The Telemetry and Control (T&C) building with the Acquisition Aid (Acq Aid) antennae. The boresight tower is also visible at left.

Photo scanned by Tony Pelling.

The northern-most of the Acquisition Aid antennas.

This pre-opening WRE photo was also featured on the front page of The West Australian on Friday, March 24 1961.

Photo scanned by Tony Pelling.

This photo was taken from the Ground to Air Transmitter, looking very slightly west of north.

The Power House with its fuel tanks is the closest building.

In the mid distance is the water bore and the circular water tank to the right.

This photo appears to have been taken as the station was being dismantled – the acquisition antennae are not visible atop their platforms near the T&C building, and neither are the WWV antennae, the two boresight towers or the Verlort van. (The acquisition antennae and Verlort Radar were relocated to Carnarvon.)

The tower on the horizon at right – above the fuel tanks – is in the direction of Gin Gin and may be a microwave repeater tower.

Large, larger.

Compare with this frame from a 1961 film.

Photo scanned by Tony Pelling. Image enhancement Colin Mackellar.

On the way home from serving as Capcom at Muchea for Friendship 7, Gordon Cooper chats with friend Maj. Tom Risher at the RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at Laverton, Victoria.

Major Risher USAF was serving as an exchange test pilot at ARDU. He knew Cooper from the Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB.

Cooper is standing on the wing of a Winjeel, built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. Scan: Mike Dinn.

Gordon Cooper and Tom Risher at ARDU at Laverton, 1962.
Scan: Mike Dinn.

Gordon Cooper and Tom Risher at ARDU at Laverton, 1962.
Scan: Mike Dinn.