Melbourne, March 17 (IANS) An Australian ship set sail for the Antartic, but was forced to undertake a special voyage back after it was found that an important piece of equipment had been left on the dock, a media report said.

Australia's Antarctic flagship MV Aurora Australis had to make the special return voyage to Hobart as a big, long hose used to transport fuel hundreds of metres from ship to shore had not been loaded at the dock in Hobart, Australian news agency AAP reported.

The specialist crew realised the mistake after they settled on the Southern Ocean voyage.

An Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) statement to AAP Wednesday said the ship was due at Davis Station to pick up expeditioners this weekend.

It was scheduled to off-load cargo at Macquarie Island and then supply fuel to the sub-Antarctic station, home to about 40 expeditioners over summer. It will return to Hobart before going to Macquarie Island with the hose.