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Bushfires in Canberra

Thread - Canberra, Stromlo etc., Funds for Relief - Stromlo

Result of Bushfores
Stromlo Relief Fund

http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/relief.php
 Destroyed telescope, Mt Stromlo



Links to news stories:
Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne Age, 20/1/2003
Slashdot
ABC News Online
ANU - Mt Stromlo fires - Information
Melbourne Age, 21/1/2003
The Australian,, 22/1/2003
The Age, 8/3/2003

On 19/1/2003, Toby Fiander posted:

Has anyone any news of Canberra?

The press statement from John Stanhope, ACT Chief Minister, said that fire passed with a few hours from one side of the Territory to the other and fire fighting services have been overwhelmed. He said there was damage to the Mt Stromlo observatory... and ofcourse, there are a large number of houses which have been burnt.Electricity, water and sewerage assets are all damaged on theperiphery of the ACT, which probably will not be fixed quickly.The Botanic Gardens is closed, although I have not heard it said that it is damaged.

As with any major disaster, the loss of communications prevents any serious assessment of damage until much later.  ABC Local
Radio is being transmitted across NSW from Canberra today, but local reporters are having difficulty in getting around to see
what has happened.

What of the scientific assets?

Podargus responded:

 have copied part of a message to me, which does not say a lot, still it is from the horses mouth so to speak.

> Has anyone any news of Canberra?
>
> What of the scientific assets?
>
> Toby
* Meanwhile I have made contact with some of Canberra.  Des is fine despite what the media said about needing to evacuate the village near where he lives, it wasn't quite true.  Typical of media.  He knows some who lost their homes.  It must have been pretty horrific.  They are a fair way from Canberra proper, 25 min drive I think and yesterday at 3pm it was so black they couldn't see their pool which is only 50 metres or so from the house.
They heard of someone in Canberra, who was packing belongings into one of two vehicles, filled one car and went back into the house to start filling the second vehicle, and when they came out the first vehicle, a 4wheel drive had exploded into fire from the heat.  So they then lost everything.  It has been a tough time for Canberrites*
Zero Sum added:

Slashdot is reporting on it.  They say Stromlo is twisted metal...

Ian Musgrave responded:

By now everyone should be know of the tragedy in Canberra, 4 lives lost, dozens more injured, over 400 homes lost and Stromlo (amongst other national assets) destroyed.
>The press statement from John Stanhope, ACT Chief Minister, said
>that fire passed with a few hours from one side of the Territory
>to the other and fire fighting services have been overwhelmed.
>He said there was damage to the Mt Stromlo observatory...

Find below a press release about the disaster culled from an astronomy news group. Pictures in the late news showed twisted metal where the telescopes were.

Fires destroy Stromlo observatory

Irreplaceable equipment worth millions of dollars was destroyed when the Canberra bushfires ravaged the historic Mount Stromlo Observatory. Research officer Vince Ford, a 38-year veteran of the observatory, told AAP staff were given 20 minutes' notice to evacuate as a fire storm on Mount Stromlo caught authorities by surprise. A single road through pine forests links the observatory, established by the Commonwealth in 1924, with suburban Canberra.

"There's no way we could have saved it," Mr Ford said.
The fire storm destroyed all the observatory's telescopes and the original observatory building, which dated back to 1924.
"It's gone, it's all gone," Mr Ford said. "We've lost all the telescopes, the administration building, which was the original observatory back in 1924.  The first telescope has actually been there since 1910, it's gone.  The main research telescopes, the 74-inch and 50-inch, they're gone. I've just seen pictures of it from the air and we don't have a telescope left."

