Summer 2022 SKA-Low update

On Monday 5 December we had an unforgettable day at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, to launch the start of on-site construction of the SKA-Low telescope by the SKA Observatory (SKAO).

Celebrating together

We were joined by almost 100 members of the local community, representatives from partner organisations, media, staff and guests who attended the event in outback WA, on Wajarri Country.

The official ceremony began with a Welcome to Country by Wendy Merry and Wajarri cultural dance by Godfrey Simpson, Geoffrey Mongoo and Gerard Boddington.

Three Wajarri men in shorts and ochre painted chests dance on red Earth under bright blue skies. Behind the dancers is a banner wall with the SKAO logo and artist impressions of the SKAO telescopes.

Wajarri cultural dance performed by Godfrey Simpson, Geoffrey Mongoo and Gerard Boddington (L-R) at the on-site celebration of commencement of construction of the SKAO’s SKA-Low telescope at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Credit: SKAO.

SKAO Director-General Professor Phil Diamond announced the launch of on-site construction, and introduced Minister for Industry and Science The Hon Ed Husic MP who spoke about the benefits of the SKA project for Australia, and the first contract awarded for SKA-Low infrastructure activities.

They were joined by WA Government representative Ms Sabine Winton MLA, CSIRO’s Professor Elanor Huntington and Murchison Shire President Rossco Foulkes-Taylor, to speak about their perspectives on the importance of the project. Wajarri representatives Colin Hamlett and Dwayne Mallard spoke about the expectations of the Wajarri Traditional Owners for the benefits that the SKA-Low will deliver to their community, now and into the future.

Meaningful gifts

Wajarri artist Susan Merry presented Minister Husic with a painting of the SKA-Low telescope under the sky and stars, as a gift from the SKA-Low team to commemorate the event.

To mark the turning of the soil that will begin construction, Gail Simpson from the Minangu Land Committee presented Wajarri digging sticks to Minister Husic, Professor Diamond and Ms Winton, together with Ivan Merry, Edward (Teddo) Ryan and Colin Hamlett from the Wajarri.

I was honoured to be one of several SKA project representatives, together with Rebecca Wheadon from CSIRO and Janean Richards from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, to be gifted a digging stick from the Wajarri representatives.

A man in a navy short sleeved shirt (Professor Phil Diamond) receives a long pale wood traditional digging stick etched with darker markings of Wajarri symbols and artwork by Wajarri representative Gail Simpson, wearing a bright butterfly print tunic dress.

Gail Simpson (right) gifting a Wajarri digging stick to SKAO Director-General Professor Philip Diamond, to mark the turning of the soil that will begin construction. Credit: SKAO.

It was a really moving symbol of the road we are walking together in sharing the sky and stars, and the relationship we are building between the partner organisations and the Wajarri. Thank you to Colin, Gail and the Wajarri for this gift.

International project, global community

Each attendee at the event received a framed reproduction of the SKA-Low Wajarri artwork by Susan Merry and a booklet about the project. In the evening, about 180 people joined us at an evening reception at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, a chance to catch up with new and long-time colleagues and collaborators, to celebrate this momentous occasion.

The SKA-Low telescope launch was part of a series of global events to mark the start of construction, with associated events happening around the world, including in South Africa and the UK, as well as SKAO member countries.

It was wonderful to be joined by Wajarri Elders, Wajarri and Pia Wadjarri community members, local pastoralists, Murchison Shire representatives and others from the local community, to commemorate this key milestone. It was a huge effort by a collaborative team across SKAO, CSIRO, the Australian Government and our partner organisations. Thank you to everyone who helped to plan and run the event.

Ant Schinckel, SKA-Low Site Construction Director, SKAO

A woman in a bright butterfly print tunic dress with sunglasses on (Gail Simpson) stands with a man in a white business shirt embroidered with SKAO on the left chest, wide brimmed hat and blue jeans (Ant Schinckel). Ant is holding a pale wood long stick etched with Wajarri markings - a Wajarri digging stick.
Man in a pale blue business shirt and khaki pants (Minister Husic) shakes the hand of Wajarri artist Susan Merry wearing a bright purple and orange shirt with Aboriginal artwork adorning it. Susan is holding a painting in Aboriginal dot art style representing the colouring night sky and the red Earth tones of Wajarri Country with black dotted representations of the Christmas tree-like SKA-Low antennas.
A man in an orange long sleeved shirt with beard (Dwayne Mallard) embraces a man in a white long sleeved shirt and wide brimmed hat (Ant Schinckel).