About us

Image credit: Peter Macdonald working in the Scott Base laboratory in 1957. Spot tried to lick Peter Macdonald’s face. © Peter Macdonald Collection, Antarctic Heritage Trust

Born in 1926 in Kelburn, Wellington, William James Peter Macdonald attended Kelburn School, Wellington Boys’ College and Victoria University. After university, he joined the geophysics section of the Geological Survey at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) – a decision that shaped his career and life.

In 1952 he left DSIR to try business and teaching before returning to DSIR in 1956 when he joined Sir Edmund Hillary’s Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The Trans-Antarctic Expedition/International Geophysical Year (TAE/ IGY) winter over party (1956-57) built Scott Base on Ross Island, Antarctica (making Peter part of the first ever group to winter over at Scott Base) and conducted critical scientific research.

Alongside Hillary and the rest of the expedition team, Peter was awarded the Polar Medal in 1959 due to his work measuring sea levels, currents, and the ice shelf at McMurdo Sound. Peter’s work was so renowned that Macdonald Bluffs in Antarctica was later named in his honour.

Peter’s legacy – empowerment through education

Peter was passionate about education and wanted to support empowering Wellington Free’s people to grow through education. That’s why we used Peter’s generous bequest to establish the STEP (Staff Training and Education Pathways) Programme and the Peter Macdonald Scholarship.

The STEP programme is expected to continue through to 2027, enabling us to create more learning opportunities, support clearer learning pathways and help people develop their careers.

The Peter Macdonald Scholarship is dedicated to supporting Wellington Free people from across the organisation to start their clinical careers in paramedicine. It’s intended for people who aren’t currently paramedics but are interested in paramedicine. This could be people working within the clinical communications centre, or as event medics or patient transfer officers, who don’t currently hold paramedic qualifications.

The Peter Macdonald Scholarship provides financial assistance towards course fees for the NZ Diploma in Ambulance Practice or Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedicine). It also includes support for essential course-related costs such as books, uniforms while in training, and medical equipment, helping to remove financial barriers so people can focus on their learning.

The Peter Macdonald Scholarship is about more than just providing financial assistance – it's creating a legacy that uplifts the team, empowers people to reach their goals, and contributes to the future of highly skilled emergency care provided by Wellington Free Ambulance. 

We’re so grateful to Peter and for his choice to invest in the future of Wellington Free Ambulance. His lasting legacy will continue to empower emergency ambulance services, supporting the growth and development of those who serve our communities. Through this contribution, Peter will be remembered not only for his generosity but for his commitment to advancing education in emergency pre-hospital care.

If you’d like to find out more about leaving a legacy, visit our Leave a gift in your Will page.