The Australian National University (ANU) facility was one the premier astronomy training and  research centres in Australia.
"(It's a huge loss) from a historical point of view, from a cultural point of view, from a scientific point of view," Mr Ford said. "It's an absolute disaster."
Observatory staff still hope they may be able to salvage some of their research, stored on computers in office buildings that might have escaped the worst of the blaze.
The observatory offices are believed to be standing, but have been water damaged.
"At least we should be able to recover the hard disks from some of the computers, but at this stage we're guessing," Mr Ford said.
"All we know is the observatory is gone."
Some back-up files would also have been stored at the main ANU campus in Canberra.
"But a lot of the work will be at the observatory," Mr Ford said.
"Some of us, being suspicious sods, have stuff at home, but most of it would have been on the computers or in the offices up at the observatory."
ANU vice-chancellor Ian Chubb was due to meet observatory chiefs to be briefed on the extent of the damage.
Barb Sloan replied:

> Has anyone any news of Canberra?
>
 Here's the article from the Melbourne Age.
############################################################################

$20m damage to historic observatory
January 19 2003
By Orietta Guerrera

The historic observatory on Mount Stromlo was largely destroyed, along with equipment and property worth an estimated $20million.

Fierce flames claimed five telescopes, the workshop, eight staff homes and the main dome.

Mount Stromlo, built in 1924, was one of Australia's leading centres of astronomical research.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope yesterday announced the surrounding Stromlo Forestry settlement was also lost.

"We believe that all the infrastructure, apart from the Stromlo water treatment works, has been destroyed," Mr Stanhope said.


"We at this stage anticipate that the Stromlo observatory has been lost."

The observatory was Australia's major research centre in optical and infrared astronomy.

Since 1957, the observatory has been operated by the Australian National University, forming part of the university's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Vince Ford, who has worked at the observatory for 38 years as a public outreach officer and researcher, said only the visitor centre and two office buildings were still standing.

"(Saturday) afternoon, about 2.30, the fire came through and it's no ordinary fire - we're really talking firestorms - and took the lot," Mr Ford said.

"There was literally nothing anyone could do."

Mr Ford said it was a huge historical, cultural and scientific loss to the nation.

"It's catastrophic for Australian astronomy actually," he said. "We were the centre for research and training."

Laboratories, workshops and five telescopes were destroyed.

About 100 people work at the observatory, with many expected to return to work this morning to attempt to pick up the pieces, including trying to salvage research material stored on computers.

ANU vice-chancellor Ian Chubb

said they were likely to rebuild: "Plans are already being put in place to rebuild at Mount Stromlo and restore the research school to its full capacity."

The 1.3-metre diameter Great Melbourne Telescope, built in 1868 and upgraded a decade ago, was lost along with a $5million imaging spectrograph.

The spectrograph was almost ready to be delivered to Hawaii's Gemini Observatory.

Toby Fiander added:

ABC Local Radio had Robin Batterham, the Chief Scientist, on the radio this morning, saying that at the least, the Stromlo facility should be replaced.

The view was put that this was a kick in the guts for science, for Australian astronomy, and probably for astronomy world-wide.

Ian's post shows some of the futility of merely replacing the equipment.

Stromlo has recently been better known for sun observations and for equipment manufacture.

There is apparently a meeting of staff this morning to examine possibilities.  There are also other considerations like light pollution, that might make it desirable to enhance Siding Spring observatory.

Houses are replaced by insurance, usually, but I am suspicious about whether Government science facilities will be properly funded to re-establish.
Ray contributed:

Not good :(

FTR, Melbourne this morning is also bathed in a smelly fog of sorts.  Smells like smoke and machine oil.

Things are a bit incendiary round abouts, and our north-east, as you know, is burning still from lightning strikes a few weeks ago.

Peter Macinnis added:

This has just been posted to the ASC (Australian Science
Communicators) list -- things are sounding a bit better:

http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/

"The Observatory, operated by the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, is one of Australia's leading centres of Astronomical research. The fires destroyed four telescopes, the equipment workshop, eight houses which had been occupied by staff and an administration building. Preliminary estimates have valued the losses at more than $20 million."

"Two office buildings and the visitors centre were spared - importantly, preserving most of the computer data generated on site in recent years."

"It is vital to emphasise that the work of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics will continue, however. The University has adequate workshop and laboratory facilities to accommodate the valuable equipment contracts which are being fulfilled by the school - including the $6.3 million contract to build a sharp-eyed imager for the Gemini South Telescope in Chile."
Margaret Ruwolt posted:


Wayne Brown added:
Fund has already been setup... There is a PDF with details on how to donate on the ANU site:
<http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/relief.php> for details.

