In the 1980's, at a time when very few women had worked or spent en entire winter in Antarctica, Di Patterson achieved a world first when she was appointed as an Antarctic station leader. Before assuming her leadership role Di was required to spend six months at Australia's Casey Station where she worked both as a field assistant for various scientists including glaciologists and botanists, and with the crew constructing the new station. In December 1988 she assumed the role of leader of Mawson Station. In what transpired as a thirteen month assignment Di experienced the full range of the challenges of working in such an isolated environment, from the interpersonal management issues on station to responding to emergencies such as medivacs. She led off station expeditions including an inland traverse.
Her Antarctic experience prompted Di to seek a career change resulting in leadership roles in environment and conservation programs for the Victorian State Government. These included programs working with farmer groups with a focus on redressing land degradation and on conserving threatened fauna and flora. Di has since returned to Antarctica on numerous occasions. In 1996 Diana's achievements were recognized with an award by the National Centre for Women for Outstanding Woman of the Year.
Di has held numerous jobs including Assistant Director General of the Victorian Department of Sport and Recreation, CEO of the Surf Coast Shire, Chairperson of the Mount Buller Alpine Resort Management Board and she is also a member of the of the Victorian Alpine Resorts Coordinating Council where she has been contributing specifically in areas of environmental sustainability and ecotourism.
Di has maintained ongoing involvement in Antarctica through membership of the Australian Government's Antarctic Names and Medals Committee.
Topics include:
1. Woman in a Man's world - First Female Antarctic Station leader
Di's story- Covers the changes from the 1980's and 1990's on Australia's Antarctic bases - changes in the involvement of women, communications and transport. Based on Mawson and Davis years
2. Conserving our Antarctic Heritage
Six historic huts remain from the Antarctica's heroic era - with images from 4 Ross Sea Huts but mainly covering her own experience as leader of a team conserving Sir Douglas Mawson's Huts.
3. Australians in the Heroic Age of Antarctica - great stories of survival including:
Louis Bernacchi
Mawson
Raymond Priestly
Frank Hurley
