Woomera - Day 8

by Marianne
(Sydney, NSW)

On Monday we left the Flinders Ranges at 9.15 and said farewell to Opa and Oma who were now on their way to Adelaide.
We had a pleasant trip leaving behind the native pines and entering more level ground and smaller scrub bushes.

As we continued on to Port Augusta, we passed Quorn, the home of the Richi Pichi Railway which is the only working rail on the narrow gauge. It was a windy way down to Port Augusta and we passed under and over the rail a few times on the trip.
Then in the distance we saw the water of the Spencer Gulf and Port Augusta.

Our main aim in Port Augusta was to stock up on food, fix Gerald’s glasses after the kangaroo incident and fill up on fuel.
So, we shopped at Coles and bought a trolley and a half of food. The difficult thing was to find room in the trailer, but it worked. All the 5 boxes in the large drawer of the trailer were filled with canned food, cereals, long life milk, snacks, dried and some real vegetables and meat.

Along the route from Port Augusta to Woomera we enjoyed viewing some lakes which were now partly watered. Especially beautiful was the Lagoon Lake on the left hand side of the road as we came closer to Woomera.

The next stop was Woomera and when we arrived, we went to the Information Centre and began to learn about the rocket and missile testing and research base in Australia. We read about many rockets and missiles which have been sent from Woomera. We even sent a satellite into space (WRESAT) and the modules which retuned to earth was found in the Simpson Desert by Dick Smith and his team. The town’s flats and unit style accommodation was evidence of a once very large and thriving community filled with many workers.

Then we went to see the actual rockets and missiles in the missile park, and although intereresting, sunset was not the right time to see it, as we were eaten by mozzies.

That night we enjoyed bowling at the bowling centre which the Americans gave to the community of Woomera after their joint work between NASA and the Australian Researchers. Gerald would like it noted that he scored 213 – a personal record and one that the boys will now need to try to beat!

We cooked apricot chicken easily with a cooked chicken, apricot nectar and French onion soup mix, mixed with a number of vegetables.

Have you been to Woomera? Leave us a comment!