Cooby Creek Opening Ceremony


 

Cooby Creek Applications Technology Ground Station was officially opened by The Hon. Reg. Swartz, Minister for Civil Aviation, and Member for the Darling Downs, on Saturday 22nd October 1966. Quite a crowd was on hand.

Opening Ceremony

These photographs are from a commemorative photo album kept by Mr Lloyd F. Bott, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Supply.

Larger versions available request.

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The Commemoration plaque just inside the main gate.


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The Station entrance.

The audience is standing and the US flag has just been raised.
Note the boards placed over the cattle grid at left for the public to enter.


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Plaque covered by veil, flanked by Girl Guides.


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The Hon. Reg Swartz, the local Federal member, addresses the crowd.

(4GR is the commercial radio station covering Toowoomba & the Darling Downs.)


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Willson Hunter, the NASA Senior Scientific Representative to Australia, addresses the crowd.


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The Mayor of Toowoomba, Mr Jack McCafferty (1914–1999), speaks.
As well as being Mayor of Toowoomba (1958–1967), John Francis McCafferty became widely known as the founder of McCafferty’s Coaches, a long-distance bus company.


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Tour of Inspection – L. to R.:

Mr Lloyd F. Bott (Department of Supply), Dr. M. W Woods (Department of Supply), Mr Don Freeman (Station Director), The Hon Reg. Swartz, Member for the Darling Downs and Minister for Civil Aviation.


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Mrs Swartz plants a tree. (Is it still there?)


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Left to right: Mr Jack McCafferty, Mr Don Freeman, The Hon Reg Swartz, Mr Willson Hunter.


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Guests at the Dedication Ceremony.


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Roger Hancock, son of shift supervisor David Hancock, spotted his family in the above photo.


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Guests at the Dedication Ceremony.


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Unveiling the plaque.

Reactions range from wonder to – er…


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The Commemorative plaque.


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Willson Hunter, Reg Swartz and Don Freeman
inspect the control system.

Tony Salvage is at the console. (Thanks to Nevil Eyre for the ID.)


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Guests inspect the console equipment.

(Who is at the console? Contact.)


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The official party with the antenna and intsrumentation van in the background.

Note the members of the public lining up for a tour, and also the reservoir in the background.


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Lloyd Bott, Willson Hunter, Reg Swartz and Jack McCafferty enjoy a drink in the office (note the Goddard trailer visible through the door, behind the waiter).



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Younger set admiring dummy astronaut.

In the marquee set up at Cooby Creek.


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Bill Hempstead, son of Cooby Creek’s Ted Hempstead, has provided this annotated copy with identification of those in the photo.


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The cover of the commemorative photo album.


With thanks to Michael Bott, Glen Nagle and Mike Dinn.
Scans and image restoration by Colin Mackellar.

 

 

Neil Sandford took these transparencies on opening day.

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14. View from Road towards the Dam.
The main gate is just out of field to the left.

Large, Larger.


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12. Opening Ceremony.

Large, Larger.


Cooby Creek

13. Opening Ceremony.

Large, Larger.