Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Heard Island and McDonald Islands lie in the Southern Ocean at about 53°S, 73°30′E, roughly 4,100 kilometres south-west of Perth and 1,700 kilometres north of Antarctica. The group is an unoccupied Australian external territory managed by the Australian Antarctic Division. Persistent poor weather, high seas and isolation have limited human visits and disturbance.

Heard Island is dominated by Big Ben, an active volcanic massif whose summit includes Mawson Peak. Glaciers cover much of Heard Island, although the Australian Antarctic Program reports substantial retreat: the glaciated area declined from about 80 percent in the 1940s to around 64 percent in 2014. The smaller McDonald Islands are also volcanic; activity in the 1990s dramatically changed their landscape, including the growth and joining of landforms.

The islands support breeding and non-breeding seabirds and marine mammals, including penguins, petrels, elephant seals and fur seals. UNESCO recognizes the area for its distinctive, relatively undisturbed island and marine ecosystems and the opportunity it provides to observe active geological and glacial processes. The isolation and limited human impact make the group valuable for studying natural ecological change.

The island group was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 and is also protected as a marine reserve. Its remoteness, harsh conditions and environmental sensitivity mean that access and activities are managed. Australian Antarctic Program visits and research are planned expeditions rather than permanent settlement; no people live on the islands.