Frequently Asked Questions
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The flora and fauna of Macquarie Island faces a range of threats. Climate change is altering the island’s weather patterns and conditions in the surrounding oceans. The critically endangered endemic Azorella cushion plant is being impacted by disease and changes in rainfall. Some seabird and seal populations are declining for reasons that are often unclear. Long-term monitoring and research programs are critical to understand what is driving these changes, so necessary conservation and management interventions can be identified. The Foundation aims to deliver a sustainable funding stream to facilitate conservation and research initiatives through grants and targeted funding of larger projects.
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Unfortunately not yet. We have registered for MICF to have Australian Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsement and hope to have this soon. In the meantime we would still love your support and it doesn’t stop you donating, but it does mean that the gift isn’t tax deductible in Australia. We apologise for the inconvenience, but hopefully we can provide this soon.
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Yes you can set up monthly or annual donations and this is a great way to continue your contribution to MICF. Please head to the Donate page to start the process. We will automatically withdraw the amount you have requested until you cancel your payments. You will be provided with a link to manage your automatic payments after the first donation.
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We are using the money raised through the Foundation for a range of projects. These include facilitating science and research programs, as well as providing supplementary support to management initiatives, student projects and outreach activities which will benefit the conservation of Macquarie Island.
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Yes, this is a very special way to make a long-lasting contribution to Macquarie Island. Please contact us on info@macquarieisland.org and we can discuss the steps and options to make such a personal contribution. We will provide the information to consider in your own time and answer any questions you have.
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Donating money in the name of someone precious in your life is a unique way to contribute and acknowledge the importance of Macquarie Island. Please head to the donate page and check the box ‘Dedicate my donation’ bow which will allow you to add details.
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You can mange your donation preferences through the link provided by email when you started re-occurring donations. Please contact us on info@macquarieilsand.org if you require any support.
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As a member, you can contribute to the Foundation governance, have your say and vote at the Annual General Meetings, be eligible to stand for local committee positions (e.g. grants committee, festival committee), be eligible to volunteer in community outreach programs and festivals, and receive updates and news about the latest work from MICF and happenings on the island. All memberships are for a period of 12 months.
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Yes, we seek volunteers to help the Foundation with community engagement. This will include helping organise and participate in community festivals, fundraising events and education and outreach. All volunteers need to be a signed up member of MICF and over 18 years of age. We require all volunteers who will have contact with vulnerable people (including children) to have a valid Working With Vulnerable People Check. More information on volunteer opportunities will be made available to members.
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There are two ways to get to the island, either as a tourist or as an expeditioner. Each season tourist ships visit the island for day visits to Sandy Bay where tourists can see breeding royal penguins and king penguins, hear the cry of the skua and giant petrels and watch elephant seals along the beach. Ships often go offshore of the Lusitania King penguin colony, the largest on the island. See our links page for details of some regular tourist operators. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Australian Antarctic Division, and Bureau of Meteorology all have expeditioners on the island year-round. Check out their respective webpages for upcoming jobs. These jobs include park rangers, trades people (plumber, carpenter, electrician, diesel mechanic), doctor, chef, scientists, and weather observers. There is also opportunity to apply for an arts fellowship through the Australian Antarctic Division.
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The only way to get to Macquarie Island is by ship with all landing by permit only issued by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. The journey time depends on the size of the ship, but is typically 3-4 days from Hobart in good weather.
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Legs! The vast majority of movement once on the island is by foot, with numerous tracks and marked routes across the island. The main research station has one small gravel road to enable tractors, quad bikes and other machinery to move around as required, but this ends at the limits of the station. The island has several small inflatable boats that enable expeditioners to reach the remote field huts in good weather, but there are no sheltered or protected boat landings. Helicopters are used during the annual island re-supply activities.
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Yes, the main research station on the island is fully powered, enabling expeditioners to run lights, heating and appliances. There is also a reliable internet and phone connection to the Australian Antarctic Division headquarters in Kingston, Tasmania. The field huts are powered by batteries which are charged topped by small wind turbines and solar panels.
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The island is typically resupplied by the Australian Antarctic Division each year where food, fuel and resources are brought in by ship. At the station there are large freezers and fridges to keep food fresh and in the field huts there is usually tinned and packet food that will last more than a year. There is a small hydroponic facility to grow limited fresh foods such as lettuce, tomatoes and basil. This is tightly regulated to strict quarantine standards. A chef prepares most meals on the station and everyone cooks for themselves in the field huts, which often leads to culinary adventures and creativity.
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Macquarie Island lies in the “Furious Fifties” and has a highly maritime climate. The temperature varies little between day and night and the climate remains fairly stable across the year – meaning it’s usually windy, damp and cold.
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There is no permanent ice at Macquarie Island as temperatures are typically above freezing. There is the occasional iceberg that does drift past the island every few years, but these have travelled all the way from Antarctica.
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There are no permanent residents on the island, however there are expeditioners that stay on the island for 6 months to a year as part of the Australian Antarctic Program. See: Discover Macquarie Island -The People, for more information about who lives on the island.
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It depends on the person, but those who stay on the island for 6 months or more often say they miss trees, fresh fruit and windless days.
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The best skills you can have to live on Macquarie Island is a spirit of adventure, be community minded and not mind a bit of wind and rain. The more technical skills are those that fit one of the roles on the station, which are many and varied. These include reserve rangers, scientists (geologists, biologists, atmospheric, plus many more), meteorological observers and technicians, chef, plumber, electrician, carpenter, doctor, mechanic, leadership roles, boat operators and others. The three main organisations employing people are the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, Australian Antarctic Division and the Bureau of Meteorology.