Jacka Glacier is a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) long glacier which flows northeast from Hayter Peak and terminates in icefalls opposite Vanhoffen Bluff on the north side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The glacier appears to be roughly charted on an 1860 sketch map compiled by Captain H.C. Chester, an American sealer operating in the area during this period. It was surveyed in 1948 by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions, and named by them for Fred J. Jacka, an expedition physicist.
Atlas Cove is a cove on the north coast of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean, and is entered between the base of the Laurens Peninsula and Rogers Head.
Gilchrist Beach is a rocky beach, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) long, lying west of Compton Glacier on the north side of Heard Island. At its eastern edge, Gilchrist Beach communicates with the sandy Fairchild Beach. Travelling eastwards from Gilchrist Beach to Fairchild Beach, one arrives at the base of Round Hill.
Cape Arkona is a rocky headland between the mouths of Lied Glacier and Gotley Glacier on the southwest side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The feature appears to be roughly charted on an 1860 sketch map prepared by Captain H.C. Chester, an American sealer operating in the area during this period. The German frigate Arkona examined the south coast of the island in February 1874 and, in Melbourne, provided the officers of HMS Challenger with a position for the cape which was used in preparation of the Admiralty chart. In so doing, however, the misspelling "Cape Arcona" was used on the British chart.
Schmidt Glacier is a glacier, 0.7 nautical miles (1.3 km) long, flowing west from Baudissin Glacier between Mount Drygalski and North West Cornice, on the west side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. To the north of Schmidt Glacier is Baudissin Glacier, whose terminus is located at the western side of Corinthian Bay, near Sealers Cove. Kildalkey Head is west of Schmidt Glacier. To the south of Schmidt Glacier is Vahsel Glacier, whose terminus is at South West Bay, between Erratic Point and Cape Gazert. Immediately south of Vahsel Glacier is Allison Glacier. Click here to see a map of Schmidt Glacier and the northwestern coast of Heard Island.
Fairchild Beach is a sandy beach, 0.3 nautical miles (0.6 km) wide and 1 nautical mile (2 km) long, which extends north from the base of Round Hill to the south side of the terminus of Compton Glacier, on the east side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The beach faces Compton Lagoon, and at its western edge communicates with the rocky Gilchrist Beach. To the south of Fairchild Beach is Brown Glacier, whose terminus is located at Brown Lagoon.
Cape Gazert is a cape at the western end of the rocky promontory which forms the south side of South West Bay, on the west side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. This feature was known to American sealers as "Green Point", as shown by Captain H.C. Chester's 1860 sketch map and other sealer maps of the period. The present name was applied by the First German Antarctica Expedition when they landed at the feature in February 1902, after Doctor Hans Gazert, medical officer with the expedition, and it has become established in international usage.
Corinthian Bay is a bay, which is 3 miles (5 km) wide and recedes 1.5 miles (2.4 km), entered between Rogers Head and Saddle Point on the north coast of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The name appears on an early chart compiled by American sealers. It was probably given by Captain Erasmus Darwin Rogers, American whaler and sealer, after his vessel Corinthian in which he made the first landing on Heard Island in March 1855. Nearby features include Corinth Head.
Erratic Point is a small, moss-covered point at the head of South West Bay, 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) northeast of Cape Gazert, on the west side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The First German Antarctica Expedition in 1902 charted a cape in this vicinity, from the summit of Mount Drygalski, and applied the name "Kap Lerche." In November 1929 the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Douglas Mawson charted a small point in this position and applied the name "Erratic Point" because of the large number of massive erratic boulders encountered there. The Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition was unable to find any significant feature in this immediate area during their 1948 survey of the island, hence the name Erratic Point was retained by them for this small point.
Winston Lagoon is a lagoon indenting the southeast coast of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean, about 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) northeast of Cape Lockyer. The feature is roughly portrayed on an American sealer chart of the 1860 period. It was sighted from the air by Lieutenant Malcolm Smith, RAAF, pilot of the ANARE seaplane that made the first reconnaissance flight over the island in 1948. Lieutenant Smith proposed that it be named Lake Winston after his wife. In view of his death in an aircraft accident shortly afterward, this proposal was adopted by Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee (ANCA) with only a change of generic term. Click here to see a map of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, including all major topographical features.
