Southern Exposure

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

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.