In their own words

In the summer of 1908–09 when sledging from the Ross Sea north-west towards the Magnetic Pole across the plateau of South Victoria Land, one felt a great urge to go on and discover the limits of Antarctic land in that direction.

— Douglas Mawson, introduction to AAE Scientific Reports Series A Volume 1: Geographical Narrative and Cartography

When comrades tramp the road to anywhere through a lonely blizzard-ridden land in hunger, want and weariness the interests, ties and fates of each are interwoven in a wondrous fabric of friendship and affection.

— Douglas Mawson in The Home of the Blizzard

Lunch had been rather barbarously served in the lee of the sledge. First came plasmon biscuit, broken with the ice-axe into pieces small enough to go into the mouth through the funnel of a burberry helmet; then followed two ounces of chocolate, frozen rather too hard to have a definite taste; and finally a luscious morsel--two ounces of butter, lovingly thawed-out in the mouth to get the full flavour. Lunches like these in wind and drift are uncomfortable enough for every one to be eager to start again as soon as possible.

— Robert Bage in The Home of the Blizzard