Part 23Antarctic specially protected area No. 123

Part 23 Antarctic specially protected area No. 123

  Barwick Valley, Victoria Land.

 

  Barwick Valley is situated about 65 km inland from the Ross Sea coast of South Victoria Land. The Area includes Barwick and Balham Valleys and their respective catchments and is bordered on the south, west and north by the McKelvey Valley, the Willet Range and the divide between the Victoria and Barwick Valleys, respectively.

  The boundary of the Area extends from its eastern extremity in the lower Barwick Valley (around the confluence of the Barwick, Victoria and McKelvey Valleys) several kilometres south towards the ridge leading south‑west to the summit of Mount Insel (1 345 m), from where the boundary follows the high points of the ridge of the Insel Range for 5 km before descending to a low pass between the McKelvey and Balham Valleys at the location of Bullseye Lake. The boundary crosses the lake before ascending the ridge to a further high point on the Insel Range (approximately 1 250 m), and continues towards the upper reaches of the Balham Valley. As the terrain becomes gentler in the upper Balham, the boundary sweeps north approximately above the 1 800 m contour line. The boundary skirts around the summit of Shapeless Mountain until it cuts north-west at a point west of the Apocalypse Peaks. The boundary joins and follows a prominent ridge to the summit of Mount Bastion (2 477 m, 160° 34 E, 77° 19 S). This ridge is followed in a northerly direction to Skew Peak (2 535 m, 160° 26 E, 77° 13 S), located at the head of the Barwick Valley. The boundary then descends along the East Ridge of Skew Peak above Webb Glacier, before following the catchment boundary in a more southerly direction toward Parker Mesa. From Parker Mesa the boundary descends further to follow the dividing ridge between the catchments of the Victoria Upper Glacier and the Barwick Valley. The boundary extends east along this ridge for 13 km to Sponsors Peak (1 454 m, 161° 24 E, 77° 18 S). The boundary descends the south-west Ridge of Sponsors Peak and Nickell Peak (approximately 1 400 m) to the lower Barwick to the eastern extremity of the Area, which is about 3 km north-east of Lake Vida, Victoria Valley.

 

View image in the official source View image in the official source

Note   This map predates the current terminology — Site of Special Scientific Interest No. 3 is now Antarctic specially protected area No. 123.