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The first wave of expeditioners will land at the in east Antarctica 3400 kilometres from Tasmania, about 70 kilometres inland from Casey research station.

Some will spend the summer at Casey research station, while others will stay on during next winter until the end of 2021.

Prior to heading south, expeditioners spent two weeks in isolation in Hobart, with multiple COVID-19 tests before departure and on arrival at Casey, as well as another period of enhanced social distancing on station.

The Australian Antarctic Division’s planning for the 2020-21 summer season is focussed on preventing the introduction of COVID-19 to Antarctica and keeping people safe.

Activities for this summer season have been scaled back to focus on changing over teams and resupplying stations, with around half of the usual 500 people travelling south.

There will be no major construction activities on Australian stations and science projects in Antarctica will be limited to automated data collection and wildlife monitoring.

33 expeditioners are travelling south on the first two flights. The second flight is scheduled for Monday 9 November, weather permitting. Seven flights to Wilkins Aerodrome are planned this season between November 2020 and March 2021.