Woomera was established in 1948 to house up to 6000 military personnel and others working in the wpa. Woomera is an artificial town specifically designed by the long range weapons board of administration to provide accommodation and facilities for personnel scientists, technicians and ancillary staff who came to work at an isolated experimental station which was used to test rockets, weapons and missiles. Woomera destination guide south australia, australia. The ground area of the wrc is defined by the woomera prohibited area. The airspace above it is also restricted, and is called the woomera restricted airspace. It served britain to achieve nuclear power status during the cold war. The daytoday operation and administration of the wtr is the responsibility of headquarters, raaf woomera test range, based. Woomera definition of woomera by the free dictionary. The woomera range complex is located in the northwest pastoral region of south australia, with the operational area of the range encompassed by the woomera prohibited area wpa, which covers very sparsely populated outback land. The long legacy of the woomera rocket range black mist. Since its construction over 194753, it has essentially operated as a township but always under a defence model rather than. Some thoughts about the woomera archives peter mortons website. Coated in cerakote single stage, three way adjustable for weight, sear engagement and draw length. The woomera prohibited area is the largest landbased missile and rocket range in the western world.
The range is still the worlds largest landbased weapons test range, which covered an area of 270,000 square kilometres the size of england at its peak. It is used by the australian defence force and its allied partners to test advanced platform and weapon systems. The wrc is operated by the royal australian air force raaf, a division of the australian defence force adf. I had already written a book and several papers on scientific history, but the. The united kingdom remains the only country to have successfully developed and then abandoned a. Plan and write a short story about the cold war in woomera. Several spartas were launched from 196667 from woomera test range in woomera, south australia as part of a joint united statesunited kingdomaustralian research program aimed at understanding reentry phenomena, and the u. In common usage, woomera also refers to the wider raaf woomera range complex, a large australian defence force aerospace and systems testing range covering an area of approximately 122,000 square kilometres operated by the royal australian air force. Satellite launch vehicle europa 1 set for launch from woomera rocket range in south australia in 1966. Laidback living on an australian rockettesting range. Woomera definition is a wooden rod with a hooked end used by australian aborigines for throwing a spear. Maralinga in remote south australia is exactly that.
The daytoday operation and administration of the wtr is the responsibility of headquarters, raaf woomera test. In 1956 australian and british servicemen built a test site and an airstrip, and the area became known as section 400 1, about 488 kilometres north of adelaide. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 3. A village and airstrip were constructed for the subsequent testing program. The woomera range complex is considered the worlds largest military land base. The operational manager of the center is the commonwealth air force cairf. During the period 1420 april 2018, 110th field battery, 16th air land regiment, conducted exercise remagen bridge ex rb18 an all arms air defence aaad and advanced missile live fire exercise at woomera test range, south australia. Artificial town created to house people working at the rocket range. Daves book is a historical snapshot of what life was like at the jdfn and woomera in the early 1990s through the eyes of a young us air force lieutenant. When it closed in 2003, the population fell to 160. Woomera had been established as a joint weapons research facility between britain and australia in 1947. Andamooka 1 book flinders ranges 10 books lake eyre south 2 books orroroo 1 book coober pedy.
In the 1970s, defence testing and rocket launches were being wound down, but the americans brought new life, building a bowling alley and strong sporting leagues. Woomera township is part of raaf base woomera which, along with the woomera test range. Woomera range an angloaustralian missile range located in southern australia in the vicinity of the city of woomera. Woomera test range simple english wikipedia, the free. His property is just on the woomera range complex in south. These launchers there were two, and a third never completed are now a relic of the ranges significant history of. A history of the legendary seaplane schiffer militaryaviation history. The raaf woomera test range wtr, previously known as the woomera test facility, the woomera rocket range, and the long range weapons establishment, woomera is a weapons testing range operated by the royal australian air force raaf air warfare centre. About the woomera prohibited area, the largest land weapontesting range in the. The nurrungar test area nta is 18km south of woomera, and although not within the wpa, it is under the operational control of woomera range headquarters in adelaide. Established in 1947 as the longrange weapons test facility of the angloaustralian joint project, woomera was born out of britains cold war desire to develop its own missile systems and nuclear deterrent.
Its official area of emphasis was spacebased surveillance, in particular the early detection of missile. Woomera, officially woomera village, is a town located in the far north region of south australia in australia, approximately 446 kilometres north of adelaide. The raaf woomera range complex wrc is a major australian military and civil aerospace facility and operation located in south australia. Australian space history book launched ahead of international.
See more ideas about south australia, australia and aboriginal people. The main effort was the inoculation of rbs70 operators regarding the effects of firing the weapon system. It consisted of three separate launch pads, which supported 22 black. The complex includes both the land area of 122,188 square kilometres 47,177 sq mi. The woomera test range squadron is a subelement of the air force ranges directorate afrd, which is also part of the air warfare centre. There are 27 pastoral stations within the woomera prohibited area, which essentially forms the ground space of the woomera test range, and there are currently four major mines 20 challenger, prominent hill, peculiar knob, and cairn hill.
The woomera test range wtr in south australia is the largest landbased range in the world. The most comprehensive book ever written about australias history in space. The daytoday operation and administration of the wtr is the responsibility of headquarters, raaf woomera test range, based at. We found books set in woomera and 16 others set nearby.
