The
Balleny Islands form a chain of uninhabited, mainly
volcanic,
islands in the
Southern Ocean streching from 66°15' to 67°35'S and 162°30' to 165°00'E. The group contains three main islands:
Young[?],
Buckle[?] and
Sturge. They were first sighted in 1839 by the english
whaling captains
John Balleny and
Thomas Freeman[?]. Freeman was the first person to land on any of the islands on
February 9 1839. Their area totals 400 kmē and the highest point reaches 1524 m (
Brown Peak on
Sturge Island).
They are part of the Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand (see claims on Antarctica).