Ngarlbugala 2024 Bec’s blog
We’ve been so busy this year, we haven’t even had time for our newsletter! The least I can do is give you a wrap of the year from Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, and wish all our friends in the Murchison a safe holiday season and happy New Year.
I’ve been up to the observatory more than usual this year as excitement continues to grow over the international SKA Observatory’s SKA-Low telescope, under construction on beautiful Wajarri Yamaji Country. My team and I have enjoyed seeing the tremendous progress on site – from the first antennas in March to the first detection of a pulsar the SKAO highlighted just this week. We’ve also been privileged to support representatives from the Wajarri community to travel to the SKAO Headquarters in the UK, and South Africa to share incredible Wajarri artworks.
We’ve hosted some VIPs visitors this year, helping raise awareness of what’s happening in the region and opening doors and making positive connections for the Mid-West. The WA Government’s Parliamentary Friends of Technology and Innovation came in March, including WA’s Science Minister, The Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC, and local member, The Hon. Merome Beard MLA as well as Murchison’s own Bill Boehm. We also had a visit from Australia’s astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg to meet with students from Mullewa and see the observatory.
I’m pleased to welcome Pete Gooda as ILUA Manager, completing our team at the Site Entity (more on Pete below). Pete brings extensive experience to her role and has truly hit the ground running.
You’ve probably seen Pete, Chris and the rest of my team out and about in the region, whether it’s monitoring road conditions with the Murchison Shire works team, attending Council meetings, getting along to polocrosse and other sports club events, and contributing to the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea (we hear the auction was a hit). I’m sorry I missed the macadamia caramel slice sent by the kitchen staff at our Boolardy Accommodation Facility but, with another team member set to start their apprenticeship, I’m sure we can look forward to many more treats in future.
Wildflower season might have been short and sweet, but the team saw lots of tourists out and about on the roads taking a look, and we even managed to capture the tail end of it when we welcomed ABC TV’s 7.30 program to come to the observatory – you might have seen their feature in October.
It was a pleasure to show the ABC 7.30 team around the observatory, luckily with a few wildflowers still on show.
We’ve been working hard to keep the Boolardy Homestead airstrip open prior to extension and sealing next year. In preparation for the upgrade the cross strip will be closed to aircraft and turned into a taxiway. We are really looking forward to this upgrade we’re undertaking with the SKAO. Apart from helping with the increasing traffic to the observatory for SKA-Low construction, it will also mean a sealed strip to the east of the Murchison River.
We’re also pleased that the ability to respond to any medical emergencies local to the observatory has expanded, with facilities at the SKAO Nyingari Ngurra construction village adding to the existing capacity at Boolardy Homestead.
Speaking of assets, we are proud to be supporting the Australian Government’s project to bring fibre to the Murchison Settlement and the Pia Wadjarri Aboriginal Community – connecting up a few stations along the way. The fibre backbone has been run and plans for connectivity are being drawn up, you’ll be hearing more about this from Chris at community and Shire Council meetings next year.
I was disappointed to hear of the cancellation of the Christmas Tree at the settlement due to the rain, hopefully we can all connect in the new year and celebrate together then.
See you in 2025,
Bec