Joint defence facility nurrungar jdfn, located on the edge of island lagoon, approximately 15 km south of woomera, south australia, was an earth station in australia operated jointly by the australian department of defence and the united states air force from 1969 through to 1999. Woomera including pimba, nurrungar and arcoona famous outback township which, from the 1940s, was the centre of australian and british rocket launching experiments located 486 km north of. Unable to test such weapons adequately within the narrow confines of the united kingdom and its surrounding waters, britain sought a secure. Woomera range article about woomera range by the free. Woomera 19551980 to celebrate the contribution of the south australian rocket test range to the global space industry. Most widely held works about woomera rocket range contact. Launch area 5 la5 is an operational site at the raaf woomera test range which forms the primary operational capability of the woomera range complex. Woomera, officially woomera village, is a town located in the far north region of south australia in australia, approximately 446 kilometres 277 mi north of adelaide. Emu field is located in the desert of south australia, at coordinates ground zero totem variously known as emu field, emu junction or emu, it was the site of the operation totem pair of nuclear tests conducted by the british government in october 1953 the site was surveyed by len beadell in 1952. The daytoday operation and administration of the wtr is the responsibility of air force test ranges squadron, air warfare centre.
Woomera is a town where history was made and still is today and what better reason could a history buff like me need to visit this remarkable town in the south australian outback. The rocket range and weapons testing complex is also home to farmers and ranches. Laidback living on an australian rockettesting range atlas. Sparta used a surplus american redstone as its first stage, an antares2 as a second stage, and a be3 as a third stage. It is the only part of the range open to tourists without permits, and has places set up to learn about the. On completion, the woomera was numbered in the prototype range, a231001, and the first flight was carried out by flight lieutenant boss walker on 19 september 1941. Front cover for the book from white australia to woomera. A hooked wooden stick used by aboriginal peoples of australia for hurling a spear or dart. But as the americans were packing their bags, the controversial woomera immigration reception and processing centre was established, providing jobs for the town again. Between 1947 and 1982, it was a completely closed facility. Administratively, the cairf woomera space center is a winglevel unit of the cairf aerospace operational support group aosg based at cairf edinburgh in adelaide, south australia. The raaf woomera test range is a weapons testing facility in south australia.
International recognition of the historic importance of the woomera rocket range in south australia should be the catalyst for australian authorities to place it on the heritage list, a space. Operations management of the complex are managed through headquarters air warfare centre, while daytoday operation of the range is the responsibility of the woomera test range squadron, which was expected to be renamed to a numbered squadron during. Nurrungar is one of many projects thats seen woomera township wax and wane. Headquarters awc, air force ranges directorate and the test range squadron are all currently based at raaf base edinburgh, in adelaide, located approximately 450 km 280 mi southwest of the complex. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in. We welcome feedback on how we can improve the information about the range management framework the woomera prohibited area wpa is a globally unique military testing range. Effective from 1 january 2015, the management of the woomera range complex was reorganised under the new raaf air warfare centre awc. The raaf woomera test range wtr, previously known as the woomera test facility, the woomera rocket range, and the long range weapons establishment, woomera is a weapons testing range operated by the royal australian air force raaf aerospace operational support group. Black arrow carried out four test launches without an additional blue streak stage from woomera between 1969 and 1971, with the final launch carrying the satellite prospero x3 into orbit.
Maralinga is part of the woomera prohibited area wpa. The most comprehensive book ever written about australias history in space has been launched just weeks out from the international astronautical congress in adelaide. Woomera on the web was prompted by a desire to increase awareness of australias activities in rocket and missile testing at the woomera range during the 1950s, 60s and, to a lesser extent, beyond that an important part of australias history and international relations. The word woomera comes from the dharug language of the eora people of the sydney basin. Woomera is an outback town in the far north of south australia established in 1947 with a population of 6 2015. At close to 50,000 square miles, it is about the size of louisiana. Coated in cerakote high tensile steel with plate recoil lug. Fire across the desert woomeras history book digital rerelease. The raaf woomera range complex wrc is a major australian military and civil aerospace.
At the woomera range experimental launchings are conducted of the. Renewed interest in the range from commercial groups and the military has built the town back up to a stable 300. Woomera village as it is has been historically referred to is a small, and remote, australian defence force adf base servicing the raaf woomera test range. Woomera range complex woomera, australia atlas obscura. The wtr is managed and operated by the raaf aerospace operational support group aosg and has been a vital, strategic defence asset since.
The woomera ranges land track passes over 2,000 km of sparsely populated regions of australia and can be continued, if necessary, 4,400 km into the indian ocean. The anzaf woomera space center is an anzc strategic space port and rocket evaluation center operated by the department of defence. It covers and area of 127,000 square kilometres 49,000 sq mi, and is the worlds largest weapons test facility on land. The base is unusual in that it is open public access. Woomera definition and meaning collins english dictionary. It covers 122 188 square kilometres in northwest south australia, about 450 kilometres northwest of adelaide. Warning signs at the entrance of the woomera test facility. Three position, bolt shroud mounted, rotating safety catch with indicator. The wpa is the worlds largest landbased instrumented defence systems test and evaluation range facility. News in science woomera recognised for historic value. The complex was established in support of the angloaustralian joint. There is a village of woomera, which is the traditional gateway to the test range. The wrc is comprised of both the woomera test range air force test ranges squadron, raaf base woomera 20sqn and the nurrungar test range. Originally la5 was a rocket launch site which supported a number of british experimental launches, including the united kingdoms first, and as of 2019 only, satellite launch.
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