks 280 million years ago.