Why this Australian man pledged to sleep outside in Antarctica

At the bottom of the world, where daily temperatures often average anywhere from -10C on the coast to -60C in the highest parts of the interior, lives 53-year-old Australian Andrew “Andy” Warton.

After serving as Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services commissioner* for about seven months, in February Mr Warton began a sabbatical* in Antarctica, where he now leads a team of expeditioners* at the Casey Research Station.

“I’ve adjusted well,” said Mr Warton. “But I’ve got to say, when the weather turns itself on and you get hit with a blizzard, it is more brutal than anything I’ve ever experienced anywhere in my life.”

“Imagine a Category 4 or 5 cyclone with negative temperatures; that’s what it’s like.”

Despite the freezing temperatures, however, the station leader has volunteered to take on yet another challenge.

While he’s currently a very long way from his hometown Darwin, Mr Warton hasn’t let that stop him from signing on to take part in the Vinnies NT “CEO Sleepout”, an event that aims to raise funds for those experiencing homelessness across the Northern Territory.

Each night more than 13,000 Territorians are left searching for a safe place to sleep, making the NT’s homeless population 12 times higher than the national average.

“You don’t have to look far to see the evidence of homelessness in the NT,” said Mr Warton.

Scheduled for June 19, the planned overnighter would not be the first time Mr Warton has taken part in the CEO Sleepout; in the past he has slept under the tropical Top End skies at East Point Reserve* and the historic Fannie Bay Gaol*.

“I’ve done the Sleepout as the owner of a small business, I’ve done it as the NT Emergency Services chief officer, I’ve done it as the commissioner, and now I’m doing it as a station leader in Antarctica,” he said.

With this outing his most complicated challenge yet, Mr Warton hoped it would send a strong message to his fellow Territorians as well as to other Australians.

“It’s going to be tough, but that’s nothing compared to the ongoing daily challenges that those who are homeless in the NT experience,” he said.

“This is a one night challenge, but there are (those) out there that are facing challenges and facing pain on a daily basis. This is a way to send the message.”

Although sleeping arrangements in Antarctica have to be decided on short notice because of the unpredictable weather, Mr Warton said there were “plenty of options on the table” – such as a bivouac*, nicknamed a “chip packet”; a polar tent; or an igloo.

“But at the end of the day, the decision maker in this one is Mother Nature,” he said.

To support Mr Warton or for more information, visit ceosleepout.org.au/fundraisers/andrew

POLL

GLOSSARY

• commissioner: an important official with responsibilities in a government department or another organisation
• sabbatical: period of time during which someone leaves their ordinary work to travel or study
• expeditioners: people on a long, organised trip for a particular purpose like research
• East Point Reserve: one of Darwin’s largest reserves, with 200ha of green space and recreational spaces
• Fannie Bay Gaol: also in Darwin, this historic site and museum operated as Her Majesty’s Gaol and Labour Prison from 1883 until 1979
• bivouac: temporary, makeshift shelter or camp for sleeping in while outside

EXTRA READING

Homeless teen to ice-skating star

Marathon man crosses Oz for the homeless

Sweet dreams and a good night’s sleep in a carpark

QUICK QUIZ

1. Where is Mr Warton currently stationed in Antarctica?
2. Approximately how many Territorians are classified as homeless?
3. How many times the national average is that figure?
4. What is the main purpose of the “CEO Sleepout”?
5. What are the options for Mr Warton’s outdoor sleeping arrangement to survive the night?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What are the challenges?
Mr Warton references the “ongoing daily challenges” of the homeless, acknowledging that his night sleeping out will be easy in comparison. To better understand what he means, spend some time thinking about the challenges a homeless person might encounter over the course of 24-hours.

Mentally walk yourself through the day – beginning in the morning, through the day, into the night until the following morning. Make a list of all of the usually simple tasks that become difficult without a permanent home.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Ethical Understanding

2. Extension
Which of the challenges you identified above do you think would be the most difficult? Explain why you think this is the biggest challenge and any possible solutions that could help address this issue.

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Ethical Understanding

VCOP ACTIVITY
Summarise the article
A summary can be a really good way to grab the main idea plus some key points in the article as a highlight. Think of the summary like a little advertisement or extract you could use to encourage people to read the article in detail. You want to give them an overview of the article that includes the main idea (being able to tell the audience what the article is about in one sentence), plus a few of the key points of the information.

Remember to re-read your summary to check that it is clear, concise and makes sense to the audience who haven’t read the article yet. You need to make language choices that allow you to explain the information in only a few sentences.