New Zealand has duty to Antarctic: Ardern

The prime minister was to return to New Zealand late on Friday after a flying visit to the frozen continent this week.

While on the ice, she met with Kiwi researchers at Scott Base, saw colonies of Adelie penguins and ventured into nearby dry valleys to see off-base projects.

The government is rebuilding Scott Base, its primary research facility, committing $NZ306 million ($A277 million) in capital funds in last year's budget to upgrade well-worn facilities which date to the 1980s.

Ms Ardern admitted its "high-dollar value" but insisted it was a worthy investment.

"There's no question that building in a place as remote and challenging as this does bring with it additional cost," she said on Friday.

"When you think about the long-term impact of the work that is done here, not just for New Zealand but for the world ... we have a sense of duty to continue."

Ms Ardern pointed to decades of climate research on Antarctica which "formed the bases of the world's two-degree target or limit for climate change".

"The role we play here and our scientists play here is incredible important for our present and our future," she said.

The Labour leader also vowed to defend NZ's territorial claim and the Antarctic Treaty.

"Parts of the world are becoming increasingly contested and Antarctica is part of that," she said.

"It's incredibly important New Zealand maintains its strong position over the role it plays here ... it's also important we maintain our position of peace, environmental protection and research."

Many Kiwis hold a close affinity to Shackleton, the Ireland-born explorer, as he used NZ as a base for his Antarctic missions in the early 20th century.

Ms Ardern is one of them, re-reading a book on the explorer during her abandoned flight to Antarctica on Tuesday.

The prime minister's plane was turned around mid-flight due to deteriorating weather conditions in McMurdo Sound, re-jigging her plans to instead fly down on Wednesday with on an American flight.

Once on the ground, she visited a number for huts from early expeditions, including Shackleton's Hut on Ross Island's Cape Royds, which the explorer's team built during the Nimrod expedition.

Ms Ardern confessed to being awestruck by the chance to visit the site of her "childhood hero".

"When you're a kid and you read stories about Shackleton you never imagine you'd have the opportunity to come. I feel pretty lucky. It's a cool place," she said.

"These are the first structures and places that humans built here in Antarctica and they still stand."

The huts are protected by the NZ chapter of the Antarctic Heritage Trust and are off-limits to most Antarctic visitors.

Ms Ardern said she was inspired to give the same feeling to Kiwi kids.

"How do we take the modern lessons of these amazing historic explorers to the world but particularly to our young people? How do we give people the sense of standing here?" she said.

"I want other young people to be able to learn that and be moved by it like I was as a 15-year-old."

Australian Associated Press