The areas covered include the Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica, the Ross Sea, South Georgia and Macquarie Island. These outstanding landscape and wildlife photographs are reproduced in both colour and black and white and reveal a part of the grandeur and mystery of this great southern realm. Many of the landscape images were taken with a large format view camera, however there is also extensive coverage of the wildlife: emperor, king, Adelie, gentoo, chinstrap, royal and macaroni penguins wandering; royal and grey-headed albatross; and crabeater and fur seals.

The text comprises a narrative of six photographic journeys and essays on climate change and protecting the Antarctic environment. Five detailed maps provide a geographic context for the photographs.