Of course there is no guarantee that there will be any telescopes included in the re-development. ANU has already been placing their new scopes at Siding Spring.  Mt Stromlo's telescopes have been suffering from light pollution for years/decades (though due to Canberra using sodium base street lights this wasn't an insolvable problem) and weather is also a issue (Canberra has to many cloudy days). But then over half the work on Mt Stromlo was theoretical (processing data collected else where) or technical (building sensor arrays and the like) .

Mt Stromlo's web site is: <http://msowww.anu.edu.au/>
Toby Fiander responded:

Thank you for the information, Wayne, but why "of course"?  The replacement that must occur is replacement of the function, not just of the instruments.

I hope not to have misread, but tone of the argument sounds a lot like PP McGuiness, who yesterday decided in an article in the SMH that inability to prepare for a bushfire was a sign that Canberra was an entity that should not exist except as a kind of local Council for the Parliamentary precinct. For some reason, he failed to make the next leap which is that NSW should not exist because it has failed to manage its National Parks properly and so contribute to a bushfire, which ultimately spread and burned part of Canberra.  He failed to say that the Commonwealth should no longer exist because it failed to find a vessel which sank at sea in spite of surveillance, thus killing the majority on board.  No one suggests that the SMH should close because it sometimes gets reporting so badly wrong that it apologises for inaccuracy, or that is publishes unsupportable views like those of PP McGuinness, although this is a more attractive argument than the one put yesterday.

Views like those of Messrs McGuinness, Tuckey and other know-it-alls with apparent alcoholic connections do not particularly help the situation, or contribute to solutions for the future either.  [Lest there be any correspondence on this point:  The Push used to meet in a pub and Tuckey used to run one, about which more on another occasion perhaps.]

Enough of bushfires and perfect hindsight.

The replacement of the facility at Stromlo might indeed include a strategic re-think about what functions should be located where and how to get the most cosmic ba[n]g for the buck from the investment of what for most people will seem like a large number of dollars.  The important thing is that the function be replaced and that science continue with greater enthusiasm and
commitment.  The fire actually presents an unexpected opportunity to do just that.

For example, no one is suggesting, as far as I know, that the 74" instrument should be rebuilt, but there needs to be the capability to test instrumentation on significant optical instruments wherever the engineering workshops and laboratories are located.  There also needs to be an association with a student body, because this is how knowledge if advanced, people are inspired and skills are developed.

There is a significant role for teaching at a broader level, too.  Perhaps half the children of Sydney, and probably many of Melbourne, of my generation will have visited Stromlo.  Some will have attended open nights at observatories, including Stromlo.  It was, and will be again, a visible and influential part of science in Australia, for which successive Governments of the past two decades have shown only Mickey Mouse commitment. This shameful lack of Government commitment should not be allowed to manifest itself this time.  The Commonwealth should be drawn inexorably to realise that people everywhere think science is worthwhile, that Australian research is an essential part of the landscape, that commitment of funds to it is an  investment and not merely a cost, and that any Government failing to realise this is not only risking the future of the country but its own electoral prospects.

Funds for replacement of Stromlo will replace the function, not the instruments.  There will be other instruments on the site - it seems assured.  They will not be the instruments that have been there for years, and some functions will be carried on elsewhere, others will be transferred to the site depending on how new funding is spent.  The capability of ANU to bring such a resurrection to pass will be significantly influenced by the amount of money it is able to allocate to the task.  The commitment of Government will be significantly influenced by, among other things, how many votes it thinks it can win by the allocation of the money.

For these reasons alone, contribution to the Stromlo Redevelopment Fund is an essential part of the visits made by students who went there from 1924 to 2003.  The cost of the tour was not the few dollars (or cents or even pence) that parents paid, which barely covered the wages, electricity and insurance.  Indeed, the bill for the service to mental stimulation and inspiration is now in.  It runs to millions.  The way I figure it, every single person who has ever been there owes about $20 to ensure the inspiration continues.  It is an intergenerational responsibility and one that requires payment soon and from the largest possible base of people.  McDonalds won't collect for it, probably, but it is important enough that there needs to be a major noise made about it.  Houses get rebuilt by insurance usually.  Scientific facilities do not - that requires real people with judgement and insight to make it happen.

