Australia requires persistent access to Antarctica and needs to reconsider its 2021 decision to abandon plans for a year-round runway near Davis Station.
Unimpeded access to Antarctica is necessary as to solidify Australia’s status as a major stakeholder. In doing so, it will help deter the malign actions of China and Russia on the continent. These countries, who are already investing in dual-use facilities, risk becoming a threat to Australia’s southern flank for centuries to come.
Often seen as a frozen wilderness dedicated to peace and science, Antarctica is emerging as a geopolitical hotspot. China and Russia have been increasing their presence on the continent, nominally for scientific research purposes. Both have opened new state-of-the-art research stations this year. These activities, while ostensibly peaceful, have dual-use potential, with stations potentially hosting future military applications. Such manoeuvring within the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) framework highlights the need for Australia to reassess its previous decision to abandon plans for a year-round runway.
Australia’s current Antarctic strategy is heavily focused on science and environmental conservation, aligned with ATS principles. The treaty currently prohibits resource exploitation via the 1991 Madrid Protocol. Yet it is known that the area is rich in natural resources, particularly coal, copper, gold and iron. From 2048, however, the treaty’s stakeholders can review the restrictions and begin mining if so agreed.
Although Australia does not plan to extract resources from Antarctica in the future, other actors may consider the temptation too great to resist. Future technological advancements in resource exploitation and the effects of climate change will likely increase Antarctica’s value and ease of access. Should these actors attempt to move in on Australian treaty land, a broader approach than what currently defines relations in the Antarctic will be necessary.
Currently, Australia’s access to Antarctica remains reliant on traversing the Southern Ocean. With habitats largely located in East Antarctica, it can take up to a week to get there from Australia as the region has no year-round runway facility. This hampers our existing Antarctic operations and emergency evacuation capabilities. If tensions rise in the future, this will become a greater problem over time.
Prior to 2021, Australia was planning to build a year-round runway near Davis Station, Australia’s research base, but the proposal was abandoned. The Morrison government cited environmental and cost pressures as the reason for doing so. The proposed runway was 2700m long and would be built on a region of rock that sees little-to-no ice coverage, making it more reliable and accessible than other places on the continent.
The present benefits of this runway would be that year-round aviation access would provide the Australian Antarctic Division with more flexibility to operate across the continent. Scientists and others would no longer require ships to get to Antarctica. A research trip via air would take only eight hours, saving time and resources. Most especially, the vital evacuation of expeditioners can occur in quick order. By providing a permanent logistical link between Antarctica and mainland Australia, the project would radically reduce operating costs. It would also allow Australia’s icebreaker capability can be freed up for more important work, with RSV Nuyina no longer the sole asset tasked with science, resupply and inspection missions.
Maintaining Australia’s leadership in Antarctic scientific and environmental efforts is essential. Canberra must adopt a forward-leaning strategy, investing in infrastructure and capabilities to keep up with rising competition. Together with the runway, Australia must improve communications infrastructure and further enhance land-based travel across Antarctica. This would open the aperture for Australia to lead more facility inspections, resulting in greater transparency and allowing us to shine a light on the malign actions of others.
Engagements elsewhere consistently underscore the fact that maintaining the status quo through Cold War-era agreements is no longer something to take for granted. The cost of inaction might far outweigh the expense of strategic investments today. By guaranteeing Antarctic access via the all-weather runway, it will enable Australia to lead the complexities of Antarctic geopolitics effectively, securing its stake in this critical region for generations to come.
