The Years Back - 12, The Big Ice (Episode 12)

New Zealand's relationship with Antarctica and the explorers and scientists who went there is the focus of this episode in The Years Back series, with Bernard Kearns as guide. Early last century NZ was the starting point for most polar expeditions, including Robert Falcon Scott's fatal attempt to reach the Pole. Footage of Scott on the ice is featured, and as well as clips of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s epic survival tale. Of course the Sir Edmund Hillary-led 50s Kiwi expedition is shown: Hillary made a defiant dash for the Pole on tractors, arriving 4 January 1958.

The main problem with the selection of the base was that the last instruction we’d been given by Ed Hillary was that we don’t want to be too close to those bloody Yanks.

– Dr Trevor Hatherton

Key Cast & Crew

Derek Wright

Director, Editor, Researcher, Writer

David H Fowler

Producer, Writer

Samuel Grau

Studio Camera

Geoffrey Scott

Executive Producer

Wayne Borden

Sound

Brian Shennan

Sound