Exactly 100 years ago, Penola-born John Riddoch Rymill left Australia bound for England, in a journey that would culminate in him becoming one of Australia’s foremost polar pioneers.

Rymill would lead The British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE) of 1934-1937, a successful geophysical expedition that revealed secrets from one of Earth's only remaining frontiers, the Polar regions. This expedition resulted in the largest and most accurately detailed survey of the Antarctic continent, confirming the existence of a peninsula rather than an archipelago.

The masterful penmanship of Peter Rymill in his new book, John Rymill: Polar Pioneer allows readers to delve deep into the background of this extraordinary man. From earning his stripes in Greenland after unexpected tragedy, to garnering the confidence of UK supporters for one of the last private Antarctic ventures, to how he selected his crew, John Rymill had a remarkable history.

This evening brings together Peter and John Rymill (the son and grandson of explorer John Rymill) to provide insight into the writing of the book including original footage of the BGLE, facilitated by the South Australian Museum’s Associate Professor Diego García-Bellido, author of the foreword to John Rymill: Polar Pioneer.

About the Sprigg Salon Series

The Sprigg Salon series provides audiences with access to the latest thinking around cultural, scientific, and natural world research and discoveries here in South Australia and around the world. It is named in honour of Dr Reg Sprigg AO, a remarkable South Australian geologist who discovered the world’s oldest fossilised animals in the Flinders Ranges in 1946, now recognised around the world as the Ediacara fossils. 

Sprigg Salons are proudly supported by Inspiring South Australia and Beach Energy.