Guest Speaker was Richard De Grijs
Richard is a Dutch astrophysicist based at Macquarie University in Sydney. He is a volunteer guide and consultant with the Australian National Maritime Museum. He tells how, after World War II, the Commonwealth government sought to establish a permanent base in the Australian Antarctic Territory and assert sovereignty.
For their expedition vessel, they overhauled an old polar favourite, MV Wyatt Earp. Plagued by problems during the 1947–48 Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition, its crew turned a potential disaster into the navy’s first and only successful polar research expedition.
Members enjoyed Richard’s story and had a few questions after his talk.