Tasmanian Antarctic sector

Hobart - International Antarctic gateway city

While four other nations provide departure points to the Southern Ocean region, Hobart is unique in its ability to offer the following advantages:

Hobart has an unparalleled tradition of supporting Antarctic endeavours, with Tasmania acting as a major staging post for Antarctic expeditions for more than 200 years.
The city is an international centre of excellence for Antarctic and temperate marine science. For example, Tasmania hosts 65 per cent of Australia’s Antarctic scientists in organisations including the Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO Division of Marine Research, the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre and the Bureau of Meteorology’s Antarctic Forecasting Division.
Tasmania has a long tradition of supporting key international Antarctic nations and operators. For example, Tasmania has hosted the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Resources (CCAMLR) for 22 years and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) from 1997 to September 2009. Hobart is also the home port for the French Antarctic Program (IPEV).

Economic value

The Antarctic sector generates approximately $154 million dollars annually, with almost half of this expended in Tasmania.

The Antarctic sector employs 800 people in a wide range of organisations including private enterprise, government, science and conservation research, logistics support and world-class education providers.

Tasmanian Polar Network Inc.

Businesses serving the Antarctic and Southern Ocean community are a key industry sector for Tasmania. This sector has grown principally because Hobart, as one of five international Antarctic gateways, provides the hub of Australia’s Antarctic program

Since 1993, Tasmania’s Antarctic industry has been represented by the Tasmanian Polar Network Inc. (TPN) which is an incorporated association. Membership is drawn from local companies, national and state government agencies and research organisations who are actively engaged in the Antarctic sector.

The TPN aims to promote the organisation and Hobart as the pre-eminent supply and support network for the provision of cold region goods and service expertise. In addition, the association facilitates access to the wide range of Antarctic expertise, goods and services available within the Tasmanian Antarctic community.

The TPN is supported by the Tasmanian Government though provision of an annual grant and Antarctic Tasmania provides secretariat support to the organisation.

Antarctic Sector Organisations

In 1982, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established in Hobart. This was closely followed in 1983 by the Australian Antarctic Division’s relocation from Melbourne to Kingston.

Hobart has since become the hub of Australia’s Antarctic program and the Tasmanian Antarctic sector has grown to host an impressive range of organisations actively engaged in Antarctic endeavours.

As a result, Hobart is recognised as one of five international gateways to the Antarctic and has an enviable reputation for world-class Antarctic-related science research, environmental management and education.

The range of organisations actively engaged in Antarctic and Southern Ocean endeavours includes:

1. Antarctic Climate and Ecosystem Cooperative Research Centre (ACE-CRC)
2. Antarctic Tasmania (AT)
3. Australian Antarctic Division (AAD)
4. Australian Maritime College
5. Bureau of Meteorology – Antarctic Forecasting Division (BoM)
6. Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
7. Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP)
8. CSIRO Marine Research
9. French Polar Institute (IPEV)
10. Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies (IASOS)
11. Interim Secretariat for the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP)
12. National Oceans Office (NOO)
13. Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG) – Sub-Antarctic Plant House
14. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) – Antarctic Gallery
15. Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife - Macquarie Island
16. Tasmanian Polar Network (TPN)
17. University of Tasmania (UTAS)