All aboard for a festival record

THE Australian Antarctic Festival has reached new heights, with record student numbers touring the Hobartbased research and supply ships.

Aurora Australis and Investigator hosted more than 2000 students on Thursday and yesterday, more than doubling the 900 students who toured the ships during the festival’s designated student days in 2016.

Mawson’s Huts Foundation chairman David Jensen said that after two days of the four-day festival, many students had learnt valuable information about all things Antarctic.

“It provides students with a marvellous Antarctic classroom and gives them a head full of ideas about Antarctica,” Mr Jensen said. “There’s an overall amount of astonishment among students about how the ships get through the Antarctic waters and break the ice.”

Grade two student Issabella Rickards from Eastside Lutheran College said the tour of the Aurora Australis was a highlight of the festival.

“We got to see the ship’s control room and pictures on board of things from around Antarctica,” she said.

“It was my first time on a big ship and it was amazing.”

Mr Jensen said the festival would pack a lot of fun into its final two days.

“It’s going to be really busy and exciting over Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

“Festival patrons can expect an exciting and exhilarating couple days, with a lot of surprises in store.”