August 8th – Warakuna to Tjukayirla

We decided to visit the Giles weather station to watch the balloon launch at 8.30am.  We arrived at just after 8.00am, and viewed from the car-park the grader used by Len Beadell to prepare Maralinga for testing by the British in the 1950s, for opening up the WA / SA outback with dirt roads eg Gun barrell Highway,and many others.

The information office had a sign of “No Tours Today”, so we visited the information office to see a history of this Giles Weather station….the site of which was chosen & developed by Len Beadell….he was also a talented cartoonist and a number of examples are on display on the walls.    Outside in the car park was Australian space junk….the remains of a Blue Streak Rocket launched in the 1964 but not found until 1980 some 50 miles south east from the Giles Weather Station.

 

 

8.30 was approaching and we were anxiously awaiting the balloon launch from an unknown position.      Then an aboriginal gentleman, Graham, wandered across to the information office, where we were told he was to conduct a tour of the facility  and take us up close to the launch site.  We met meteorologist James who along with our guide explained about the hydrogen balloon launch and the information it would be gathering. 

 

 

 

Then onto the field testing area to see all the instruments collecting data.  One instrument measures sunshine hours…basically it is a glass orb held in a frame which results in  magnification of the sun’s rays and burning on to a specially treated card, segmented into time/hours.

After this it was into the office to see the computer information being transmitted back from the balloon just launched.  The Balloon launch happens 3 times per day at the same Universal Mean Time [old Greenwich Mean Time]throughout the world.    We felt vey lucky and enjoyed the 3/4 hour at the Giles Weather Station…..you would have loved it GKW. 

 Then onto Tjukayirla, passing around a number of aboriginal communities, which we were not allowed to enter…..some of these had football ovals with green grass all over plus  light towers ringing the ground…..the green grass is a stark contrast to the rusty red soil.  The countryside was different to the previous day, but still impressive with many  wildflowers starting to flower.   The unmade roads are in exceptional condition overall, with grading work continuing on an apparent ongoing basis. 

We stopped at Warburton for lunch, where we transferred to WA time gaining 1.5 hours.   We arrived at Tjukayirla camping ground around 3.15pm  WA Time after about 6.5 hours driving.  We had met a Swiss Lady the night before who had travelled in the reverse direction and told us that it had taken her approximately 8.5 hours for the journey……she obviously had forgotten to factor the loss of 1.5hours as she transferred to NT/Central time.    

Wildlife count – Minimal with a couple of dingoes, wedge tailed eagles but no roos, emus or camels, though we saw camel footprints beside the road for during rest breaks or flower photos.