A University of Queensland Veterinary School alum takes on Antarctica, carrying out environmental management projects and research programs.

And while experiencing two weeks without sunlight while withstanding average temperatures of -20°C would be enough to send most Australians packing, for Ivor Harris, it’s all part of the challenge of living and working on the coldest, driest and windiest continent on Earth .

Kind of like Canada, eh?

Ok, not really.

Whether it’s travelling on quad bikes along sea ice, getting up close to the largest royal penguin colony in the world, or catching baby fur seals for tagging, the veterinarian and former University of Queensland Veterinary School staff member has come to call the isolated continent his second home.

UQ’s Contact Magazine recently profiled Mr. Harris, who has completed three tours as manager for three of the four Australian Antarctic Division’s stations, spending up to one year at a time at each base.

“Going to Antarctica had always been an ambition of mine and the idea of spending a year down there in such a challenging role and in such extreme environmental conditions was very attractive to me,” he says. “Even though I’ve now spent just under three years in total living there, I can confidently say I’m still not sick of it.”

Often referred to as “the freezer”, Antarctica has been visited by fewer than 200,000 people. Mr. Harris is one of only a small number of Australians who live there in any given year.

AAD staff venture to Antarctica to carry out environmental management and research programs that are critical to understanding global change and human impacts on the continent.

Summer is the busiest time for researchers, with much smaller numbers staying to see out the harsh winter. With a mere four hours of twilight a day for two weeks and temperatures falling to -40°C on the coastline and -80°C inland, the season is considered the most difficult time of year in Antarctica.

“It was certainly challenging, not only because of the climate, but also due to the confinement and isolation of a small community,” Mr. Harris explains.

He has witnessed firsthand spectacular scenes that most of us only see in wildlife documentaries, including the “extraordinary experience” of standing amongst colonies of hundreds of thousands of emperor and king penguins.

One aspect of his work on Macquarie Island involved catching and handling fur seals to tag, micro-chip and retrieve skin scrapings for DNA analysis.

“Fur seals are one of the dominant predators of the Antarctic ecosystem. Understanding their health helps us understand whether the environment is under stress,” he says.

Early in his career, Mr. Harris worked as a lecturer at the University of Queensland Veterinary School before taking on the role of Director at the central animal breeding house at the Pinjarra Hills farm, before his work with AAD.

Selection for a station manager role is very competitive and involves a number of steps including a week-long selection process in Tasmania focusing on survival skills, leadership exercises and psychological training.

“They really want to make sure you have the physical, emotional and mental attributes to cope with the isolation and confinement, as well as any people challenges that may emerge during the year,” he says.

When asked about plans to return to “the freezer”, his response is telling.

“I’d love to go to the Davis station to complete all four of the Australian bases,” he says. “Preferably in winter.”

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