I think there will be greater publicity soon.  But a contribution can apparently be made now to the Stromlo Redevelopment Fund.  It is, incidentally, tax deductible and if you are making a contribution, give generously to the future of Australia.
http://www.anu.edu.au/fires/relief.php
On 9/7/2003, Toby Fiander posted:

 Below is the press release for some re-building work.

I suppose the press release leaves open the possibility that there will be other work at the site, and it is just my cynicism showing in reading too much between the lines.


MEDIA RELEASE
Warren Entsch, MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister for Industry, Tourism, and Resources

REBUILDING MT STROMLO AFTER THE FIRES

Federal Industry Parliamentary Secretary, Warren Entsch, said Australia's crucial role in international satellite tracking has been reinforced by the signing this week of the contract to rebuild the Mt Stromlo satellite laser ranging facility.

"The original $6 million Geoscience Australia satellite laser ranging (SLR) facility housed at Mt Stromlo was completely destroyed earlier this year in Canberra's devastating firestorm," Mr Entsch said.

"The Mt Stromlo SLR facility was one of only a small number of SLR stations in the Southern Hemisphere, determining the precise position and orbit of satellites crucial for global navigation, surveying, and communication links.

"Its destruction back in January was therefore a major blow.

"I'm delighted at the signing this week of the contract to rebuild the SLR facility with reconstruction work expected to be completed by the end of the year."

Geoscience Australia's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Neil Williams, described the signing of the contract as an important event. "The Mt Stromlo station was one of the most technologically advanced satellite laser ranging systems in the world. This new contract means that we can affirm Australia's position at the forefront of this important field," he said.

The Queanbeyan firm, EOS Space Systems Pty Ltd that designed and built the original facility, has been engaged to rebuild the structure lost in the flames.

"EOS is pleased to be associated with Geoscience Australia in the recovery of SLR operations from Mount Stromlo. This effort will benefit from synergies with the rebuilding program already under way for related space research facilities on this site," Chief Executive Officer of EOS Space Systems, Dr Craig Smith said.

"We expect the restored facility to rapidly attain the high global ranking achieved by its predecessor."

Dr Williams said the new facility will be rebuilt as one of the world's best tracking stations, by an Australian company that is a world leader in this field.

Geoscience Contact:  Leharne Fountain - (02) 6249 9800

Media Inquiries: Greg Doolan - (02) 6277 4656 or 0418 213 243

--
Leharne Fountain
Communications Officer
Geoscience Australia

GPO Box 378
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 2 6249 9800
Fax: +61 2 6249 9990
Email: Leharne.Fountain@ga.gov.au

[ends]

Rod Olsen added:

There will be no large scale telescope put into the rebuilt Mt Stromlo as the Australian National University has said its "traditional" astronomy work will be transferred to the Siding Springs complex.

Apart from Howard Government stinginess for science, Canberra suburbs now encroach so close to Mt Stromlo that street lighting, etc precludes serious astronomical work there.  Also the ACT Government is looking at possible additional housing on part of the Mt Stromlo Pine Plantation that burnt in the January fires and seemingly contributed to the destruction of homes in the adjacent suburbs of Duffy and Holder.  Further housing even closer to Mt Stromlo would worsen the light pollution at the observatory site.
 
Perhaps the ACT Government should fund a study facility for CSIRO Bushfire scientists instead - the fire behaviour in the January fires was staggering

- as indicated already in the ABC-TV Science "Catalyst program on the Canberra fires broadcast a few months ago.  Part of the ACT Pine Forest ended up looking like Tunguska 1908.  The final CSIRO report on the January fires will be sobering reading for rural fire and urban planning authorities around Australia and for California and elsewhere overseas with Eucalypt or other forest/grassland mixes near urban centres.