Tourism site is a blast

2003-10-09 12:12

Sydney - Aboriginal community leaders on Thursday presented their plans to federal officials to turn a remote Australian wilderness site once used by Britain for nuclear testing into a tourist attraction.

Traditional owners of the Maralinga area in South Australia were in Canberra to solicit A$7m (about R30m) for the museum that will highlight the history of nuclear testing in the remote 75 000 square-kilometre area.

After the presentation to Science Minister Peter McGauran, Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone and British High Commissioner Alastair Goodlad, delegation leader Archie Barton said the project's success would not be hindered by its remote location, noting that two thousand people already visit each year.

Flowers and things

"I think people would be surprised. People would want to go there and have a look... at the history of the testing," he said. "They take their kids up through the spring to show the kids the flowers and things."

The plans envision a land management centre with caravan park-style tourist facilities to be built at Maralinga village, now abandoned apart from its caretaker's family. Envisioning a joint contribution from Australia and Britain, Barton said the British could offer memorabilia rather than money to help the museum.

Maralinga village sits 40km from the focus of British testing in the 1950s, which contaminated much of the surrounding area with radiation.

The traditional owners now live at a site to the northwest and say they will not resume control of the area without financial assistance from the government to manage it.

They also want government protection against possible lawsuits arising from undetected nuclear pollution.

Although McGauran made no commitment to the proposal, Barton said there would be a follow-up meeting.

- AFP