Watch the film then meet the filmmaker!
Deep in the Southern Ocean, the Australian outpost of Heard Island is among the remotest places on Earth.
In 1964 it was the site of one of the most audacious Australian adventures of the 20th century when a team of explorers attempted to climb Big Ben, the island’s glacier-ringed volcano, more than 500 metres higher than Kosciusko.
Hear the tale of the climb told by those who were there, combined with archival footage, in a screening of the multi-award-winning film The Great White Whale (2023, PG) by Michael Dillon AM.
Join us afterwards for a Q&A with Michael and Dr Jono Lineen, co-curator of the Museum’s Antarctica exhibition, in this special 2-hour event.
Date
Tuesday 29 September
Time
10am to 12pm
Location
Visions Theatre
Cost
Adult (16+) $15
Concession $12.50
Friends free
Meet our expert speakers
Michael Dillon AM ACS FRGS is one of Australia’s most highly-awarded cinematographers and producers of adventure and expedition documentaries. He has filmed six Antarctic expeditions and his work includes Everest: Sea to Summit and Hillary: Ocean to Sky. In 2004 Michael became a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for service to the Australian film industry as a pioneer in adventure and mountain film cinematography, and to the community through support for international humanitarian work.
Dr Jono Lineen's father was a captain on ships, and he grew up with tales of the wild Southern Ocean. Jono is a curator at the National Museum of Australia where he has helped create exhibitions including Great Southern Land, Defining Moments in Australian History and now Antarctica. Jono is also the author of books including Into the Heart of the Himalayas, Perfect Motion: How Walking Makes Us Wiser and River Trilogy.
Banner image: Australia's highest peak Big Ben on Heard Island taken from the nearby Australian territory of the McDonald Islands (detail). Philip Temple