Wilkes Station
Coordinates: 66 ° 15 ′ S , 110 ° 32 ′ E
The Wilkes station was an American , from 1959 Australian research station on the Budd coast of the East Antarctic Wilkesland .
history
The Wilkes Station was built in 1957 on the occasion of the International Geophysical Year on Stonehocker Point on the Clark Peninsula with a planned service life of two years. It was named after the American polar explorer Charles Wilkes (1798–1877), head of the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842). In 1959, Australia took over the operation of the station, which formally remained under US ownership until 1961. The station was abandoned in 1969 after it had become a fire hazard since 1964 due to seepage of fuel. It was replaced by the Casey station built around 2 km away . Most of the Wilkes Station buildings are covered in ice and snow today.
Web links
- Wilkes station , information and photos on the homepage of the Australian Antarctic Division (English)