NZ's Antarctic Research station Scott Base was formally opened on 20 January 1957.  However, NZ women have only been able to live and work as scientists and support staff in Antarctica since November 1969. After the U.S. Government's National Science Foundation (NSF), which coordinated most of the Antarctic research proposals, began to accept women scientists, a travel ban for women to Antarctica was lifted by the U.S. Navy. 

The following explores the initial opposition to women being involved in research programmes in Antarctica; what circumstances led to women being able to travel to Antarctica; and who were amongst the first NZ women to work at Scott Base as scientists and support staff, and carry out field research at various locations in Antarctica. 

PRE-1969: OPPOSITION TO WOMEN AT AntarcticA 

Since 1955, the United States has carried out a series of continuous operations known as "Operation Deep Freeze". This has involved the building and operation of research stations, including the McMurdo Station, the main American base in Antarctica. These operations support the U.S. Government's National Science Foundation (NSF) which coordinates most of the research proposals for Antarctica. The U.S. Armed Forces and New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) provide logistic support and military personnel are deployed from NZ ports and airfields.  A travel ban was imposed on women by the US Navy and the NSF Antarctic research did not accept or invite any research proposals from women. 

The barriers towards women being involved in the exploration of Antarctica and living and working at research stations stemmed from predominantly male viewpoints, which included the following: females were not as capable as men as scientists; women could not cope with the extremes of temperatures or with crises situations; that women were unable to handle heavy field equipment; and that the sanitation facilities ashore were inadequate. Furthermore, the Antarctic was seen as one of the last frontiers for conquering by males; and the presence of women would also be a distraction for males. On the other hand, there was some support for the presence of women as a more civil culture would develop.

Source: Wikipedia: Women in Antarctica, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Antarctica

PRE-1969: WOMEN AT ANTARCTICA

First women to have visited & landed in Antarctic region

Māori oral traditions describe early exploration of the Antarctic as early as the 7th Century A.D. which may also have included women. 

Early written accounts of European expeditions indicate that women from various countries have visited Antarctica as a wife or companion of the ship's captain: 

Find out more: 

• Hulbe, Christine L. (2017) "Women in glaciology, a historical perspective", Journal of Glaciology (Cambridge University Press, 8 Sept 2017)
• Oceanwide expeditions: The first women in Antarctica, URL: https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/blog/the-first-woman-and-female-scientists-in-antarctica
• Wikipedia: Ingrid Christensen, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Christensen

Applications from 1300 females not accepted for British expedition in 1937

An article in the Evening Post headed "Modern woman" (13 May 1937), reported that 1300 women had applied to join a British expedition to Antarctica departing in 1937 to spend two summer seasons in the Antarctic and the intervening winter season in New Zealand. None of their applications were accepted as the leader of the expedition, Ernest Walker, believed the conditions of the expedition and the lengthy time spend in the Antarctic would be too strenuous for women. However, the article speculates that in the near future, women may lead future Antarctic expeditions and turn down male applicants.

First European women to winter over in Antarctic region, 1947-1948

During March 1947 - February 1948 the first women to winter over in Antarctica were Americans Edith ('Jackie') Ronne (b. 1919) and Jennie Darlington (b. 1924). They had accompanied their husbands - Finn Ronne (a Norwegian-born U.S. citizen) was the expedition's leader and Harry Darlington was the chief pilot. The privately sponsored expedition, which had the support of the American Geographical Society, was known as the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE). It aimed to map the Antarctica coastline and explored both coasts of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea’s southern coast by air and by ski and dog-sled.  

Both Jackie and the newly-wed Jennie had accompanied their husbands from Texas to Chile (the last port before Antarctica). Jackie had planned to stay in the United States and take care of the expedition administration and publicity as a correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance. However, when Finn asked Jackie to continue onto Antarctica to work from there, she persuaded Jennie to also stay on board as a companion. The two women lived with their husbands and 19 other members of the expedition on Stonington Island, on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. They stayed in a former U.S. station -  the East Base which had been built for Admiral Richard Byrd's United States Antarctic Service Expedition.  

As well as being the expedition's "historian" recorder and news media correspondent, Jackie Ronne also became an assistant to Andy Thompson, a seismologist, who measured the first earthquake recorded in Antarctica, and recorded tidal observations. Her daily log of the expedition's accomplishments formed the basis for her husband, Finn's book, Antarctic Conquest, published by Putnam in 1949.  Finn named the base of the Antarctic peninsula the "Edith Ronne Land" which was later recharted and renamed - the large body of floating ice lying at the head of the Weddell Sea was officially named the "Ronne Ice Shelf" by the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names in 1968.   

