Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001
Subject: Woomera page - Where are they now?
I am trying to locate Bob and Helen Barnes, or one of their children - Colin or Elizabeth. Bob was Manager of the Staff Mess at Woomera during the years 1957-1960. I last heard from them in 1964, at which time Bob had left WRE and was an Admin. Officer with Geosurveys of Australia.
Colin and Elizabeth were only children when I knew them, but now Elizabeth will be 49 and Colin 43 and, doubtless, they have families of their own.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Malcolm Singer
E-mail: malcolm.singer@dial.pipex.com
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001
Subject: Woomera - Book Request
I lived in Woomera from 1967 to 1972. My father Neville Horsburgh worked on Rapier and later at Island Lagoon. I believe that among other things, he constructed the smaller antenna at Island Lagoon that is absent from early photos and had some kind of synchronisation function.
I am looking for a book on Island Lagoon or a history of the people who worked at the Island Lagoon facility. I visited Woomera in February 2001, but wasn't as aware of my father's work in Woomera then. I bought the book Fire Across the Desert, which is a great history of the town and the missiles, but only mentions Island Lagoon in passing. I have some great 8mm footage of Woomera, some of which is part of our family legends now and our children watch it and marvel that their grandfather was part of the space program, and still managed to play footy in drag on the weekends!
My family is all still around... my sisters went to school in Woomera and I went to the kindergarten. It was great to visit some of those places, like the shops and the pool and the picture theatre and the arboretum and the footy ground and our old home site, although it's one of the blocks now vacant. It was also great to see the vista out over the desert from the perimeter road again.
If you can help with the book request, that would be great. Thanks.
Cheers,
Chris Horsburgh
E-mail: HorsbuC@prose.dpi.qld.gov.au
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001
Subject: ELDO Tracking Station, Gove Peninsula
Hi Mark,
I found your web page, in particular the references to ELDO, very interesting.
I grew up in a small town on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory and east of the town were the remnants of an ELDO tracking station. At that time the site was being used as an indigenous college called Dhupuma - this would have been in the mid-seventies.
From the little research that I have done, I can find little history relating to the ELDO tracking station on the Gove Peninsula. There is history relating to the activities during the war, but little between that and the development of the present bauxite mine. On my last trip home I visited the site, the college had closed and the site is deteriorating. My concerns are that a valuable piece of local history will fade away from a region already short on local history.
I would be most grateful if anyone who has knowledge of this tracking station could contact me. It would be great, next time I look out off the escarpment where the radar dish used to be, to think of the people and the work that was being done 40 years ago!
Regards
Simon Waite
E-mail: simonw@nqwater.com.au
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001
Subject: Woomera 1986-89
G-Day,
It is really great reading all the past letters to the Memories of Woomera! My last name is Erice Duren and I was a member of the 1970CS from 1986-89. Remember me, I was the umpire for all the softball games at the footy field. My wife Julie shattered her ankle sliding into homeplate. If you were there when I was there it would be really great e-mailing you.
Some of the people I still keep in contact with are Lynn Morrison (from Sandia), and the Ashe family (former mayor of Woomera). Some of the names I remember in Woomera are Geoff Pardoe, the Peek Brother, Paul Meachum, Ron Williams, Laforrest Williams, Malcolm Place and my favourite Pom Danny Brown. If you would like to chat, I'm at the e-mail address below.
G-Day
The Durens.......9 Dewrang Ave.
Cheers,
Malcolm Singer
E-mail: JDCARE@prodigy.net
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001
Subject: Looking for Lola
I am trying to contact my old friend, Lola Wood (nee O'Neill). Lola worked in Woomera in the early '70s. I used to visit her from time to time whilst she worked in Woomera and I do have fond memories of the place. Robbie & Sally Robertson, Art Wang, Steve Tuchfarber (?? spelling) were also working in Woomera at the same time. I used to stay with Ruth and Charlie Lappan when I visited Woomera - are they still residing there? My husband Jim and I last saw Lola in San Francisco in 1982, but lost contact with her when we returned to Australia.
If anyone would know how I could contact her or any of the people we knew in Woomera, I would love to hear from them.
Many thanks,
Maggie Smith
E-mail: maggie.smith@comco.com.au
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001
Subject: Information Assistance
I am a member of the Hanischi family. . .Carol, two brothers Bruce and Mark, mum Trudy and dad Murray. We moved to Woomera in 1963. I gave birth to a son in 1969. . .Craig now deceased. My brother Mark had a son in 1982, now deceased. Both children died of cancer, as did my mother. My father now suffers from the same disease. I myself am in remission from cancer.
I look back on the many kids I went to school with who have been claimed by this insidious disease, in view of the time we were residents of Woomera and with the proximity to Maralinga one has to wonder if there is any bearing on the cancer numbers to nuclear testing. Does anyone else have anything to add to this?