Cape Bidlingmaier is a rocky cape at the east side of the entrance to Mechanics Bay, on the north side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. The feature appears to have been known to American sealers as Morgan's Point, as shown by Captain H.C. Chester's 1860 sketch map of the island. The name Negros Head was also in use by American sealers during the 1860–70 period. The name Bidlingmaier was applied by the First German Antarctica Expedition, under Erich von Drygalski, who made a running survey and landing along the north side of the island in 1902. Friedrich Bidlingmaier served as magnetician and meteorologist with the expedition.
Cave Bay is a cove, 0.3 nautical miles (0.6 km) wide, which has been formed by the erosion of an extinct volcanic crater of which Mount Andree forms the north side, indenting the west side of Heard Island between West Bay and South West Bay. The cove is roughly charted on an American sealer's sketch map prepared during the 1860–70 period. It was more accurately charted and first named on a geological sketch map illustrating the 1929 work of the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Douglas Mawson.
Mount Olsen is a snow-covered peak standing 0.2 nautical miles (0.4 km) east of Hayter Peak on Laurens Peninsula, in the northwest part of Heard Island.
Wakefield Reef is a reef, 0.5 nautical miles (0.9 km) across, lying 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) west-southwest of Cape Arkona, off the southwest side of Heard Island. The existence of a reef in this area is noted on an unpublished American sealer's map of "Hurds Island" compiled during the 1860-70 period, although the configuration of this side of the island is somewhat distorted, as were all early maps of the island. The feature was more accurately charted and named by HMS Wakefield which visited the island in April 1910.
Drury Rock is a rock, about 37 metres (120 ft) high, lying 0.3 nautical miles (0.6 km) south-southeast of Shag Island and 6 nautical miles (11 km) north of Heard Island. This rock, though positioned several miles too far westward, appears to have been first shown on an 1860 sketch map compiled by Captain H.C. Chester, an American sealer operating in the area during this period. It was more accurately charted on an 1874 chart by a British expedition under George Nares in the Challenger. It was surveyed in 1948 by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions, who named it for Alan Campbell-Drury, a radio operator and photographer with the party.
Morgan Island is a small island which is the largest feature in a group of islands located 1 nautical mile (2 km) east of Cape Bidlingmaier, off the north side of Heard Island in the Indian Ocean. The island group was charted as extending across "Morgan Bay" on an 1860 sketch map compiled by Captain H.C. Chester, an American sealer, and "Morgan Islands" appears on the 1874 chart and the scientific reports of a British expedition under George Nares in HMS Challenger. Morgan Island was surveyed in 1948 by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions, who restricted the name Morgan to the largest feature in the group.
Sail Rock is a rock lying 1 nautical mile northwest of Shag Island and 7 nautical miles north of Heard Island. This rock, though positioned several miles too far westward, appears to have been first shown on an 1860 sketch map compiled by Captain H.C. Chester, American sealer operating in the area during this period. It was more accurately charted and named on an 1874 chart by the Challenger expedition.
Skua Beach is a sandy beach lying at the base of Scarlet Hill on the east side of Heard Island. The name "Launches Beach" appears to have had some usage by American sealers as shown by an unpublished sealer's map of "Hurds Island" of the 1860-70 period. The name Skua Beach was given by ANARE during its 1948 survey of the island and is now established in usage.
Spit Bay is an open bight formed by the northeast coastline of Heard Island and Spit Point, the east extremity of the island. The name derives from the conspicuous Elephant Spit which forms the south and east shore of the bight, and may have been given by American sealers at Heard Island in the period following their initiation of sealing there in 1855. The name appears on a chart by the British utilized many names then in use by the sealers. Heard Island and McDonald Islands are located in the Southern Ocean, approximately 1,700 km (1,100 mi) from the Antarctic continent and 4,100 km (2,500 mi) southwest of Perth. As the only volcanically active subantarctic islands, they "open a window into the earth", thus providing the opportunity to observe ongoing geomorphic processes and glacial dynamics. The distinctive conservation value of Heard and McDonald – one of the world’s rare pristine island ecosystems – lies in the complete absence of alien plants and animals, as well as human impact.
Rogers Head is a conspicuous headland marking the north extremity of the peninsula between Atlas Cove and Corinthian Bay on the north coast of Heard Island. Named for the Rogers family of New London, CT, including Captain Erasmus Darwin Rogers, who in 1855 made the first landing on Heard Island in the ship Corinthian, Captain James H. Rogers, master of the brig Zoe, and Henry Rogers, first mate of the Zoe, who in 1856 was leader of the first party to winter on the island. The name appears on an early manuscript map compiled by American sealers.
