Wednesday, 15 April 2026
We spent the morning having a look around Woomera. Woomera was established in 1947 as a site for launching British experimental rockets.
The most famous of these was the Europa launched by ELDO (European Launcher Development Organisation) between 1964 and 1970. We also learnt that between 1960 and 1972 NASA was operating a deep space tracking station at nearby Island Lagoon, which we photographed yesterday afternoon on our way to Woomera. We were astonished to learn that the testing range actually extended across the Great Victorian Desert to the Eighty Mile Beach in Western Australia. For some reason we both thought the site was more about shooting rockets straight up but it was instrumental in developing some of the earliest intercontinental ballistic missiles so, of course, they had to test the rocket component over land.
The site was also used to launch Australia’s first satellite into orbit in 1967, making Australia the fourth country in the world to launch a satellite after the USSR, USA and France. The first British satellite was also launched from the site in 1971. Until 1982 Woomera Village was a prohibited area but since then it has been possible to visit, despite the fact that it is still administered by the Department of Defence and remains part of an area that forms the world’s largest land based missile and rocket test range at 122,000 square kilometres.
We learnt all these fun facts as we wandered around the outdoor ‘Rocket Park’ – which displays a selection of rockets, missiles and other military equipment – and the Woomera Heritage and Visitor Centre, which provides a comprehensive history of the site. When we finished exploring the indoor exhibits we exited straight into the cafe so had toasted sandwiches for a quick, early lunch before hitting the road.
Back at the Stuart Highway we topped up with Diesel at Spud’s Roadhouse. It was expensive at Spud’s at $3.60/litre BUT we are probably going to have to get used to that!
As we continued along the Stuart Highway, heading now for Coober Pedy, we stopped at a lookout looking over the western end of Island Lagoon. I decided to break out the hat net to stop the flies trying to crawl into my ears and up my nose. I wandered around taking a few photos while Bernie flew the drone. He tells me he looked online and couldn’t find anything to say that he was not allowed to … despite the area being a Prohibited Area administered by the DOD.
Our next stop was at the Lake Hart Lookout. We could see a track that looked like it meandered down to the lakeside so we headed along it, looking for a good vantage point from which to photograph the lake. Appearances can be deceiving though, and the track stopped at the railway line beside which was a sign reminding us that the Stuart Highway passes through the Woomera Prohibited Area and it is an offence under the Defence Act to enter without permission. Ahem, I stayed on the right side of the railway line, while Bernie walked through the tunnel under the railway line to take his photos. Rebel.
When we reached Glendambo we stopped for ice-creams. I really fancied a pine-lime Splice but wasn’t confident that they would have a great selection. My luck was in though, and we both had Splices. Bernie suggested sitting out on the verandah to eat them – I had to remind him about the fly ‘situation’ that would make that a very unpleasant experience!
After all that dawdling, the afternoon was getting away from us, so we decided we had better start to concentrate on arriving in Coober Pedy before dusk. There have certainly been enough dead roos on the roadside to reinforce the need to be off the road before they start coming out to feed. We didn’t see any live kangaroos at all, but we spotted an emu up ahead. I encouraged Bernie to slow right down because you never know what an emu might do. Sure enough, it strolled all the way across the road to its mate, at which point they both decided to run back across the road in front of the truck. Thank goodness we were almost stopped anyway. Emus are such stupid, unpredictable birds.
The landscape had been relentlessly featureless so we were excited when we spied an escarpment. As we travelled nearer to the outcrop Bernie said – it looks man-made. Sure enough, when we were a bit closer it became obvious that it was a HUGE mullock heap. From this point until we reached Coober Pedy there was ever increasing evidence of mining activities.
We arrived at the BIG4 Stuart Range Outback Resort, on the southern outskirts of Coober Pedy, and pulled into the driveway where we were stopped by a boom gate with a keypad. Dang, we haven’t received a text with a code and the office is all locked up! We exited the car and headed to the office anyway to find their reception hours are only until 5.00pm. Missed them by ten minutes! Bernie rang the after hours number and we soon had our key liberated from the key safe and the gate code in hand.
With a food in our fridge, freezer and pantry box and cooking facilities in our small, very small, kitchenette we haven’t ventured into Coober Pedy yet, opting to make ourselves dinner tonight. We managed to throw together some hamburgers and salad without too much trouble. Always a bit of a challenge cooking with unfamiliar appliances and utensils.
Steps: 6,171 (4.13kms)