Jennie Darlington did not have a specific role. Other team members have since commented that she was a great morale-booster and often acted as peacemaker between Finn and her husband Harry Darlington when their views on the expedition's operations differed. Jennie was the first woman to become pregnant in Antarctica. She later wrote the book, "My Antarctic Honeymoon: a year at the bottom of the world" (1956) in which she felt that "Taking everything into consideration, I do not think women belong in Antarctica."  Whereas Jennie did not make subsequent trips to Antarctica, Jackie returned 15 times, including the 1971 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Roald Amundsen first reaching the South Pole, and a 1995 trip to Stonington Island as guest lecturer on the expedition cruise ship Explorer. 

Find out more: 

• Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions: Edith "Jackie" Ronne, URL: https://antarctic-logistics.com/2010/08/28/ronne-ice-shelf-named-for-explorer-edith-jackie-ronne/
• Barnes, Bart (2017). "Jennie Darlington, participant in groundbreaking Antarctic exploration, dies at 93". The Washington Post. (11 Sept 2017)Ronne family Antarctic explorers, URL: http://www.ronneantarcticexplorers.com/ronne_antarctic_research_expedition.htm
• Kafarowski,  Joanna (2022). Antarctic Pioneer: The Trailblazing Life of Jackie Ronne (Dundurn Press)    
• Wikipedia: Jackie Ronne, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Ronne 

Russian women on whaling ships, late 1940s -

Since the end of the Second World War,  Russian whaling ships have operated in the Antarctic catching humpback and baleen whales. The Slava factory ship and a fleet of 'catcher' ships set sail for the Antarctic on 22 December 1946 and began whaling operations in January the following year.  During 1959-1961, the Soviets added a new factory ship each year -  the newly built Sovetskaya Ukraina, the Yuriy Dolgorukiy (a converted passenger liner), and the newly built Sovetskaya Rossiya. Each fleet had about a thousand people, including up to 560 aboard the factory ship and a crew of 25–31 on each 'catcher' boat. 

"A notable feature of Soviet whaling fleets was the presence on board of a relatively large number of women. They served not only as cooks and laundry workers, but also as scientists, radio operators and, in one case, even the captain of a catcher."

Source: Ivashchenko, Y. V. et al (2011), "Soviet Illegal Whaling: The devil and the details", Marine Fisheries Review, Vol 73 (3), p.8

First female scientist in Antarctica, 1955-1956

During 1955-1956, the first female scientist in Antarctica was Professor Maria Klenova (1898-1976), a marine biologist, who was involved in the Russian Antarctic research programme.  She joined a Soviet oceanographic team on a Russian icebreaker, mapping unchartered areas of the Antarctic coastline and spending time ashore periodically at a Russian base. Her research helped form the first Antarctic atlas, published by the Soviet Union. 

First NZ woman to visit Antarctica mainland, Jan 1958

The first NZ woman to visit the Antarctica mainland was Marie Darby in January 1968. She was employed as a lecturer and tourist guide by Lindblad Travel Inc, New York, who had organised two cruises aboard the tourist vessel, the Magga Dan, during January and February. At the time Darby was on leave as a marine zoologist at the Canterbury Museum. She was also an Honorary Ranger to the then Lands Department. Twelve of the first group of 25 tourists were women, most of whom were from the United States. Darby prepared a checklist of sub-Antarctic birds as information for those on board, and kept her own record of summer seabirds seen between New Zealand and McMurdo Sound.   

Permission for Darby and the tourists to pay a brief visit to Scott Base was given by the leader of Scott Base, William Webb, who said he was satisfied that "the party is sufficiently interested in our scientific projects to warrant approval of their requests".  He "did not expect the presence of women to have any unsettling effects on the men", adding "it's my guess that some of the men will be a bit shy."  

Dorothy Braxton, a New Zealand journalist who joined the second sailing of the Magga Dan, described the exclusion of women at Antarctica as "the petticoat ban imposed on women who wanted to reach these regions"  in her book entitled "The abominable snow-women" (Wellington,  A.H. & A.W. Reed. p. 17).  

Source:   'Marie Darby', URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Darby#cite_note-:3-16 (Wikipedia)

During both trips, Darby recorded the seabirds she had sighted which was later published in Notornis magazine; carried out benthic invertebrate sampling, and noted the sea and air temperatures and the weather conditions.  She also carried out further trips as a lecturer with Lindblad Travels to Antarctica on the Ocean Princess (1991-92) and on the Marco Polo (1993–94).

Source:  'Women in Antarctica', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/women-antarctica, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 22-Jul-2014)  

Travel ban on NZ geology student, 1959 

Colin Bull (Senior lecturer, Dept. of Physics, Victoria University) had led a team sponsored by the University to Antarctica in 1958-59. The following year, he organized a second five-member team from Victoria University to carry out further research in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Dawn Rodley, a geology student, asked if she could be the fifth member of the team. Her background experience had included making first ascents in the Mount Cook area and carrying out long traverses in the Tararuas Range. Bull's immediate response was affirmative:

 "Great! Except that she was female, and no female scientist had ever been to the Antarctic. So I jumped at the wonderful opportunity that Dawn represented. Our little university might make a great step forward in the social development of the whole world!"

