Orroral Valley Opening

Orroral Valley Tracking Station, ACT

Photos of the Opening Ceremony, 24th February 1966

To Commemorate the Opening Ceremony, members of the official party were presented with a souvenir photo album, apparently produced by the Department of Supply.

This copy belonged to Lloyd Bott, Deputy Secretary Department of Supply. It was scanned by Colin Mackellar – with thanks to Michael Bott, Glen Nagle and Mike Dinn.

If anyone can help identify the men who aren’t named in these photos, I would be very grateful.
There are several who look very familiar! Contact.

(April 2013: I have now identified US Congressman George P. Miller (California) 1891–1982,
thanks to a reference by Senator Henty at the opening of Honeysuckle Creek.)

(March 2016: Andrew Tink has identified the then Chairman of the Public Service Board,
Frederick Wheeler CBE 1914-1994, facing the camera, sitting at the far end of the table in photos 20 and 21.
He was knighted the following year, and later became permanent Head of the Treasury.)

PDF version of the VIP Souvenir Photo Album. (2MB.)

The last 8 photos were taken at Tidbinbilla, Honeysuckle, and at a Dinner.

The Photos from the book – at higher resolution
(including several from Tidbinbilla and Honeysuckle taken the same day.)

The title page.

Page 1.
The Orroral Valley 26 metre antenna.

Page 2.
Left to right: The Australian Minister for Supply, Senator Denham Henty, US Congressman George P. Miller (California), US Ambassador to Australia Edward A. Clark (Ambassador August 1965 – December 1967), ??.

Page 3.

Page 4.
The crowd gathered for the opening ceremony.
Note the Army officers on guard on either side, and members of the press near the dias which has been built for the occasion.

Page 5.
US Congressman George Miller addresses the gathering.
Orroral Station Director Tom Reid is seated at far left.

Page 6.
US Congressman George P. Miller addresses the gathering.

Note the can of ‘Aerogard’ (insect repellent) on the floor behind NASA’s Edmond Buckley (second from right).

Page 7.
Senator Henty addresses the gathering.

Page 8.
The newly-unveiled plaque is on the other side of the rock in the foreground.

Page 9.
The newly-unveiled plaque is on the other side of the rock in the foreground.

Page 10.
L–R: StaDir Tom Reid, US Congressman George Miller, Sen. Denham Henty, US Ambassador Edward A. Clark. (Note the ‘Aerogard’.)

Page 11.
L–R: US Congressman George Miller, Sen. Denham Henty,
US Ambassador Edward A. Clark.

Page 12.
Servo console.
Mike Lampard in the white shirt. (Thanks to Gordon Owttrim).

Page 13.
Senator Henty moves the dish, looking through the window at the servo console.

At Tidbinbilla

Page 14.
At Tidbinbilla.
Paddy Johnstone is at the Tidbinbilla Ops console.
Standing: Alan Cooley (the Secretary of the Department of Supply), Lloyd Bott (looking at camera), Dick Fahnestock (the JPL Rep.), US Congressman George Miller, John Galbraith, SpaceTrack’s (the contractor) manager.

With thanks to Mike Dinn for help with identification.

Page 15.
At Tidbinbilla.
Left to right: Bob Leslie (DSS-42 Station Director), Dick Fahnestock (JPL Rep.), Alan Cooley (the Secretary of the Department of Supply), Edmond Buckley, US Congressman George Miller, ???,???,???.

On the noticeboard are pinned images from the recent Mars flyby of Mariner IV.
Large, Largest (1.6MB).

Page 16.
Leaving Tidbinbilla.
Alan Cooley at far left. It looks like Ian Homewood behind the others.
John Galbraith is closest to the camera.

At Honeysuckle Creek

Page 17.
Honeysuckle Creek under construction.
Fairly early in the construction of the Operations Building, with scoffolding still in place.
Note what seems to be a temporary water tower behind the left-hand corner.

Looking from above the car park – the antenna was being built to the left of the photographer’s position.

See also the clearing for the Collimation tower (not yet erected) in the distance at right.
Large, Largest (1.4MB).

Page 18.
At Honeysuckle Creek under construction.
Taken near the Powerhouse, looking back to the Ops Building.

Left to right:
1. ???; 2 Ian Homewood (Department of Supply); 3. ??? ; 4. ???; 5. Don Wood DoS (?); 6. ???; 7. Alan Cooley (the Secretary of the Department of Supply); 8. US Congressman George Miller; 9. ???; 10. Edmond C. Buckley (OSTDS – NASA’s Office of Space Tracking and Data Systems); 11. Lloyd Bott (Deputy Secretary Department of Supply).

Note the builders offices of T H O’Connor, the Department of Works contractor. This hut was built in what was later the car park.

With thanks to Tom Reid for help with identification.
Large, Detail (500kb).

Page 19.
US Congressman George Miller (left) shakes hands with an unidentified official.

At Honeysuckle Creek.

Dinner

Page 20.
A dinner for the official party.

Is that Oysters on the menu?

Page 21.
A dinner for the official party.

Page 22.
A dinner for the official party.
Left to right: Mr (later Sir) Allen Fairhall (Australian Minister for Defence, and the Previous Minister for Supply), Edward A. Clark (US Ambassador to Australia ), Senator Denham Henty (Minister for Supply), US Congressman George Miller, ???.

(Larger versions of most of these are available.)