For the ship lost at sea in 1923, see SS Douglas Mawson.
Australian geologist and explorer of the Antarctic (1882–1958)
"Mawson" redirects here. For other uses, see Mawson (disambiguation).
Sir
Douglas Mawson
OBE FRS FAA
Mawson in 1914
Born
(1882-05-05)5 May 1882
Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died
14 October 1958(1958-10-14) (aged 76)
Brighton, South Australia, Australia
Nationality
Australian
Education
Fort Street Model School and University of Sydney
Occupation(s)
Geologist, Antarctic explorer, academic
Known for
First ascent of Mount Erebus
First team to reach the South Magnetic Pole
Sole survivor of Far Eastern Party
Australasian Antarctic Expedition
Mawson's Huts
Mawson Plateau
Spouse(s)
Francisca Paquita Delprat (1891–1974), married 1914
Children
Patricia (1915–1999)
Jessica (1917–2004)
Awards
Fellow of the Royal Society[1]
Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
Bigsby Medal (1919)
Clarke Medal (1936)
Polar Medal(1909, 1934)
Sir Douglas MawsonOBE FRSFAA[1][2] (5 May 1882 – 14 October 1958) was a British-born Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer, and academic. Along with Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Sir Ernest Shackleton, he was a key expedition leader during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
Mawson was born in England and was brought to Australia as an infant. He completed degrees in mining engineering and geology at the University of Sydney. In 1905 he was made a lecturer in petrology and mineralogy at the University of Adelaide. Mawson's first experience in the Antarctic came as a member of Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition (1907–1909), alongside his mentor Edgeworth David. They were part of the expedition's northern party, which became the first to attain the South Magnetic Pole and to climb Mount Erebus.
After his participation in Shackleton's expedition, Mawson became the principal instigator of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911–1914). The expedition explored thousands of kilometres of previously unexplored regions, collected geological and botanical samples, and made important scientific observations. Mawson was the sole survivor of the three-man Far Eastern Party, which travelled across the Mertz and Ninnis Glaciers named after his two deceased companions. Their deaths forced him to travel alone for over a month to return to the expedition's main base.
Mawson was knighted in 1914, and during the second half of World War I worked as a non-combatant with the British and Russian militaries. He returned to the University of Adelaide in 1919 and became a full professor in 1921, contributing much to Australian geology. He returned to the Antarctic as the leader of the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (1929–1931), which led to a territorial claim in the form of the Australian Antarctic Territory. Mawson is commemorated by numerous landmarks and from 1984 to 1996 appeared on the Australian $100 note.
^ abAlderman, A. R.; Tilley, C. E. (1960). "Douglas Mawson 1882-1958". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 5: 119–127. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1960.0011.
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Sir DouglasMawson OBE FRS FAA (5 May 1882 – 14 October 1958) was a British-born Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer, and academic. Along with Roald...
SS DouglasMawson was an Australian coastal steamer that was lost in the Gulf of Carpentaria around 28 March 1923 along with 20 passengers and crew. 200km...
winter and up to 53 in summer. Mawson was named in honour of the Australian Antarctic explorer Sir DouglasMawson. Mawson was listed on the Register of...
Heard Island Expedition after the Australian geologist and explorer Sir DouglasMawson, the leader of the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research...
1911–1914 expedition headed by DouglasMawson that explored the largely uncharted Antarctic coast due south of Australia. Mawson had been inspired to lead...
Island. It would be named in honor of Australian Antarctic explorer DouglasMawson. 65°00′S 105°00′E / 65.000°S 105.000°E / -65.000; 105.000 "Limits...
crossing in 1999 and the period recreations of historical treks by Sir DouglasMawson and Sir Ernest Shackleton. Timothy John Jarvis was born on 7 May 1966...
space, while also attracting predators. The short-story "Bathybia" by DouglasMawson, published in the book Aurora Australis in 1909, deals with an expedition...
Antarctic Expedition (1901-1903) in 1902, Drygalski's name was given by Sir DouglasMawson to the island. A temporary field station named Mir was opened from 20...
Western Base party of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition under Sir DouglasMawson. Mawson named the glacier for Lord Denman, Governor-General of Australia...
expedition to the North Pole, as did Louis Bernacchi and DouglasMawson in Antarctica. Mawson, Sir Douglas; The Home of the Blizzard Reed, William; The Phantom...
approximate location of the South Magnetic Pole, attained by Edgeworth David, DouglasMawson and Alistair Mackay on 16 January 1909. Shackleton returned to the United...
which included the future Australasian Antarctic Expedition leader DouglasMawson, carried out extensive geological, zoological and meteorological work...
the Alps. In early 1911, Mertz was hired by geologist and explorer DouglasMawson for his Antarctic expedition. He was initially employed as a ski instructor...
understanding was hampered by the rejection (at the time) of continental drift. DouglasMawson, an Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer, spent much of his career...
Freeling Heights lower granite plateau, it was renamed The Mawson Plateau after Sir DouglasMawson. The main creek on the plateau has been known by successive...
Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) under DouglasMawson. This was a major scientific and territorial quest in what is now the...
and polar explorer known for being the first, along with Australians DouglasMawson and Edgeworth David, to reach the South Magnetic Pole on 16 January...
entire length every second year. The trail is named after explorer DouglasMawson. The route is generally described south-to-north, although it can be...
mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition (1907–09) and named for DouglasMawson, the expedition physicist, who later led two other Antarctic expeditions...
"Sir DouglasMawson (1882–1958)". Mawson, Sir Douglas 1882–1958. Australian Dictionary of Biography. 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2008. "DouglasMawson"....
the Royal Fusiliers and an Antarctic explorer who was a member of DouglasMawson's 1911 Australasian Antarctic expedition. Ninnis was the son of British...
Tracey, M. M., 2007. Wooden Ships, Iron Men and Stalwart Ladies: The TSS DouglasMawson Saga, (unpub,) the School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian...
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