Is Maralinga still radioactive?

Almost 60 years after British nuclear tests ended, radioactive particles containing plutonium and uranium still contaminate the landscape around Maralinga in outback South Australia. These “hot particles” are not as stable as we once assumed.

What is Maralinga famous for?

Maralinga is 54 kilometres north-west of Ooldea, in South Australia’s remote Great Victoria Desert. Between 1956 and 1963 the British detonated seven atomic bombs at the site; one was twice the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

How big is Maralinga?

about 3,300 square kilometres
Maralinga, in the remote western areas of South Australia, was the site, measuring about 3,300 square kilometres (1,300 sq mi) in area, of British nuclear tests in the mid-1950s.

Who was in charge at Maralinga?

Colonel R. Durance
Another 450 Australian and British personnel formed the Maralinga Range Support Unit (MARSU) under the command of Colonel R. Durance from the Australian Army.

Can I visit Maralinga?

It has been off limits for visitors ever since. But with a clean-up of the area, supervised by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority, completed in 2000, the authorities have certified that it is now safe for visitors to tour the facility.

Is Maralinga safe to visit?

How many bombs dropped at Maralinga?

Britain went on to test 12 atmospheric nuclear bombs at Maralinga. But the worst contamination came from a series of minor trials with nuclear warheads in the early 1960s. Nearly 700 trials of air and land missile strikes were tested over the decade. They released 100kg of radioactive and toxic elements on Anangu land.

Is Maralinga open to the public?

Entry to the Maralinga Atomic Test site is restricted and the area has a chained gate and hundreds of kilometres of secure perimeter fencing. Tourist Permits are now available for a limited number of visitors at any one time – from late March to mid-October.

Is Woomera radioactive?

Ten thousand barrels of radioactive waste stored at Woomera in South Australia’s far north have no significant levels of radiation, according to the latest assessment from Australia’s leading scientific research agency.