The island has a rich history of human activity, dating back to the early 19th century. The first known sighting of the island was in 1833 by a British naval captain named Peter Kemp. He named the island after his ship, the HMS Heard.

In the following decades, the island was visited by sealers, whalers, and other explorers. In 1881, the island was officially annexed by the United Kingdom and was used as a base for whaling and sealing operations. In 1947, Australia claimed the island as part of its Antarctic territory, and it has been jointly administered by the two countries ever since. Today, Heard Island is a World Heritage site and is protected as a nature reserve, with limited access allowed for scientific research and environmental monitoring.