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Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, a Russian captain working for the imperial navy, sighs the continent of Antarctica.
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Individual expeditions of British, French and American confirm the continent of Antarctica as they sail around the continuous coastline
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These years were known as the Heroic Age because the explorers were very brave. During this age 17 major expeditions were carried out by 10 different countries
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in 1909 Douglas Mawson reaches the South Magnetic pole and is the first party to climb Mt Erebus.
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Amundsen reaches Antarctica for the first time. They beat Scott's Polar Party, by just several weeks, finding out they have been beaten.
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Mawson returns to Antarctica to lead the first Australasian Scientific Antarctic expedition, the first to be organised and lead by an Australian. This expedition used aircraft and radio in the Antarctic exploration.
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Australian Sir Wilkins and American Carl Benjamin Eielson are the first to fly over Antarctica over the peninsula region
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The Antarctic Treaty is signed by 12 countries and comes in effect in 1961.