The Tasmanian Antarctic Gateway Strategy 2022-2027 sets goal of making Hobart world’s top Antarctic gateway city

Hobart needs to upgrade its port infrastructure, co-locate its scientific facilities and promote opportunities for young people if it is to consolidate its position as the world’s premier gateway to East Antarctica, the chair of the Tasmanian Polar Network says.

RSV Nuyina nears Davis research station on its first voyage to Antarctica. Picture: Pete Harmsen/AAD

Hobart needs to upgrade its port infrastructure, co-locate its scientific facilities and promote opportunities for young people if it is to consolidate its position as the world’s premier gateway to East Antarctica, the chair of the Tasmanian Polar Network says.

Richard Fader, who is the managing director of Tasmanian Shipping Supplies and director of Offshore Unlimited – businesses working in the marine and Antarctic sectors – said the state had to “do everything in Hobart to ensure that not only are we a good base for logistics, but we are also a very good base for science”.

The Tasmanian Antarctic Gateway Strategy 2022-2027 has set a goal of making Hobart the world’s top Antarctic gateway city.

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean sector pumps almost $160m into the Tasmanian economy every year and boasts more than 950 full-time equivalent positions (0.47 per cent of the state’s total workforce).

Hobart is one of five gateway cities around the world, which also include Christchurch, Punta Arenas in Chile, Ushuaia in Argentina, and Cape Town.

Richard Fader, managing director of Tasmanian Shipping Supplies and director of Offshore Unlimited. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“The next decade is probably the biggest spend Australia has ever made in the Antarctic,” Mr Fader said.

“So there’s huge amounts of money being thrown at infrastructure and the Antarctic, not only by Australia, but other nations, such as Korea, China, Italy and France.

“And Hobart’s very well-positioned to take advantage of some of that spend by not only the Australians but certainly the other nations coming to Hobart, as well.”

Mr Fader said upgrades to Hobart Airport’s runway, as well as to the Port of Hobart, would be important steps to ensure growth in the sector.

“We need to upgrade Hobart Port to make sure that the Antarctic [sector] has sufficient berthing space, wharf space to do their activities,” he said.

“We need to ensure that there’s adequate capability to supply fuel to the national Antarctic programs, not only Australia but the others: France, Korea, China, whoever would want to use Hobart.”

The nuyina out at sea. Pic: Jamie Terry

Mr Fader said the proposed Antarctic and Science Precinct at Macquarie Point, which would see the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, the Australian Antarctic Division and CSIRO co-located at a single site, was a huge piece of the gateway puzzle.

“[It] will give us something that no other gateway city’s got,” he said.

“The big thing we’d like to see … is more interaction with Tasmanians and with locals. We have an amazing industry that relies on future scientists and people becoming scientists, people wanting to work in the industry.

“Hopefully, if the Antarctic and Science Precinct gets up, there will be that public-facing sort of part of it that will begin that education at a very young age.”

The nation’s most advanced Antarctic research and resupply vessel, the RSV Nuyina, arrived in its home port in Hobart in 2021, underlining the capital’s importance as the world’s premier gateway to East Antarctica.

Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, said the state’s Antarctic sector was currently on a “growth trajectory”.

Professor Elizabeth Leane UTAS. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

She said Hobart’s “unique advantages” as an Antarctic gateway city included its “intense concentration of research and policy experts and its wealth of Antarctic institutions and organisations”.

“Recent initiatives, such as the establishment of an Antarctic Advocate and an Antarctic Women’s Network, are evidence of new energy and ideas in the sector. But the Antarctic community in and beyond UTAS is full of ideas to take this fresh thinking further,” Prof Leane said.

She pointed to a push to recognise in gateway policies and interpretative materials that Tasmania’s Antarctic connections “did not begin with European explorers or whalers, but rather the Palawa people, who have long known the region to the south through its weather, ocean, atmosphere and migrating animals”.

Prof Leane also made note of a proposed initiative to establish a centre for public engagement with Antarctica in Hobart, which she said would be a “one-stop site” where locals and tourists alike could “become part of the Antarctic community”.

“Such a centre could incorporate existing attractions, such as the Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum; mixed reality technology, so that people can travel to Antarctica virtually in Hobart; and even physically immersive experiences, such as a freezing pool to replicate the ‘polar plunge’,” she said.

Antarctic icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, in fast ice 2022 © Pete Harmsen AAD

Research icebreakers from Australia, France, Korea, the US, Italy, China and Japan all call in to Hobart as a refuelling and restocking point on their international expeditions. A Hobart City Council spokeswoman said each of these visits contributed approximately $2m to local suppliers across Greater Hobart.

“In order for Hobart to continue to strengthen its position as an Antarctic gateway city there needs to be urgent investment in fixing the Hobart Macquarie wharfs 4, 5 and 6,” the spokeswoman said.

“We’d also welcome new investments in research capacity; new skills development that supports associated Antarctic maritime industries; greater logistics capabilities and supporting infrastructure that allows us to increase the capacity to act as a home port for other countries to base their Antarctic operations.”

Hobart Airport CEO, Norris Carter, said the upgrade to the runway would accommodate wide-body, long-haul aircraft and would therefore improve the ability of the AAD and Defence Department to “reach deep” into Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

“Not only will this improve our links but given the narrow summer operational window for Antarctic operations will lead to more efficient movement of freight and passengers into and out of this environmentally sensitive area,” he said.