Australian Antarctic Territory

The UK claimed a huge wedge of the Antarctic in 1841 and transferred it to Australia in 1933. Most countries don't recognise the claim, but Australia does issue stamps from it (which are valid from Australia - where this one was probably sent), and this pre-decimal one from 1961 marks the reaching of the magnetic south pole in 1908-9. The Nimrod Expedition of Shackleton, failed to reach the south pole but Professor Edgeworth David reached the estimated location of the South Magnetic Pole with his team - hence this stamp.

A few years ago I saw a documentary where they took descendants of Scott and Amundsen and recreated the voyage to the pole. Basically they showed how poor the British food was and how dangerous it was to be so badly nourished while working so hard, compared with the Norwegian diet - where they worked just as far but actually put weight on... The conditions in the pole are very nasty and every illness is magnified and the conclusion was that it was amazing that Scott's team got as far as they did...!

Another day spinning plates, and avoiding breakage!