Cooby Creek – Introduction

The Applications Technology Satellite Ground Station at Cooby Creek was built near the southern shore of the Cooby Creek Reservoir, about 22km north of Toowoomba, in Queensland’s Darling Downs.

Cooby Creek was a ‘Transportable Ground Station’ and was only ever intended to be used in Australia for a limited time. Its purpose was to support the pioneering work of satellite communication and weather forecasting, using the ATS series of satellites.

Before the station was closed and moved out of Australia in 1970, Cooby Creek had allowed Australians to see live satellite television for the very first time.

NASA’s desire had been to build the station in the Australian Capital Territory, to benefit from the proximity of Canberra, and also the Tidbinbilla, Orroral Valley and Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Stations. However the planned TGS would operate in the frequency band already assigned to the Melbourne – Canberra – Sydney radio relay link. For that reason, the station was built in a radio-quiet area north of Rockhampton.

The station was opened on 22nd October 1966.

Jack Watson estimates the USB antenna base was at 27° 23' 44.75" S, 151° 56' 19.65" E.

Cooby Creek Tracking Station location map. Department of Supply map.

Cooby Creek Tracking Station layout. Department of Supply.

For more on Cooby Creek, see also Kieran O'Carroll’s website.