KEY DATES
1955 The Ross Sea Committee is established on 26 May and held its first meeting on 3 June.
1955-56 Scott Base is designed by Frank Ponder and a trial assembly is carried out at Rongotai.
1957 Pram Point is selected as the site for Scott Base (8 January); the site is levelled (9 January), the Post Office is opened (11 January) and the first building, A Hut, is erected (14 January).
1957 On 20 January Scott Base is officially opened.
1958 Trans-Antarctic Expedition ended at
Scott Base 2 March.
1958-59 Hangar built
1959 IGY observations finish January.
1959 Antarctic Division established 4 May.
1960 First New Zealand death November
(Tom Couzens).
1962 Scott Base becomes a permanent
Antarctic station.
1962-63 Building of new huts and extension to old begins.
1963 First visit of a Governor General
(Sir Bernard Fergusson).
1964-65 Extensions completed.
1965 Geoffrey Markham retires as Superintendent Antarctic Division.
1965-66 Original yellow of Scott Base changed to green.
1965-66 First RNZAF “Operation Ice Cube Flight”.
1965-66 Cape Bird field station opened.
1966-67 Road completed between Scott Base and McMurdo Station.
1966-67 Present ski field opened.
1966-67 New generators installed.
1967 10th Anniversary of Scott Base celebrated.
1967 First “Winfly” 28 August.
1967-68 First New Zealand woman visits Scott Base (Marie Darby).
1967-68 Heated board-walks laid in covered ways.
1967-68 New windows installed in kitchen and
sledge room.
1968-69 Vanda Station opened 9 January.
1968-69 Asgaard hut erected.
1969-70 Antarctic Division moves to Christchurch.
1969-70 Training at Lake Tekapo begins.
1969-70 Jeremy Sykes killed in helicopter crash.
1970-71 Last voyage south of the Endeavour.
1972-73 High temperature incinerator installed.
1973 Hallett Station closed.
1973 First winter airdrop by RNZAF 1 August
1976-77 Removal of old Q hut.
1977 20th Anniversary Scott Base 20 January.
1977-78 New Q hut completed (Stage 1).
1978-79 MSSTS Drilling programme.
1978-79 New powerhouse building started.
1978-79 USAF winter airdrops recommenced.
1979 First woman winters over (Thelma Rodgers).
1979 Air NZ plane crash on Mt. Erebus 28 November.
1979-80 Powerhouse completed (Stage 2).
1979-80 Reverse Osmosis plant installed.
1980-81 New sleeping quarters/ablutions completed (Stage 3A).
1980-81 Arrival of the Transglobe Expedition.
1981-82 New mess completed
(Stage 3B).
1981-82

First visit by New Zealand Prime Minister
(Rt. Hon. R. D. Muldoon).

1982 25th Anniversary Scott Base 20 January.
1982-83 First visit by British Royalty (Prince Edward).
1983-84 Command Centre & post office completed
(Stage 4).
1984-85 Hatherton Geosciences Lab completed
(Stage 5).
1985-86 Hagglunds introduced.
1986-87 Workshop & marine shops completed
(Stage 6).
1987-88 Heavy vehicle workshop completed
(Stage 7).
1988 R. B. Thomson retires as Director, Antarctic Division, DSIR.
1989-90 Old A Hut re-sited.
1991 First winter medical evacuation of
New Zealander (Peter Harding).
1991-92 Satellite Earth Station built at Arrival Heights.
1992-93 Ross Island Helicopter tragedy.
1992-93 Daylight saving introduced.
1993-94 Visit of large tour ship Marco Polo.
1994-95 Removal of Vanda Station.
1994-95 Cape Roberts drilling site established.
1996 Antarctica New Zealand established 1 July.
1997 40th Anniversary VIP visit January.
1999 The Ministerial on Ice meeting is held
at Scott Base.
2000 Cape Roberts drilling project completed.
2001 The Ross Sea Region: a state of the environment report is published.
2002 ANDRILL drilling programme launched.
2003-04 The LGP (Latitudinal Gradient Project) begins.
2004 The Hillary Field Centre is officially named by Sir Edmund Hillary.
2005 Scott Base Stage 3A and 3B is renamed the Thomson Building.
2005-06 Arrival Heights scientific facility re-built.