Australia’s abandoned Wilkes Station in Antarctica sparks concerns over environmental risks

A team of inspectors have made a disturbing discovery at the site of a long-abandoned Australian station in Antarctica.

A team of French inspectors have sounded the alarm on a long-abandoned Australian station in Antarctica they say is a “clear risk” to the environment.

Wilkes Station was permanently shut down in 1969, but an estimated 3000 rusted fuel drums, asbestos-containing buildings and batteries remain “locked in ice” at the site.

Initially built by the US in 1957, the station was handed to Australia two years later, and it closed for good just under a decade later.

However earlier this year, a French inspection team reportedly found the 33-hectare site is littered with drums containing traces of fuel and other hazardous substances.

Concerns have emerged about environmental risks at the abandoned Wilkes Station in Antarctica.

The site contains 3,000 rusted fuel drums, asbestos-containing buildings, and other hazardous substances. Picture: Maude Jolly

Several asbestos-riddled buildings, batteries, old cans of food and animal carcasses were also discovered.

“The inspection team deemed the deteriorating state of the abandoned Wilkes Station site concerning,” the group’s report stated, as reported by the ABC.

“The presence of buildings partially or completely covered, along with waste and contaminants of various kinds and in significant quantities, poses a clear risk to the Antarctic environment and its dependent and associated ecosystems, including marine ecosystems.”

“In discussions with the on-site scientific team, it emerged that some drums had been spotted at sea, as well as oil slicks in the vicinity of the site.”

“Therefore, Wilkes presents a significant risk of pollution to the marine environment and coastal ecosystems.”

Australia abandoned the station due to environmental challenges and logistic difficulties. Picture: Maude Jolly

The ABC reports the site was inspected in February and received by the Antarctic Treaty by late May.

International inspections on each others’ Antarctic territories are common practice as part of the Treaty.

Australia ultimately abandoned Wilkes due to the challenging environmental conditions and logistic difficulties.

According to the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP), the station faced significant problems from the get-go due to the accumulation of snow and ice, which made maintenance and operations difficult.

Snow and ice build-up meant the station often became buried, causing structural issues and making it unsafe for continued use.

Australia decided to establish Casey Station three kilometres away, which offered better conditions and facilities for scientific research and operations and remains one of three permanently manned national stations.

In 2022, earmarking Wilkes specifically, the AAP announced the “largest ever Australian-led environmental clean-up of Antarctica”.

The program pledged field teams to be deployed to each of Australia’s Antarctic and sub-Antarctic research stations to assess the extent, risk and impact of “legacy waste” and contamination.

The Australian Antarctic Program in 2022 announced the largest ever Australian-led environmental clean-up of Antarctica. Picture: Maude Jolly

At the time, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Principal Environmental Toxicologist Dr Catherine King said the program would assess environmental risk, prioritise sites for clean-up, and determine what would be needed for the job.

“Over the next five years, contaminated sites across Australia’s Antarctic Territory will be examined, including the former Wilkes station,” Dr King said.

“This is about understanding what is there and the effect it’s having on the local Antarctic environment.”

“Then, based on environmental risk, prioritising which sites need to be addressed first, all the while making sure we don’t make the situation worse.”

In its recent report, the French investigators reportedly praised Australia’s assessment efforts but called for the “immediate implementation of progressive de-pollution actions,” the ABC reported.