Roger Hart (Mystery Australian Evening)

Len Beadell - Australian Surveyor Extraodinaire

Presented by Roger Hart - 26th October 2016

Roger regaled us with an introduction to Len Beadell, at great raconteur who'd been deeply involved in the post war arms race!  His role was the intriguig one of finding test sites for transcontinental missiles and nuclear bombs in Australia.  He found and surveyed an uninhabited length of 1,500 miles for the flight path of the Blue Streak rocket.  The road he built along it became known, understandably, as the Gunbarrel Highway.  He later ended up building 4,500 miles of road along the route to open up this previously deserted part of Australia.   Len went on to describe his having to find a nuclear test site requiring a clear space of 30,000 square miles.  The sites of Emu Field and Woomera were used.  He was only four miles from the first nuclear test and later flew over and saw the resulting 1.5 mile diameter circle of melted sand.

His exploits, working independently for months or even years at a time, seemed more like those of a victorian explorer rather than a modern engineer.  The only Satnav he had was from taking star sights - no GPS help in those days.  He loved his job and the area he worked in and his annecdotes gave a light hearted view of such an onerous and serious task.  Having to use kangaroo sinews to lace his boots and make 'socks' out of old pullover sleeves for meetings with senior dignitaries was particularly hilarious.

Thanks to Roger for introducing us to such an interesting and entertaining man of his time.

Clive Townsend