Blogs from Woomera, South Australia, Australia, Oceania - page 2

Woomera 26th November 09 - 27th November 09 Where on earth is Woomera? Who has ever heard of this place? I sure hadn't! But you know what, this made it all the more interesting! Of all the places I have been thus far, Woomera draws the best memories because I really was walking into the unknown and I came out with so much more knowledge on this tiny little town out in the middle of nowhere. And these are the places people want to hear about. Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kakadu, Darwin.... chances are most people have been there, done that, saw a doco on it or read about it in a travel article or glossy brochure. How many people have heard of or better yet been to Woomera? Not many I have found because talking to ... read more

We made our way to Woomera, and found a very exciting and interesting town, Steve and Samuel where in their element looking at all the old Missiles and Rockets around the town, which included the remains of stage 1 of the first Australian satellite WRESAT that was sent into orbit in 1967 We visited the information centre and found more than we bargained for. Firstly in the complex there was a Museum that explained the fact that when London was bombed by the Germans during WW2, the British decided to use Australia and specifically Woomera as a testing site to develop their own ballistic weapons. Now as interesting as this was the main highlight of the Information centre building was the 6 lane, Ten Pin bowling alley that we just had to use, why you ask!! ... read more

Today we will be leaving the genteel world of wine-quaffing and cheese-tasting far behind. Leaving the ocean behind in the rear view mirror, we are heading due North towards the very centre of the Australia continent. Between us and our destination, Uluru - formerly Ayers Rock - lie thousands of kilometres of baking hot, dry and dusty outback and three days of driving. Three days that will hammer in the message, as if it needed hammering, that Australia is one very large country. Leaving Kapunda nice and early - the town's principal attraction is a giant statue of a Cornish tin miner (see later entry for the explanation) - we head in the direction of Port Augusta, supposedly the last settlement of any size before the immense expanse of the Southern Australian desert begins. The first ... read more