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Melting Antarctic snow has revealed the notebook of Captain Robert Scott's official expedition photographer.

Researchers found George Levick's journal outside the 1911 Terra Nova base in the heart of the Antarctic following this year's annual thaw.

Despite thaws in previous years, this is the first time the notebook has been seen in more than a century.

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The notebook (pictured) is called Wellcome Photographic Exposure Record and Diary 1910 and was discovered by New Zealand's Antarctic Heritage Trust. Researchers found the journal outside the Terra Nova base in the heart of the Antarctic following the annual thaw

The notebook is called Wellcome Photographic Exposure Record and Diary 1910 and was discovered by New Zealand's Antarctic Heritage Trust.

It belonged to surgeon, zoologist and photographer George Murray Levick, who was born in 1876 and died 1956, whose name is clearly written in the opening pages.

Mr Levick was a part of Captain Robert Scott's 1910 to 1913 expedition.

His notebook contains pencil notes detailing the date, subjects and exposure details for the photographs he took during 1911 while at Cape Adare, before undergoing a harsh winter in an ice cave on Inexpressible Island.

Close examination reveals links between the notations in the notebook and photographs held by the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge that have been attributed to Mr Levick, too.

WATCH the conservation of George Murray Levick's notebook

It belonged to surgeon, zoologist and photographer George Murray Levick, who was born in 1876 and died 1956, and his name is clearly written in the opening pages.Mr Levick was a part of Captain Robert Scott's 1910 to 1913 expedition and a member of the Northern Party.

The notebook (pictured during conservation work) contains Mr Levick's notes detailing the date, subjects and exposure details for the photographs he took during 1911 while at Cape Adare before undergoing a winter in an ice cave on Inexpressible Island. Its binding had been dissolved by 100 years of ice and water damage

'It's an exciting find. The notebook is a missing part of the official expedition record. 

'After spending seven years conserving Scott's last expedition building and collection, we are delighted to still be finding new artefacts,' said Nigel Watson, Antarctic Heritage Trust's Executive Director.

The notebook's binding had been dissolved by 100 years of ice and water damage, allowing the pages to be separated and digitised before repair.

French paper conservator Aline Leclercq then began the task of conserving and rebuilding the notebook.

This involved separating each individual page, stabilising and cleaning the pages, rebuilding the notebook into sections before sewing the book back together and reconstructing the cover remnants.

Conservation treatment provided the opportunity to digitise each page of the notebook.

This allows for a more comprehensive study without risking the fragile object.

The notebook has since been returned to Antarctica and is one of 11,000 other artefacts stored at the Cape Evans location.

In 2013, the Antarctic Heritage Trust (NZ) discovered photographic negatives left in the expedition base.

Two years earlier, the trust discovered three crates of whisky and two crates of brandy under Ernest Shackleton's 1908 base during conservation work.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott led the Terra Nova expedition, officially called the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, with the aim to be the first to reach the geographical South Pole.

But when his team of four companions arrived on 17 January 17, 1912, they discovered a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had already arrived 33 days earlier.

Scott's Hut (pictured) was built in 1911 on Cape Evans, Ross Island in Antarctica. Captain Robert Falcon Scott led the Terra Nova expedition, officially called the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, with the aim to be the first to reach the geographical South Pole. But, his team was beaten by Roald Amundsen by 33 days

Pages 59B and 60A (pictured) from the diary show George Levick's notations. This entry reads '[Raymond] Priestley, [Harry] Dickason and [Frank] Browning set a fish trap and [Lieutenant Victor] Campbell with theodolite.' The notebook has since been returned to Antarctica to be stored at the Cape Evans location

Captain Scott's entire team died in March during their return on the Ross Ice Shelf from a combination of exhaustion, starvation and extreme cold.

Captain Scott was a Royal Navy officer and explorer from Devon, who had previously led the Discovery Expedition to the Antarctic from 1901 and 1904. 

Scott's Hut was built in 1911 on Cape Evans, Ross Island in Antarctica.

There is a second hut, built during the Discovery Expedition of 1901 to 1904, south of Cape Evans, which is also referred to as Scott's Hut, as well as Discovery Hut. 

The Antarctic Heritage Trust (NZ) is responsible for the conservation of five historic sites in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica including Ernest Shackleton's, Robert Falcon Scott's and Edmund Hillary's expedition bases through its Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project.

Work is currently centred on conserving artefacts from Captain Scott's 1911 expedition base and conserving Captain Scott's 1902 expedition base.

French paper conservator Aline Leclercq undertook the task of conserving and rebuilding the notebook. This involved separating each individual page, stabilising and cleaning the pages, (pictured) rebuilding the notebook into sections before sewing the book back together and reconstructing the cover remnants

The notebook has since been returned to Antarctica (Scott's Hut is marked) as one of 11,000 other artefacts stored at the Cape Evans location. In 2013, the Antarctic Heritage Trust (NZ) discovered photographic negatives left in the expedition base