WOOMERA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The small town of Woomera is located in the south east corner of the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA); colloquially known as the Woomera Rocket Range. Established as a restricted access township in 1947, Woomera Defence Village is an Australian Defence Force (ADF) facility supporting the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Woomera Test Range (WTR) which, today, is used to evaluate military and civilian missile, ordnance, and aerospace systems.

Woomera is in the 'outback' desert area of South Australia, approximately 488 kilometres north of Adelaide. An easement through the WPA allows public transit on the Trans-Australian Railway, The Central Australia Railway, and the Stuart Highway. Travellers are prohibited from leaving these routes. In 1982 restrictions on public access to Woomera township were lifted, allowing the town to develop as a tourist destination, while maintaining its support role for the WTR. Desert surrounds the town and one may drive many kilometres aroudn it and see only the occasional road train thundering along the highway...

This post is part of Lesley's Signs Signs meme.