BOOKS
Hillary's Antarctica
Adventure, Exploration and Establishing Scott Base
Nigel WatsonRRP: £16.99
2 May 2019
Published by Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781760633578
The first book to fully document and celebrate Sir Edmund Hillary’s contribution to Antarctic history. Written by Nigel Watson of the Antarctic Heritage Trust, it is illustrated with Jane Ussher’s stunning photographs, plus historic images and never-before-seen ephemera and diary entries.
Hillary and the New Zealand team were supposed to be a support act to the British Commonwealth Antarctic crossing party. By heading on to the South Pole and reaching it before the crossing party, Hillary exceeded the brief. His actions created tensions, unleashed a media storm and denied the British an historic first overland to the South Pole since Captain Scott. Hillary even had the audacity to achieve the feat with three farm tractors.
In doing so, Sir Edmund Hillary added another fascinating chapter to the exploration annals of Antarctica and he, and his expedition team, laid the foundations for New Zealand’s continuous, and increasingly important, presence in Antarctica.
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER