Heard Island and McDonald Islands are located in the Southern Ocean, approximately 1,700 km from the Antarctic continent and 4,100 km south-west of Perth. As the only volcanically active subantarctic islands they &lsquo,open a window into the earth&rsquo, thus providing the opportunity to observe ongoing geomorphic processes and glacial dynamics. The distinctive conservation value of Heard and McDonald &ndash one of the world&rsquos rare pristine island ecosystems &ndash lies in the complete absence of alien plants and animals, as well as human impact.