The Vostok traverse was a 3000 kilometre four-month trip across Antarctica undertaken by ANARE the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition in 1962.
Using two bright red painted 1943 World War II M29 Weasel tracked vehicles and two 1950 D4 Caterpillar Inc. tractors the 6-man expedition left Wilkes Base on the coast for the Russian Vostok Station deep in the Antarctic interior.
Navigating across the featureless landscape was accomplished by a lead Weasel fitted with a Pioneer compass suspended in front of the vehicle on an aluminium frame.
This was done to prevent the steel of the vehicle swamping the weak natural magnetic field close to the pole.
When they arrived they found the Russians had evacuated the station 12 months beforehand in such haste that food had been left half cooked on the stove.