The strain of cancer my son died of is so rare that Australia does not yet seem to have a register. America has done some research but this is still in its infancy and all deaths are associated to radio activity. I would like to hear from anyone who has had to deal with these or associated tragedies.
Regards
Carol Hanischi
E-mail: bonnie13@austarnet.com.au
Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001
Subject: Woomera request
Morning mate(s)...
I was in Woomera from August 1970 through August 1972 working on the Nurrungar project. My family Kathy, Duane, and Susie were with me. Duane attended 2nd and 3rd grade, Susie began kindergarden there. Both now live in the Portland, Oregon area.
Would appreciate hearing from people who worked on JDSCS in Activation Test Force (ATF).
Pete Nelson
6786 SW 204th Avenue
Aloha, Oregon 97007
USA
Home: (503) 591-0160
E-mail: peten11@home.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001
Subject: Hello
I was just surfing on the web and came across this site. I lived in Woomera from 1992-96, the best four years of my life. I have been trying to find some of my dear friends that I have lost track of, over the years. Anyone who remembers me, please send me a e-mail.
Bethany Bjork
E-mail: babjork@hotmail.com
Subject: Woomera Engineers' Reunion?
There are been a query as to a Woomera-related engineers' reunion this year 2001 about Sept/Oct.
If anyone knows any details, please let me know and I'll post it here.
Mark Rigby
E-mail: rigby@powerup.com.au
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001
Subject: Relative
I am searching for information re my relative, John Brown McDonald. He worked at the Woomera Rocket Range, I believe in the very late 1950's and 1960's.
John McDonald was born in Scotland, in the year 1905 or 1906. His only daughter Irene, has now deceased, as has his half sister, my mother. John was an electrical engineer by trade, and lived at Livingston in Scotland.
I understand that everyone who lived or even visited Woomera had to be security cleared and issued with a pass, and so realize data must be held somewhere in a government department.
I do understand that this may take some while to locate because of the different governments involved, but I would appreciate as much information as you can provide me with.
Thank you in advance,
Joanne Davidson
7440 Petts Road
Richmond V7A 1J7
British Columbia
Canada
No e-mail given: forwarded by the Canadian High Commission.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001
Subject: Woomera 1978-1982
It was a great surprise to find your web site, look and the maps and find the house I lived in from the age of 10 to 13. My father, Joe Dempsky, US Air Force; mother June; sisters Jeda and Jenny, and I (Jay) were transferred to Woomera in 1978. I was 10 years old. We lived a 43 Goonda St., just down the street from the Woomera Primary School. Right on the corner of Girrahween. Harold Brown lived across the street.
I like so many others have fond memories of Woomera. It was a great place to grow up, small, secure, friendly. I remember spending much of my time playing soccer, softball, footy. As well as hanging out at the pool, milk bar, arboretum, cinema, watching footy at the village club and reading the Gibba Gabba.
I can't remember the name of my primary school teacher, she was thin and had straight sandy blonde hair and a big nose; other teachers were Mr Mesday and Mr Joy. Unfortunately, I did not keep in contact with any of my school mates, but I remember a few of their names - Gordon Brown, Darrell Golley, Scott Champian, Mark Hamilton, Kervin Williams, Kathy Henderson, Jodie Veale, Leanne.
If you know any of these people or were in Woomera at the same time I would enjoy hearing from you.
Mark, thanks for putting this site together. I am glad to see that I am not the only one with wonderful memories of a beautiful little town.
Best Regards
Jay Dempsky
San Francisco, Ca, USA
E-mail: jugernot@pacbell.net
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001
Subject: Woomera
It is really great to discover the web site. Brings back memories of good times we had at Woomera in1966 and 1967. I was then in the R.A.F and posted to No 1 ATU, only to find that the trials unit was to be run by Shorts, with whom I worked for best part of a year before being posted back to the UK. We would be glad to locate any friends and in particular would like to make contact with Pam and Nev Harvey who were our neighbours in Boori Street.
Peter & Gill Argent
E-mail: Padg5@aol.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001
Subject: Memories of Woomera
We were browsing through this website and were astounded to find people mentioned that we remembered from our time in Woomera.
I, Louise Selby, lived in Woomera from 1958 to 1972 and visited regularly for many years after I left. I, Richard Teague was stationed there with the USAF from Jan 75 to April 76 and met my wife Veronica whilst stationed there. We now live in Adelaide and have thought many times over the years of trying to contact ex-Woomera friends.
If anyone out there knows us or the whereabouts of Bob Strickland, Charlie Hood, Mike Saleski, Paul Grazulis, Paul Moline, Walt & Marylou Slazyk, Chuck and Betty Storey, Gerry Harvey, Steve Cargo, Steve Brickey, Ron & Karen Forbes, Ervie Mayfield et al, we would love to hear from them.
Our memories of the times we had in Woomera are something we will never forget.
Louise Selby & Richard Teague
E-mail: oziyank@eisa.net.au
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Memories of Woomera |
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