The Antarctic Heritage Trust manages a programme of heritage conservation in Antarctica, which involves the heroic-era expedition bases of Scott, Shackleton, and Carsten Borchgrevink. Each of these sites is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System and New Zealand is one of the 46 nations which abides by the Treaty System. Areas of biological or historical significance are called Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, and are governed by a management plan. The ASPA management plan for Cape Royds states:

Cape Royds is one of the principal areas of early human activity in Antarctica.  It is an important symbol of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration and, as such, has considerable historical significance.  Some of the earliest advances in the study of earth sciences, meteorology, flora and fauna in Antarctica are associated with the Nimrod Expedition which was based at this site.  The history of these activities and the contribution they have made to the understanding and awareness of Antarctica give this Area significant scientific, aesthetic and historic values….

The aim of the ASPA plan is to protect the site from damage and the further loss of artefacts. AHT works to conserve the artefacts at the hut sites at their original site; to minimize their deterioration; and to make information about the objects available within the limits imposed by the physical location of the site. The whisky crate was removed under the management plan provision to temporarily remove artefacts for conservation treatment.

Conservation may be described as the means by which the true nature of an object is preserved. The true nature of an object includes evidence of its origins, its original construction and materials, information as to the technology used in its manufacture, and the cultural significance of the object.

As well as preserving the crate and bottles as unique objects at a unique site, the opportunity exists to reveal information about the ingredients and processes used to manufacture whisky over 100 years ago, information for which records do not currently exist.

The world has already learned a great deal just from seeing the objects and their packaging emerge from the ice. It is also possible a small sample may be analysed to provide further information about historic whisky making, but the ultimate goal is to preserve the bottles in their original state, for future generations, and return them to their designated historic site.

Inside Shackleton’s hut at Cape Royds