Summer 2022 Australian SKA Office update
Happy holidays to everyone in the Murchison region and all those interested in the SKA project. As we approach Christmas, it’s a good time to catch our breath and reflect on the past year. For the SKA, it has been a year of significant milestones, particularly in the past couple of months.
Celebrating the new Indigenous Land Use Agreement
On 5 November 2022, we celebrated registration of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement that will enable an SKA telescope to be built on Wajarri Yamaji traditional lands.
The agreement outlines how the telescope will be built to protect Wajarri Yamaji cultural heritage, and will provide sustainable and intergenerational benefits in areas such as enterprise and training, education and culture. I would like to personally thank everyone involved in this historic achievement.
Also announced on the day was the new traditional name for the observatory site.
Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, meaning Sharing the Sky and Stars, was selected through a competition within the Wajarri community. It is a beautiful and fitting name.
SKA Observatory announces SKA-Low construction start
Wajarri artist Susan Merry presents her artwork ‘SKA-Low at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara’ to The Hon Minister Husic on behalf of the SKA-Low team. Credit: SKAO.
Exactly one month later, on 5 December 2022, the SKA Observatory announced the start of on-the-ground construction of the telescopes in both Australia and South Africa. The Federal Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, attended a ceremony at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, and unveiled a plaque with Professor Phil Diamond, Director General of the SKA Observatory and other dignitaries.
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a painting by Susan Merry to the Minister as a gift from the SKA-Low team. Minister Husic was genuinely touched by this gesture and said the painting would hang proudly in his Parliament House Office.
Once again I would like thank everyone associated with this event, especially those in the community who made the trip out and ensured it was a special day.
The start of construction of the SKA telescopes is the culmination of around 30 years of planning involving over 1000 scientists and engineers. I’m excited to see what mysteries the SKA telescopes will uncover when complete and I hope you are too.
In the meantime, I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.
Ben Scandrett, Executive Manager, Australian SKA Office