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Mawson studied mining engineering at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1901. After spending a further period at the University he graduated in 1905 in science with geology as a major subject. Soon afterwards he joined a geological survey team to the New Hebrides. He then lectured in mineralogy and petrology at the University of Adelaide.
In 1907 he accepted an invitation to join the British Antarctic Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton. During this expedition he was among the first to climb Mount Erebus. With the same companions he reached the South Magnetic Pole after a sledge journey of 520 miles across the frozen wasteland. The difficulties and deprivations experienced by them were so enormous it is difficult to imagine them today.
His second expedition in 1911 was tragic. His sledge fell into a crevasse killing both his companions and he was forced to walk for twenty days to reach base camp.
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He was knighted in 1914.
For the next fifteen years, Mawson was occupied in sifting and correlating the vast accumulation of data that the expeditions had collected.
Mawson led two further expeditions to Antarctica in 1929 and 1931, proving the presence of a land mass under the ice. He never ceased encouraging the Australian Government to make claims on the region.
Source: Certificate accompanying the 1994 Masterpieces in Silver - The Explorers - Set.
Sir Douglas Mawson is featured on the following Australian coins:
1994 Five Dollars
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Last modified: 05 December, 2007
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