Six highly excitable West Australian students have been kitted out ahead of a trip to Earth’s southernmost continent.

The year five students from Secret Harbour Primary School will be the youngest children ever to travel to Antarctica under the Australian Antarctic Program after they won a competition to name a new $1.9 billion icebreaker ship.

They came up with the name ‘Nuyina’, which means ‘southern lights’ in palawa kani, the language of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, after studying Antarctica as part of a science extension program.

Ahead of next month’s trip, the mini-expeditioners were fitted with their snow gear which includes multiple layers for warmth and custom-made boots.

Speaking from beneath a woollen beanie and snow goggles, George Gowing, 11, said he was stunned to learn he had been selected.

“When I found out I was so happy, I was lost for words, it was crazy,” he said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and not many people get it so it’s quite good.”

The lightbulb moment

Tanika Van Schelven, 11, said the group had wanted to come up with a name that continued the tradition of naming Australia’s Antarctic ships after the evocative southern lights, the atmospheric phenomenon that produces curtains of colourful weaving lights originating over the frozen continent.

Australia’s new icebreaker, RSV Nuyina is due to begin service in 2020. Supplied: Australian Antarctic Division

The current icebreaker is the RSV Aurora Australis, and Sir Douglas Mawson’s ship, used for the first Australian-led expedition to the Antarctic, was the SY Aurora.

“We researched names that came from Aboriginal language and Tasmania is closest to Antarctica,” she said.

By chance, another school in Hobart submitted the same name and so a total of 12 students will travel by plane to the icy continent together.

In the lead-up to the trip, they have received health checks from the Australian Antarctic Division’s Polar Medicine Unit.

Chief medical officer Dr Jeff Ayton said temperatures were anticipated to drop below -15 degrees Celsius.

“These are the youngest we’ve had in Australia’s Antarctic program and we need to adapt our clothing sizes and apply a layer principal to ensure they’re nice and warm and safe,” he said.

“They’re fantastic kids who are interested in science and interested in what Australia is doing in Antarctica, so it’s a wonderful opportunity.”

‘Defining moment for students’: principal

Secret Harbour Primary School principal Lisa Fletcher said the whole school was abuzz with excitement.

“This is really broadening their horizons,” Ms Fletcher said.

“I think it will be a defining point for some of them who will go into that field of study or a future career.”

Construction of the newly named ship RSV Nuyina is underway in Romania.

It is expected to arrive in Hobart in 2020 and make its maiden voyage to Antarctica during the 2020/21 season.

-ABC