AustLit

'Heard Island, close to Antarctica, has been inhabited for only a few years between December 1947 and March 1955 when it hosted an Australian base. Unique and Unspoilt: A Year among the Natural Wonders of Heard Island is based on the journals of John Béchervaise during his 13 months as officer in charge. His journals document the beauty of the isolated island, the tyranny of its harsh climate, and the daily struggle of the handful of men-far from their families and loved ones-charged with running a scientific base.

'Béchervaise's recorded observations of Heard Island's fascinating fauna and limited flora, the nuances of the changing seasons, and his weather-beaten attempts to scale its volcanic peak, leave us with a remarkable-and rare-picture of a bleak yet beautiful Antarctic island.' (From the publisher's website.)