Woomera SA

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Woomera SA

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Watch out for the Aliens all through that area B&B. All left behind from many moons ago.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

how the hell am I going to sleep now Doug - Ive just been to the little bar in the CP (jeez - the booze is cheap there) and its 6.30pm Thursday night night and I'll be awake all night waiting to be abducted by a bunch of green (no, that politicial) - different skin coloured (woops, that's racial) - you know what I mean.....ladies just wanting to examine a male of the human species (made a bad pick with me).

madaboutled · Guru

Bruce and Bev wrote:
....at Woomera on the way to Coober Pedy.
There are hundreds of two storied units and a similae number of very nice houses here - all empty.
The most people and vehicles you see here are Programmed Maintenance Services and Transfield who are paid 100s of $K to maintain this slowly decaying township which at its peak in the 1980-90s when the USA were still here housed about 4000 people.

Dare I say sounds like a great place to put up a big fence around it, and turn it into a detention centre and have the movies, bowling alley, gym, pool, huge rec. and town hall, 15 TV channels, WIFI, city water and large hotel available for the staff running it. Why does the government spend sooo much money offshore when there's facilities here just going to waste.

Santa · Guru

madaboutled wrote:
Bruce and Bev wrote:
....at Woomera on the way to Coober Pedy.
There are hundreds of two storied units and a similae number of very nice houses here - all empty.
The most people and vehicles you see here are Programmed Maintenance Services and Transfield who are paid 100s of $K to maintain this slowly decaying township which at its peak in the 1980-90s when the USA were still here housed about 4000 people.
Dare I say sounds like a great place to put up a big fence around it, and turn it into a detention centre and have the movies, bowling alley, gym, pool, huge rec. and town hall, 15 TV channels, WIFI, city water and large hotel available for the staff running it. Why does the government spend sooo much money offshore when there's facilities here just going to waste.

Woomera was used as a detention centre back in 2000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woomera_Immigration_Reception_and_Processing_Centre

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=woomera+detention+centre&biw=1344&bih=708&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Xg8VVZTROoXUmAXCuoCoBw&ved=0CCYQsAQ&dpr=1.25

Bruce and Bev · Guru

would hate to see it used as a detention centre - the houses and aparments are too good for them. The Defence Dept are starting to run courses for their various services there - they will send 100 or so army staff there for a course - but the cost to do so and a whole bunch of single people are only good for the apartments.

Still reckon the Defence Dept should give it up and let someone turn it into a tourist wilderness report

Memem · Veteran Member

I was born in Woomera in 1964 - my dad worked at the tracking station.

My mother loved the fact it was a "gated community" - very safe for families.

Sad to hear of the towns demise. We will be visiting there next year.

Bill B · Guru

It was virtually ghost town when we were there in 2003, so it isn't anything new.

The most people we saw in one place was at the caravan park.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

while we were there a couple of days ago, it was mainly tradies from Programmed Maintenance Services and Transfield. I saw 2 people in some sort of defence uniforms.

Did see quite a few people in white overalls, white gum boots and hoods over their heads and they were looking at the 24/7 sunset on the horizon....no just kidding lol.

It is sad to see such a perfect town with quality buildings and so many social facilities slowing rotting away. Its pretty obvious Defence are spending a bomb, (pun intended), but not enough to keep it up to scratch. The locals reckon if they got rid of the two contracting companies and Defence employed their own tradies, they'd save heaps and hopefully maintain the place better.

If youre going to stay there, have a read on wikicamps about the CP - the Managers and many of their customers have a bun fight on-line. We had no problems at all, the drinks are super cheap in the CP bar (yep a bar in a CP). But watch the showers - if someone turns on a cold or hot tap while youre under the shower, you can expect to get VERY hot or cold water suddenly. Water is great to drink. City quality coffee in the café at the museum