Antarctica's Exploration History

James Cook

Jan 1, 1773

James Cook crosses Antarctic Circle and circumnavigates Antarctica but doesn't see any sight of land.

Adrien de Gerlache

Mar 13, 1898

Adrien de Gerlache and the crew of the "Belgica", got trapped in the pack-ice off the Antarctic peninsula because they were on a scientific expedition which was the first to the continent

Carsten Borchgrevink

Jul 10, 1899

Carsten Borchgrevink leads a British expedition that lands men at Cape Adare and they build huts. This is the first time anyone had wintered on the Antarctic landmass.

Douglas Mawson

Jan 3, 1909

In January 1909, Australian Douglas Mawson reaches the South Pole.

Roald Amudsen

Dec 4, 1911

On December 4th, Norwegian Roald Amudsen leads a five man expedition that reaches the South Pole for the first time.

Captain Scott

Jan 18, 1912

On Jan 18th 1912, UK's Robert Falcon Scott, reaches the South Pole only to discover that he'd been beaten by Amudsen. All of the five man team died on the return journey.

Douglas Mawson

Dec 14, 1912

Mawson begins trekking across George V Land back to his base in Commonwealth Bay. His two companions had died and against the odds, Mawson makes it home. A new section of Antarctica is discovered and described also radio is first used in Antarctica.

Sir George Wilkins and Carl Benjamin Eielson

Apr 23, 1928

Australian Sir George Wilkins and American Carl Benjamin Eielson are the first people to fly over Antarctica around the peninsula region.

Antarctic Treaty

Jun 19, 1961

In 1961, the Antarctic Treaty comes into effect.