Tractors’ big journey to save special hut
Tractors are going full steam ahead toward the South Pole to save a slice of history.
Expedition South is a monthlong journey launched by the Antarctic Trust to raise funds to save Sir Edmund Hillary’s hut in Antarctica.
Hillary’s son Peter kicked off the adventure at west Auckland’s Piha Beach yesterday.
Three tractors will travel 2012km from the beach to Aoraki/ Mt Cook – the same distance that Hillary and his team travelled from Scott Base to the South Pole in 1957.
Two of the tractors are the same Ferguson TE-20 models that the team used for that expedition. The other is a new Massey Ferguson MF5600.
The drive aims to raise $1 million to save Hillary’s Hut, which was the first building constructed at Scott Base, and preserve it for the next 25 years.
It was a chance to preserve ‘‘New Zealand’s footprint in Antarctica’’, Peter Hillary said.
‘‘[The hut] is surrounded by ice, the winters are brutal, temperatures are very low so like any building it needs work. and if you want this important piece of our New Zealand Antarctic history to survive we’ve got to do the work and we will do it,’’ he said.
‘‘Dad’s time in Antarctica and trip to the South Pole were one of his major achievements. He spent a lot of time in that hut – I know he’d be delighted if New Zealand saves it.’’
Antarctic Heritage Trust executive director Nigel Watson said the trust had already raised half of the sum needed.
‘‘Now we need New Zealanders to come onboard to help us get closer to our goal. We’re calling on Kiwis to give us a fiver – the $5 note has Sir Ed’s face on it and we can’t think of a better use for it than saving his Antarctic legacy.’’
Expedition South will collect donations at schools and events along the route.
If all goes to plan, the team will arrive at Aoraki/mt Cook to finish the journey in sight of the Hillary Ridge on September 20.