Fed govt stops Macquarie Island closure

The federal government has intervened to reverse a departmental decision to shut down the ageing permanent research station Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic.

But it's not clear whether the $50 million cash injection to build new facilities will come from the environment department's existing budget.

After consulting on the Australian Antarctic Division's decision to close the year-round research station in favour of summer projects, Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg overruled the call, a Senate committee was told on Monday.