Roads to Recovery
Maintenance to MT roads is funded by the Local Government Grants Commission and the Roads to Recovery program. Road Maintenance covers areas from Ooldea – Oak Valley – Western Australian Border. Grading operations were carried out by Malcolm Brown and Jason LeBois with some assistance from Oak Valley community workers.
Maintenance of road surfaces ensures safe, all-weather accessibility for Oak Valley Community members, service providers, suppliers, mining workers, tourists and other travellers.
Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation
(DSD-AAR) This funding provides support to manage the Lands in compliance with the Maralinga Tjarutja Land Rights Act 1984 and Maralinga Tjarutja Constitution an effective and culturally sensitive service to the Traditional Owners of the Maralinga Tjarutja Land.
Local Government Grants Commission
This funding provides Administration support in the Ceduna office, the Oak Valley Freight transport operations and project materials / minor tools and equipment. A component of this funding is also used for road maintenance.
Maralinga Tours
Maralinga Tours continues to receive great feedback for guided tours relating to the atomic trials. Most tourists are astounded as to what occurred on the Maralinga Lands. This activity continues to meet expenses with very little profit. The main purpose of the tours is so that the history can be told to successive generations. https://maralingatours.com.au/
Maralinga Village
Facilities available for tourists at Maralinga Village continue to be upgraded and refurbished.
The Caretaker carries out the following tasks in line with the Maralinga Land Environment Management Plan:
- Monitoring of unauthorised access
- Escorting of permit holders through culturally sensitive areas
- Maintenance of the signs at the Watson and Emu Barriers, Taranaki and Maralinga Village
- Watson, Southern Boundary & Lakes area, Emu Barriers and Taranaki
- Removal of physical debris and hazards which pose risks to visitors and staff
- Placing and management of signage demonstrating cultural closures
- Airstrip maintenance – clearing of overhanging trees, weed control, camel droppings
- Maintenance of aprons around the runway
- Maintenance of storm water drains and sumps
- Maintenance of Airfield lighting and windsocks
- Clearing of weeds and overhanging branches along the bitumen roads
- Repairing and filling of potholes
- Maintenance of heritage buildings
- Maintenance and cleaning of sheds, barracks, dongas and ablution blocks
- Maintenance of signage
- Maintenance of grounds, facilities and swimming pool area
- Maintenance of rubbish dump
- Fire hazard reduction
- Maintenance and upkeep of all machinery and generations
- Provide support to building contractors
- Perform patrols on all roads to boundary
- Fortnightly radiation sign inspection at Taranki (West Street)
- Six monthly inspection of burial trench boundary markers and debris pits and remediation
- Inspect all major burial pits Fortnightly -and in some areas on a monthly basis
- Liaise with booking agent and coordinate tours
- Provide all visitors with relevant safety information
- Selling, stock take and care of souvenirs and merchandise
Department of Industry
Maralinga Tjarutja works closely with the Department of Industry to ensure that Commonwealth obligations to section 400 are met in line with the Maralinga Land Environment Management Plan.
- Management of Maralinga records – All of MT’s historical information relating to the 1984 Royal Commission is safely stored in the SA Government Archives.
- Maintenance of Physical Structures built during the Clean-up – The Commonwealth contracts this task to MT and relates to monitoring and maintaining burial pits – Please see pictures below
- Radiation Survey and Review of Radiation Protection Principles – The Commonwealth monitors radiation levels within timeframes.
- Access Management for Section 400 – Maralinga manages a permit system for the whole of MT Lands. Permit approvals have increased in this period mainly due to Maralinga Tours.
- Maralinga Heritage Management – MT is committed to keeping and maintaining the heritage where it can and where it is radiologically appropriate to do so. We regularly inspect all heritage buildings on Section 400.
- Section 400 Tourism – Please see the above report.
- Maralinga Contingency Procedures and Reporting
- Whether there has been any exposure to or injury by a substance believed to be a significant, radiation, physical or chemical hazard
- Unauthorised entries to Section 400.
