[Photos] Former Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station

[Todd M]

This is a thread I have posted on ATDB, aswell as a thread regarding Orroral Tracking Station. I will post the Orroral thread aswell for those to view. Due to the boards software, clicking on the photo will bring up a small image, however if you head to the link below you can access full sized photos.

 

Yesterday I travelled with a friend out to the Former Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station to see what was left of this historic site. As most reading this thread would have seen my previous thread regarding Orroral Valley Tracking Station would know, Honeysuckle Creek was one of three tracking stations found in the ACT (Orroral, Honeysuckle and Tidbinbilla) with Tidbinbilla (CDSCC) being the only station still in operation (All were operated by NASA with Australian staff). Honeysuckle was one of the most important stations in Australia, it was a major player in the Apollo missions and was able to recieve the first images of man walking on the moon to beam out to the world (For those that are under the impression it was Parkes, Honeysuckle beat them to the punch). One of the things I love about Honeysuckle is the huge boulders (natural, not placed) that were left undisturbed by the construction of the station, and even used in part to hold supports for radio towers. The surrounding gardens and once well manicured landscaped grounds have of course been left to nature, pictures of this site compared to those in its prime show the surrounding natives have lept up almost covering the surrounds in shade and pristine bushland. The grass still seems to be that of what was left, just not mowed as often or watered daily. Unlike Orroral however, nature is starting to take over the infrastructure, with trees creeping up through roads and cracks in the slab of the power building. Large sections of roadway have been eaten at by water. The ACT Government have placed up many information signs at Honeysuckle to educate those that visit the site (Close up images of signage can be found in the link below). A website dedicated to Honeysuckle Creek can be found at http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/index.html. This site has alot of information, photos, videos, audio and log entries from HSK during its operational years. For those that wish to trek down to Honeysuckle and Orroral, head towards Adaminaby from Tharwa. Follow the road through to Naas, where you will see Apollo Road leading to Honeysuckle first. Honeysuckle has a sign indicating whether the road is open or not, as rockfalls aswell as flooding of the causeway can close the road. For Orroral, follow "Boboyan Road" through the Naas Valley until you cross the other side of a large hill, at the bottom will be Orroral Road which will lead you to the station site. Both are at the end of the road, both have a Causeway and rivers/creeks that will flood during heavy rain. The stations can easily be done in conjunction with a visit to the CDSCC, when you head to Tharwa just make a right turn after the General Store and you can head down to Orroral and Honeysuckle after visiting CDSCC in Tidbinbilla (Follow Tidbinbilla Road towards the nature reserve and Tharwa). Both sites are found in the Namadgi National Park, so if intending to go contact their Visitors Centre who can advise you if the roads are open (02) 6207 2900.

 

A Range of photos can be found at my Flickr, this includes up close shots of all the information signage http://www.flickr.com/photos/kommissar_todd06/sets/72157625922928482/with/5394553266/

 

For my previous thread on Orroral Valley, please visit http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=55102&p=650633&hilit=orroral#p650633

 

Antenna and Operations Building

 

 

- Close up of the Plaque < Click here to view plaque

 

 

A View of the Antenna Pad. There are four information signs on each of the original joints (Click on the link for a photo):

 

- Looking back in time <Click each to view information sign

 

- Just how far away

 

- Listening into Space

 

- Will the moon fall down?

 

 

 

 

 

Power Building

 

 

 

 

 

looking down towards the Guards House behind the Power Building, showing the beautiful grounds of what was once perfectly manicured gardens