19 March 2025
Squadron Leader Anthony Rengel’s inspiration to spend a year in Antarctica came from a relative who worked at Mawson station in 1993, and whose postcards Squadron Leader Rengel kept on his wall at home. Come 2025, it’s his turn to share his experiences from his time in the coldest place on earth. As told to Flying Officer Stina Frantzich Gardiner.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I am a specialist in rural and remote healthcare and aerospace medicine from Western Australia. I have worked in aviation medicine (using my commercial pilot license) and with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in aeromedical retrieval.
How did you prepare for this trip?
As the doctor on station it is pretty difficult to treat your own case of appendicitis! Because of this, on my first day at the Australian Antarctic Division I was required to have my appendix removed. Following recovery, I spent the next few months undertaking upskilling placements in trauma, anaesthesia, surgery, physiotherapy and dentistry. We undertake a radiography course as well as training on all the lab and science equipment in our facility.
As solo doctors, we are expected to be not just a GP but a dentist, nurse, physiotherapist, counsellor, laboratory technician, environmental scientist, surgeon, anaesthetist and a variety of other roles. In total I spent about five months training full-time before departing.
Tell us about Antarctica
It is one of the most amazing places on this planet. Davis Station is located in the Vestfold Hills – one of the few Antarctic bases that isn’t permanently covered in the continental ice sheet or glaciers.
The station itself is halfway between a mining camp and a space station. We have comfortable living quarters, great food and plenty of good recreation space. We rely on a reverse osmosis plant to convert saline water from a tarn into drinkable water and we have a team of dedicated tradespeople working around the clock to ensure our power and heating doesn’t fail.
Our winter team is absolutely fantastic – the best of the best in their fields. Having all arrived in Hobart around the same time for our respective training, we’ve all bonded together into a solid unit. It is a real privilege being part of this team and being responsible for their healthcare.
What does a regular day look like for you?
I try to keep regular hours but there isn’t really a regular day. You are on-call 24/7 as a solo doctor down here and there is sufficient variety in the work to keep it interesting.
Some days I may be doing clinic work or monthly medicals. Other days I could be doing essential maintenance and quality control on my machinery. Last month I had to do a series of dental cases – including a filling and an extraction.
It is my responsibility to undertake water-quality testing and advise the plumbing team of any issues we may encounter. There are also the exciting research projects that we have been conducting with NASA that will help to inform the medical capabilities on the Artemis missions to the moon.
On other days I may be out field driving a Hägglund tracked vehicle over sea ice doing operational planning to look at how we would evacuate from a remote fjord or hut.
The variety definitely keeps it interesting, but this is part and parcel of what my work has been like as a rural generalist in remote Western Australia – just in a very different environment.
What has been unexpected about your time here?
While you are briefed on it before arriving, it would have to be living in a confined environment for prolonged periods. With only 25 of us on station for the rest of the year, even minor issues (such as not helping with kitchen duties) can become big problems. It also goes the other way. When someone has had something significant happen, good or bad, the way our community rallies around each other has been incredible.
Would you recommend working in Antarctica to fellow ADF members?
Most definitely. The ADF supports the Australian Antarctic Program through Operation Southern Discovery by providing logistical and technical support. There have been numerous aviators, soldiers and sailors who have headed to Antarctica as aircrew, in logistics, as scientists and, during our season, in support of our communications upgrades. I send my regards to the team at 29 Squadron in Hobart who are responsible for the operation and have provided fantastic support to the program and me personally over the last season.
In addition, many current and former members have or are working in the program – as supply/logistics officers, tradespeople, IT technicians, meteorological observers and station leaders.
The training that you undertake in the ADF sets you up for success in the Australian Antarctic Program. So if you are looking for a career break, upskilling or a civilian role to transition to, I highly recommend applying to the Australian Antarctic Division.
Applications to work in Antarctica open in November every year. Apply at: jobs.antarctica.gov.au
