Indigenous Aussies join Antarctic trek

Growing up in the Northern Territory, Malcolm Lynch has never seen snow, but he's about to travel to the coldest place on earth.

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The 21-year-old AFL player will make history when he and track star Narelle Long, 20, become the first indigenous Australians to visit Antarctica.

"I'm from the Tiwi Islands... the coldest (place) I have ever been in, weather-wise, is Melbourne," he told reporters at the expedition's announcement at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

Lynch, who plays for the Western Bulldogs, plans to teach Aussie Rules to some of the 40 youngsters from across the globe that will join them on the expedition.

"I am going to have to explain the basic rules... it's going to be an interesting task, but I'm sure we will have fun," he said.

Environmental school

Long, the niece of Essendon great Michael Long, also plans to see how her sport fares on ice.

"My coach suggested that I set up a 100m race and break the Antarctica national record," she joked. "Obviously (that would mean setting it) as it has never been done before."

Long said it meant a lot to her to become one of the first indigenous Australians to visit Antarctica.

"I take pride in where I am from and my family background and I just hope to show people what Australians are made of, in particular indigenous people," she said.

The two young athletes will be joined by 2009 Australian Idol runner-up Hayley Warner, 18, for the two-and-a-half week expedition, setting off on March 3.

Renewable energy plan

The focus will be to open the first environmental school in Antarctica, but the youngsters will also take part in research and learn how to live on sustainable energy.

Explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan, who will lead the trip, says if renewable energy can succeed in the harshest environment on earth, there's no reason it can't be used everywhere.

"What these young people will experience is not what is impossible in life but what is possible," he said.

"I believe our world will survive. It is a technical challenge.

"My response to the technical challenge is that we will be making this expedition using only renewable energy."




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Source: AAP, SBS


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