The Subantarctic Islands

A World Heritage site, the Australian territory of Macquarie Island is the largest of the Subantarctic Islands and also the southernmost: from here, there’s nothing but ocean until you reach Antarctica.

Macquarie is a haven for penguins. It is home to a number of large king penguin colonies, including at Sandy Bay, the most commonly visited landing site. Royal penguins, endemic to Macquarie Island can also be seen in large numbers, along with smaller numbers of gentoo penguins which nest in the tussac grass. Southern elephant seals are also found in large numbers.

For geology fans, Macquarie Island is the only place on the planet where you can stand on oceanic crust.

Campbell Island is the most southerly of New Zealand’s Subantarctic islands. It is most celebrated for its huge albatross colonies, particularly Campbell’s and southern royal albatross. These can be seen along the island’s cliffs, or on a boardwalk hike from the only landing site at Perseverance Harbour.

Southern rockhopper penguins also breed here, along with increasing numbers of Campbell Island teal, whose numbers are in recovery since the eradication of introduced rats in the 2000s.

Campbell Island’s flora is particularly interesting, with alpine shrubs and herb fields that bloom pink every January.

The Auckland Islands are part of New Zealand’s overseas territories. The most popularly visited of the once volcanic archipelago is Enderby Island, which blooms red every December with the flowers of the iconic southern rātā tree.

It’s possible to do a full day hike around Enderby Island, or do a cliff walk to see its albatross colonies. The cliffs are also riddled with caves for amazing zodiac cruises past basalt columns. For wildlife, the yellow-eyed penguin is the biggest draw in Auckland Islands, while the beaches are patrolled by Hooker’s sea lions.

Several of the smaller islands still have invasive species, and seeing them in succession is an illustration of how wildlife can rebound when nature is allowed to take its own path.

The New Zealand Snares Islands are the northernmost of the Subantarctic Islands. The island chain is dominated by jagged cliffs. The Snares Islands are a zodiac cruise only destination. The Snares are the only Subantarctic group never to have suffered from invasive species, so only scientists and researchers are permitted to land here.

The highlight of a visit is undoubtedly the cliffside colonies of the Snares crested penguin, found only on these islands, which have yellow crests similar to rockhoppers. The skies around the Snares are thick with sooty shearwaters, while New Zealand fur seals can be seen in the waters.

The Subantarctic Islands are normally only accessible by expedition cruise ships from late November through to January.

This restricted season is due to several factors including the likelihood of the best weather for sailing on this stretch of the Southern Ocean, and the small number of visitor permits issued every year for landings on Macquarie Island.

In addition, for those ships continuing south from the Subantarctic Islands to visit the Ross Sea, ice conditions narrow the window even further, making these some of the most exclusive island destinations it's possible to visit.

The Subantarctic Islands are south of Australia and New Zealand, and the majority of voyages depart from the Port of Bluff on New Zealand’s South Island rather than Ushuaia in Argentina. Christchurch is the nearest international airport, and there are plentiful internal flight connections. A small number of departures sometimes depart from the Australian port of Hobart in Tasmania.

Typical Subantarctic Island cruises are around 12 days in length. Some itineraries include the Subantarctics as part of a longer voyage to the Ross Sea in Antarctica. The distances are epic: it takes around four days to sail from Macquarie Island to the Ross Sea, so these voyages tend to be about 28 days in total.