Melbourne Rare Book Week

In 1886, gentlemen from Victoria’s Royal Society and Geographical Society formed a joint Australian Antarctic Exploration Committee. With the ear of the Premier and his Agent General in London, they energetically pursued a joint whaling and scientific expedition. They came tantalising close to their goal and helped inspire the first landing and the first overwintering on the Antarctic continent. Through both published and unpublished items from the RHSV, librarian and author Andrew McConville will explore this and other stories of early Antarctic exploration.