New Australian ship is a perfect match for our wildest waters

The ship: Aurora Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson

• The cruise Coastal Tasmania: Untamed Wilderness (10 days, maiden voyage)
• The ship Built 2025
• Passengers 127
• Cabins 86
• Crew 89 (plus 12 expedition staff)
• Decks 8
• Length 104.4 metres

Named after the legendary Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer, Douglas Mawson is the third polar class 6 vessel in the Aurora stable, joining siblings Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle on immersive expedition cruises to the wildest places on the planet.

Setting off from Hobart – its namesake’s own starting point on his Australasian Antarctica Expedition of 1911-1914 – the ship’s maiden voyage is intended as a circumnavigation of Tasmania, however, with the Roaring Forties producing gale-force winds and monstrous swell, the difficult decision is made to abandon the west coast, and instead take an exploratory journey of Tasmania’s east and northern coastlines, with stops determined by conditions.

Boarding

Passengers, or “expeditioners”, as Aurora likes to call them – join the inaugural sailing in Hobart, bussed from the luxurious Tasman Hotel to board the sparkling new ship docked at the waterfront. After passing through security, we are ushered on board, our passports exchanged for room keys, and we are pointed in the direction of our staterooms where our luggage awaits.

The design

Prioritising substance and comfort over bling, Douglas Mawson impresses with light-flooded communal spaces including two restaurants, several bars, a library, lecture theatre and citizen science centre, plus multiple observation spaces both inside and out for wildlife and scenery-viewing.

Furnishings in natural hues of brown, blue, teal and pink create a seamless transition to the outside world; while wooden slats and lighting under organic ceiling recesses give contemporary Nordic vibes. Corridors and staterooms feature beautiful polar photography, as well as information panels about explorers and historic expeditions.

Like its sister ships, Douglas Mawson is fitted with the revolutionary, beak-like Ulstein X-BOW, designed to cut through swell and reduce fuel consumption. But even that innovation is no match for the furious conditions on Tasmania’s west coast, with safety and passenger comfort taking priority over the bucket-list of achieving circumnavigation.

The spaces

There is no shortage of places on board to take in the views, relax with a good book or chat with new-found friends. The dual-level atrium lounge and library is a silent haven, while the Observation Lounge on Deck 8 becomes lively when chilly winds drive expeditioners inside. Pop by the Citizen Science Centre to sign up for on-board environmental projects or recap the day in the lecture theatre, cocktail in hand.

In the bowels of the ship, a large mud room where lifejackets and muck boots are stored in individual lockers ensures seamless exits for Zodiac excursions.

The stateroom

Douglas Mawson features 10 types of suites, including a range of compact single-berth staterooms – acknowledgement of the increasing number of solo travellers embarking on adventure cruises. I’m in a Balcony Stateroom Category C, economical (21.07 x 24.87 metres) but sufficiently spacious to accommodate two people. There’s a small balcony for dolphin-watching, ample storage and hanging space, and a generous bathroom with heated floors and a shower with instant hot water.

The food

There are two restaurants on board: the main dining room on Deck 5 where buffet breakfast and lunches are served, with a la carte choices at dinner, and a cheerful intimate space on Deck 8 called The Hub featuring indoor and outdoor seating and a la carte choices for all meals. Alcoholic beverages are complimentary at dinner only, with a limited choice of one red and one white wine. Disappointingly, there are no Tasmanian wines on offer, which feels like a lost opportunity to support local industry.

Wellness

A small, well-equipped gym is well-patronised during sea days, along with a large sauna for warming up after Zodiac excursions. Step out onto Deck 7 where an elevated heated pool and two hot tubs are surrounded by comfy seating for soaking up sun and views; unfortunately, due to high swell during our trip, the pools and tubs are periodically closed.

Entertainment

As an expedition ship, the name of the game is to experience wild places, whether that be viewing scenery and wildlife from the observation decks or getting off the ship altogether on a Zodiac excursion. With our original itinerary discarded due to the vagaries of Tasmanian weather, the journey becomes somewhat of a “mystery tour”, with spontaneous landings and excursions determined by the swell. This provides unexpected highlights such as pottering around sea caves, visiting convict ruins at Coal Valley, hiking on remote Three Hummock Island in Bass Strait, and creeping close by Albatross Island, the nesting rook of 5000 pairs of shy albatross.

Back on board, “entertainment” comes in the form of lectures from various staff members with expertise in sciences from birding to geology; while a special guest on our cruise is adventurer Dr Tim Jarvis, whose historically faithful recreation of Douglas Mawson’s drama-filled journey to Antarctica makes for compelling after-dinner storytelling.

The crew

With at least one-third of passengers repeat Aurora guests, many are already best buddies with the tight-knit expedition team, whose role is to guide rather than lead. “We’re not big on ‘follow us’ – we prefer to say ‘join us’,” expedition leader Daniel Stavert says. “Whether you’re a guide or a guest, we break down those barriers pretty fast, and we explore this amazing place together.”

This ethos seems particularly relevant on our “at the mercy of Tasmanian weather” flexi-itinerary, with spontaneous decisions to abandon scheduled stops or add new ones creating a shared spirit of adventure.

While the gregarious expedition staff are the rock stars of the adventure cruise world, it’s the unsung “hotel” staff – the housekeepers, receptionists and hard-working kitchen staff – who are the spine of the operation, cheerfully doing their jobs to ensure smooth sailing irrespective of sea conditions.

The verdict

Like the intrepid explorer it’s named for, the Douglas Mawson is built for adventure, delivering guests into the heart of the action without sacrificing creature comforts. Its inaugural discovery expedition tested the waters both literally and figuratively, ironing out inevitable wrinkles and on-board issues (such as a dodgy PA and a lift that shut down during extreme tilting, which was often), sailing an itinerary that is adapted daily to weather and sea conditions.

The details

The Douglas Mawson’s inaugural season will mark Aurora Expeditions’ return to East Antarctica for the first time in 13 years, with new itineraries including voyages to “Mawson’s Antarctica”, the Subantarctic, the Ross Sea and an epic journey crossing Antarctica. See aurora-expeditions.com

Our rating out of five

★★★★½

Swell

As comfortable as the ship is, every effort is made to get expeditioners off exploring the Tasmanian coastline; and while Zodiac excursions are planned most days, it’s all determined by the elements. Two launching bays – one port, one starboard – as well as a rear marina give options for smoother, more efficient embarkation, while ballast technology means the ship can be lowered to make boarding the Zodiacs easier and safer.

Not so swell

Oddly, there’s body lotion provided in the shower caddy but no conditioner, a situation only rectified after complaints from disgruntled frizzy-haired female guests. The firm (ie, rock hard) mattresses are also a topic of conversation, with the consensus that they are “character building”.

The writer was a guest of Aurora Expeditions.