The Antarctic Cities project is studying the relationship of five key Antarctic gateway cities – Hobart, Christchurch, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia and Cape Town – with Antarctica and with each other. It is looking at how these Southern Ocean Rim cities can act collectively as global custodians of Antarctica, and explore the possibilities of a shift in urban practices and imaginaries from ‘gateway cities’ to ‘custodial cities’. The underlying premise is that this reorientation is crucial to see these cities not just as thoroughfares, but also as urban centres that might embody the cosmopolitan values associated with Antarctic values: international co-operation, scientific innovation, and environmental conservation.

The Project started in March 2017 and finishes in December 2020. Funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant and led by Professor Juan Francisco Salazar from Western Sydney University (WSU), the research is a partnership between the WSU, University of Tasmania, Hobart City Council, Tasmanian Department of State Growth, Antarctic Office, Christchurch City Council, University of Canterbury, Universidad de Magallanes, Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) and key partners in New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.