Bull sought approval for Rodley to join the team which was was given by the four male members (and by their wives), Victoria University, the Ross Dependency Research Committee, and the official Antarctic Committee of the New Zealand government. When Bull looked at organising transport, Ted Thorne, the senior ship captain in the New Zealand navy, was agreeable to the team travelling from Christchurch to the Scott Base. 

However, the U.S. Navy refused to include Rodley aboard the helicopter flight from Scott Base to Lake Vashka:

" All we needed now was one hour of helicopter time to fly Dawn and the others from Scott Base to Lake Vashka. The U.S. Navy, in charge of Operation Deep Freeze for the burgeoning American research program, adamantly refused.  I tried and tried. I tried to get New Zealand Prime Minister Walter Nash and the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand involved — all to no avail. The Navy was getting cross with us, so I became scared that they might refuse to take over the male members as well. So Dawn, bless her, resigned from the expedition and was replaced..."  

Source:  United States Antarctic Programme: The Antarctic Sun: "Behind the scenes: Colin Bull recalls his 10-year quest to send women researchers to Antarctica, (13 Nov 2009), URL: https://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/1955

U.S. Institute of Polar Studies lobbied U.S. Navy during 1960s

In 1961, Colin Bull joined the Institute of Polar Studies at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He continually proposed sending women scientists to Antarctica who would be funded by the Ohio State University, but the U.S. Navy would not agree to provide transport. Meanwhile, in July 1968 the National Science Foundation (NSF), which managed the U.S. Antarctic Research Program, began to invite research proposals from women. This led to the U.S. Navy relenting and suggesting that a four-women team of scientists be sent. The team chosen by Bull from the Ohio State University was led by geochemist Lois Jones and included Kay Lindsay (biologist), Eileen McSaveney (graduate student in geology) and Terry Tickhill Terrell (chemistry undergraduate).  The four women were included amongst a group of six women flown to the South Pole from Christchurch in November 1969. 

FIRST NZ WOMAN At SOUTH POLE, 12 Nov 1969

In November 1969, the four women chosen by Bull from the Ohio State University were included amongst a group of six women flown to the South Pole from Christchurch. The fifth woman was American Jean Pearson who was a science writer for the Detroit Free Press. The sixth woman was New Zealander Pamela Young who was to be a field assistant at Cape Bird to her biologist husband, Euan, who was on his sixth trip.  She was described as the "First Lady for Scott Base" when her selection was announced in June 1969. The six women and a team of reporters were escorted on the flight by Rear Admiral David F. (Kelly) Welch, the Commander, Naval Antarctic Support Force.

On 12 November 1969, when the Hercules LC-130 landed on skis at the South Pole, the news media aboard alighted first in order to record the arrival of the women scientists. Hence, Jean Pearson, by virtue of her "newsman with camera" designation, became the first woman to step foot on the South Pole. As the news media wanted to know who would be the first women scientist to step onto the South Pole, Rear Admiral Welch decided to alight from the plane arm-in-arm with all six women. After being given a guided tour of the South Pole station and lunch, they re-boarded the plane and flew to McMurdo to head off to their field sites. 

The four U.S. scientists were involved in the US Antarctic Program's expedition at the McMurdo Dry Valleys near McMurdo Station. They were accompanied by Pearson who took photographs and wrote a series of  articles that were published in the Detroit News from 27 January through to 6 February 1970. New Zealander Pamela Young spent ten weeks between November 1969 and January 1970 at Cape Bird as a field assistant counting penguins and observing their behaviour. She wrote a book about her trip: "Penguin summer or a rare bird in Antarctica" (Wellington: A.H. Reed, 1971)

Find out more: 

• Rejcek, Pete, "Breaking the Ice: First U.S. female scientists enter Antarctic history in 1969". Antarctic Sun (13 Nov 2005)
• 'Women in Antarctica', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/women-antarctica, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 22-Jul-2014 
• Wikipedia: Women in Antartica, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Antarctica
• Wikipedia: Pamela Young, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Young

NZ women in Antarctica since 1970

After the National Science Foundation (NSF) started to accept applications in 1969 from women to undertake research in Antarctica, New Zealand women applicants began to be accepted. 

Bathroom facilities for women

Geologist Margaret Bradshaw visited Antarctica 9 times from 1975

Geologist Margaret Bradshaw, who was the curator of earth sciences at the Canterbury Museum, was the first woman to lead a deep field party in 1979. Beginning with her first visit to Antarctica in 1975, she completed nine field trips. Of her first trip with British geologist Susan Bradshaw to collect fossils and rocks for display in the Museum's new Antarctic Hall, she commented about their arrival at Scott Base: 

“It didn’t bother us at all. We thought we’d fit right in, but when we went to the bar it was full of bearded characters who glowered at us and said, ‘We came down here to get away from people like you.’”

