Maralinga

Submitted: Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 at 19:40

ThreadID: 38502 Views:2073 Replies:2 FollowUps:4

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Member - Graeme (NSW)

I have just come back from Maralinga. We visited the bomb sites and generally had a good look around. Pics are on my profile.
It is 50 years on and the place has an eerie feel still. The vegetation has returned but what was noticeable was the complete absence of wildlife as I expected to see kangaroos and camels. There were a few lizards, snakes and in Maralinga there were only a couple of dingos.
The runway and taxiways could handle a Jumbo as it is nearly 3km long.
The whole experience was very interesting.

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Reply By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 at 19:46

Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 at 19:46

how's everyone at Oak Valley?

I'm not so sure that the absence of wildlife is due to the testing particularly.

Things were pretty much like that all the way across to the Connie Sue when we were there in August.

If you're planning on taking a heavy there, let me know, and I'll bring some friends.

Cheers
Andrew.

AnswerID: 199170

Follow Up By: Member - Graeme (NSW) - Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 06:58

Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 06:58

Nah. It was pure work.

FollowupID: 458025

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 at 22:15

Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 at 22:15

Graeme,
Thanks for sharing the photos with us. I'd love to get up there - found Emu and Totem 1 & 2 very interesting before. Did you do it with Beadell Tours? If not are there any tricks with getting permission?

At Emu, we saw rabbit burrows within a few hundred meres of the bomb sites, and Sturts Desert Pea gowing very close, but the large number of dead trees does leave an eerie feeling.

Cheers
Phil

AnswerID: 199190

Follow Up By: Member - Graeme (NSW) - Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 06:57

Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 06:57

Phil
I was up there working, so the permits were organised through the company. The caretaker asked permission from Canberra before he let us go to the ground zero.
Graeme

FollowupID: 458024

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 09:04

Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 at 09:04

Please don't abuse this information, but permits can be organised through DIST in Canberra much like other permits for the area (Woomera Protected Area etc.)

Concerns are held whenever significant demands are placed on the contractor caretaker there, and when visit times conflict with other activities there.

At some stage soon (depends on the lawyers getting their act together) it will be all run as part of the Maralinga Lands process (owned by the Maralinga Tjarutja people) and run by them - hopefully with tourist facilities in Maralinga Township (this might take a little longer).

Cheers
Andrew.

PS - if you want contact names and numbers, drop me a note.

FollowupID: 458038