Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-13 – in pictures

Douglas Mawson (expedition commander) steps from the rail of the Aurora in New Zealand Photograph: State Library of NSW

The Aurora's ice-caked deck in the Southern Ocean Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Wreck of the Gratitude, Macquarie Island Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

The ship anchored to floe ice off Queen Mary Land Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Unloading supplies at Cape Denison Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Shags defending their nest Photograph: Harold Hamilton/State Library of NSW

Scientists collect samples Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Using picks to collect ice during a blizzard at Cape Denison outside 'The Grottoes' base camp at Commonwealth Bay Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Endless darkness of an Antarctic winter at Queen Mary Land Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Everyday duties inside the living quarters at base camp Photograph: State Library of NSW

A supplies depot for the southern sledging party Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

The Southern Supporting Party at the Southern Cross Depot, 1912. (from left to right) Frank Hurley ('official photographer'), Bob Bage ('astronomer, assistant magnetician and recorder of tides') and Eric Webb ('chief magnetician') travelled across the unexplored plateau to get as near as they could to the South Magnetic Pole. The support party helped build a large depot of supplies Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Sledge master Frank Wild (left) and geologist Andrew Watson in their sleeping bag tent on a sledge trek Photograph: Andrew D Watson/State Library of NSW

Xavier Mertz ('in charge of Greenland dogs') in 1912. He died of vitamin A poisoning after he and Mawson were forced to eat their dogs when a sledge bearing most of their supplies fell down a crevasse. Dog liver contains toxic amounts of the vitamin Photograph: Frank Hurley/State Library of NSW

Francis Bickerton ('in charge of air tractor sledge') looking out to sea near Commonwealth Bay Photograph: State Library of NSW

Expedition photographer Frank Hurley washing cinematograph film Photograph: State Library of NSW