 “Even in the 70s and 80s there were the odd times when leaders would try to stop you doing full survival training. They would say being alone in a snow cave overnight was too dangerous. But we stuck to our guns and, in the end, they didn’t hold it against us.” 

Source: Christchurch Antarctic Office: Polar explorer: Margaret Bradshaw

Various roles held by NZ women, 1980s -

Antarctica only has two seasons - winter and summer. Each year seasonal staff are employed with the majority working over the summer season from September until February. A  group of around 12-15 staff will stay on to spend the winter at Scott Base, until the following season's staff arrive. 

"Scott Base, New Zealand's only Antarctic research station, perches on a low volcanic headland called Pram Point at the southern end of Ross Island. It is 3800km south of Christchurch and 1350km from the South Pole. Mt Erebus, an active volcano, sits north-east and to the west, across McMurdo Sound, is the Royal Society Range. Here, lies the boundary between the Ross Ice Shelf and the sea ice that forms every winter. From October to February, Scott Base is a bustling hub of scientists, staff and visitors. Up to 86 people can be accommodated at any one time; during the summer season, more than 300 people stay on base."

Source:  Scott Base, URL: https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/scott-base

Antarctica New Zealand formed 1996

The New Zealand Antarctic Institute, known as Antarctica New Zealand, was established on 1 July 1996 by the New Zealand Government. The Institute is responsible for developing, managing, and administering New Zealand activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, supporting science and environmental protection.  The head office is sited at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, which houses the United States, Italian and Korean Antarctic programmes.  The first appointment to the position of Chief Executive was Gillian Wratt (1996-2002).

Recreational facilities at Scott Base: "We have a gym, a library with games, a workshop, hold bar talks with scientists, and we have instruments to play. Staff have the opportunity to go on familiarisation trips to explore the local surrounds and we have annual events with McMurdo Station, such as the McMurdo Marathon, tug of war and the manhaul race. Photography is another popular hobby." 

Source: Antarctica New Zealand: Jobs - Frequently asked questions: What can you do in your down time, URL:  https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/jobs

Antarctica New Zealand starts the recruitment process for new Scott Base staff at the end of summer each year, for the upcoming season.  The staff at Scott Base are assigned to one of three teams which have the following responsibilities:

• Base Services - All administrative and domestic activities at Scott Base
• Engineering - Day-to-day operation and maintenance of buildings, services, plant, and vehicles at Scott Base
• Programme Support - Supporting all New Zealand science projects and field activities.

In addition,  "New Zealand Defence Force staff are seconded to fill certain positions such as Communications Operators, Plant Operators and a Cargo Handler. A Compass Group employee manages the Scott Base shop and bar facilities during summer, and Downer provides a Telecommunications Technician who winters over." 

All new recruits complete Antarctic Field Training where they camp overnight in the field, learn first aid and other survival techniques. 

Source:  Antarctica New Zealand: Jobs, URL: https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/jobs 

Celebrating NZ women in Antarctica

New Zealand Geographic Board:

Mount Askin: In 2001, the New Zealand Geographic Board named Mount Askin after Rosemary Askin. It is a flat-topped mountain between Dartmouth Peak and Mount Aldrich on the main ridge of Britannia Range.  See: Land Information New Zealand: NZGB Gazetter: https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/49297

Young Peaks: In 2003, the New Zealand Geographic Board named a group of peaks after Pamela Young. The Young Peaks, which have summits rising above 1200 m, are 5 km long and run west to east, starting 5 km east of Mount Coley, Churchill Mountains. Flanked by Lee Glacier at north and Jorda Glacier at south. See: Land Information New Zealand: NZGB Gazetter: https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/10723

Mount Darby: In 2004, the New Zealand Geographic Board named a mountain after Marie Darby.  Mount Darby rises to 1,750 metres (5,740 ft) on the divide between Rhone Glacier and Matterorn Glacier in the Asgard Range. See: Land Information New Zealand: NZGB Gazetteer: https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/10525 

FIND OUT MORE:

• Antarctica New Zealand, URL: https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/ 
• Antarctic Heritage Trust, URL: https://nzaht.org/
• Hulbe, Christine L. (2017) "Women in glaciology, a historical perspective", Journal of Glaciology (Cambridge University Press, 8 Sept 2017)
• Oceanwide expeditions: The first women in Antarctica, URL: https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/blog/the-first-woman-and-female-scientists-in-antarctica
• Wikipedia: Women in Antarctica, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Antarctica
• 'Women in Antarctica', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/women-antarctica, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 22-Jul-2014