Search Antarctic Names

That portion of the Antarctic Continent between longitude 45°E and longitude 55°E. Discovered in February, 1831, by John Biscoe on the Tula. Named after Enderby Bros. of London, owners of the Tula, who encouraged their captains to combine exploration with sealing.

Small islands, just north of the Hobbs Islands, off Mac.Robertson Land.

A steep-sided rock exposure forming the southernmost part of the Geologists Range. Discovered by the northern party of the New Zealand Geological and Survey Expedition (1961-62). This feature was originally named Endurance Nunatak after the Endurance, expedition ship of the British Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-16) under Sir Ernest Shackleton. The generic cliffs is considered more appropriate than nunatak.

A small glacier between Gibbs Bluff and McCue Bluff on the Mawson Escarpment, Mac.Robertson Land. Plotted from ANARE air photographs taken in 1956, 1960 and 1973. Named after R England, geologist with the ANARE Prince Charles Mountains survey parties in 1973 and 1974.

An island just north of the entrance to Horseshoe Harbour at Mawson. Mapped by Norwegian cartographers from air photographs taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition (1936-37) Photographed by USN Operation Highjump (1946-47) and by ANARE.

A shoal with depths of less than 20 m about 1 km from the triangulation point on West Arm (Mawson). The shoal extends over an area 180 m long (north-south) and 55 m wide and the least depth is 8 m. Charted in February, 1961 by d'A T Gale, hydrographic surveyor with the ANARE Expedition on the MV Thala Dan led by D F Styles.

A glacier flowing eastward into Matterson Inlet, where it is about 9 km wide. Mapped from air photographs taken by the US Navy. Named by USACAN after Lt. Cdr. J W Entrikin, USN, pilot with Squadron VS-6 during USN Operation Deepfreeze, 1955-56.

Ephyra Lake is a small, boomerang shaped lake to the west of Medusa Lake in the Vestfold Hills. In December 1992 the two lakes were joined by a narrow (about 1 m) and shallow (about 500 mm) connection. The maximum recorded depth of Ephyra Lake is 9 m although there may be deeper areas. Temperature and conductivity profiles of Ephyra Lake recorded in December 1992 indicated that a much saltier layer of water occurred beneath a depth of 7.5 m which was accompanied by increased water temperatures. Although the lake is occasionally connected to Medusa Lake it has a quite different salinity profile and mixing characteristics and therefore deserves to be recognised as a separate water body. Medusa Lake is named for its shape which is like a Medusa jellyfish. Ephyrae are the juvenile forms of such Medusae. The lake was named Ephyra Lake because it is close to and much smaller than Medusa Lake.

An extensive ice-free area forming a basin in the Brown Hills separating the snouts of the Foggydog and Bartrum Glaciers from the northern edge of the Darwin Glacier. Discovered by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition (1962-63).

A point in South West Bay near the Pageos Moraine, Heard Island.The name was proposed by the British, Australian, New Zealand Antarctic Research Exedition (BANZARE) 1929-31.

A prominent peak 39 km WNW of Mt. Harmsworth (Ross Dependency) at the southern end of the Skelton Névé, on the Skelton - Mulock divide. So named by the New Zealand party of TAE (1957-58) because its vertical pitches and platforms provde a ladder-like route to the summit.

An island at the southern end of the Flat Islands, about 4 km west of Mawson in Mac.Robertson Land. Mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photographs taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition (1936-37); photographed from the air by USN Operation Highjump (1946-47) and ANARE. Visited by various ANARE parties since 1954.

A small rock about 2 km west of Cape Arkona on Heard Island. The Australian National Mapping Expedition, 1980 confirmed the position of the rock. Named after the Exile, one of the sealing tenders of Messrs. Perkins and Smith, New London, Connecticut, USA who first exploited the seals on Heard Island in 1855.

A cluster of small nunataks near the head of the Matusevich Glacier in Oates Land. Named by the New Zealand Geological and Survey Antarctic Expedition (1963-64) because of their isolated location.

A steep, smooth glacier which flows into the south-west corner of Island Arena in the Darwin Glacier Region. Discovered by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition (1962-63). Named from Exodus Valley.

A steep valley in the Darwin Mountains, dropping from the edge of the Midnight Plateau (near Mount Ellis) to Island Arena. Discovered by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition (1962-63). So named because the valley is virtually the only easy route of descent from the Midnight Plateau.

An area of shoal water and isolated rocks extending about 200m to the north and 250m to the NNW from the tip of Cape Denison, on the east side of the entrance to Boat Harbour. Depths are less than three metres, and the swell breaks in areas of the shoal in moderate weather. The shoals are a hazard to navigation for vessels approaching the Cape from the E and NE. The existence of the shoals necessitates an approach to the entrance to Boat Harbour from the west. The vessel in which the voyages were made was named Dick Smith Explorer, and I have chosen the name 'Explorer Shoals' in recognition of the name of the vessel, and also in recognition of the Oceanic Research Foundation voyages as continuing and extending the work of earlier explorers. In these days with vastly improved navigation equipment and charts it is easy to overlook the results achieved by early explorers in mapping the coastline of Antarctica and making voyaging in the area safer for later generations.

A bay formed by the Western side of Browning Peninsula and the Vanderford Glacier at the southern end of the Windmill Islands. The feature was first plotted from air photographs taken by USN Operation Highjump (1946-47). Named after Ensign D L Eyres, USN, a member of the Wilkes party in 1958.  

A beach of sand, shingle and rocks on the north east coast near Round Hill on Heard Island. The origin of the name is unknown but it is known to have been in use in 1857. The name appears on Challenger's charts.