Heard Island and McDonald Islands OVERVIEW
Definitely not a holiday destination if baking in the sun, comfort and some tourist glam is what you're after. Should you be a keen researcher into geology, biology or seismic activity, you are bound to find a piece of scientific heaven here, though.
HIMI, formally named the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands, is a sub-Antarctic volcanic group of arid islands located in the Southern Ocean, about 4,000 kilometers south west of mainland Australia. Discovered in the mid-19th century, this Australian territory is defined by harsh weather conditions and isolation which make it not an easy or welcoming place to visit. The remoteness, no permanent inhabitation and minimal human visitation result in virtually intact wildlife and natural features making HIMI an area of considerable conservation significance. Its unique topography of spectacular glaciers, towering volcanoes, lava tubes and rocky beaches has few, if any, parallels elsewhere. Heard Island, which is the largest of the group, covers 368 square kilometers from the group's overall size of 372 square kilometers. Mountainous and covered by glaciers, the island is dominated by a 2,745-meter volcano, Mawson Peak, which is a t the same time Australia's highest mountain. The McDonald Islands are located 44 kilometers off Heard Island and dot the ocean with small and rocky lands, the major one being 1-square-kilometer McDonald Island. Not much, you might say, but the island definitely marks its place on the map out loud with several volcanic eruptions.
Bleak and stormy as it is, HIMI is an idyllic destination for the cold-resistant, scientific minds.
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