Icebreaker Aurora Australis departs on final voyage before retirement

The final operational voyage of Australia’s Antarctic icebreaker Aurora Australis departed Hobart last week for sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island.

The ship’s last trip south, after 31 years of service to the Australian Antarctic Program, will be a two-week voyage to resupply Macquarie Island and transport expeditioners.

Charlton Clark, Australian Antarctic Division’s General Manager of Operations, said that Aurora Australis had carried more than 14,000 expeditioners across the Southern Ocean on over 150 research and resupply voyages throughout its service life.