Woomera
Woomera is a small Outback town in South Australia, situated 483 kilometres (300 miles) north of Adelaide. It is a military owned town and testing site with a current population of about 300.
The town is open, and tourism is encouraged. Although all property in the town is owned by the military, land is leased by commercial enterprises, and shops and accommodation are available.
Understand
Get in
Woomera is 5-6 hours' drive from Adelaide and 4 hours' drive from Coober Pedy. The town is 6km off the highway down a well-marked road that turns off at the tiny hamlet of Pimba, where Spud's Roadhouse is a prominent feature.
Get around
Woomera is small and is centred around Banool and Dewrang Avenues, with the Missile Park at the intersection of these.
Petrol costs around 30c/litre more than on the coast.
See
- Missile Park, Corner Banool and Dewrang Avenues. A selection of missiles and rockets which were developed here are on display in a park in the centre of town.
- The Obelisk. It's a symbolic Australia Day Monument located next to the Woomera Theatre on Dewrang Avenue.
- Len Beadell Memorial
- National Engineering Landmark
- Deep Station 41. This facility was built 25 kilometres south of Woomera at the Island Lagoon.
- History Museum, Corner Banool and Dewrang Avenues (next to the Missile Park). 9AM-3PM. Separate to the museum in the visitors' centre. $4.
- Rocket History Museum (Rocket Range Museum), Dewrang Avenue (in the Visitors' Centre), ☏ +61 8 8673 7042. 6:30AM-3PM Weekdays 7AM-3PM Weekends. Small interactive museum about the rockets that were developed here, with a bit about the local life. Takes roughly an hour to walk through. $6.
- Breen Park Bird Reserve.
Do
During the summer months from October to Anzac Day (25 April), the Woomera Swimming Pool complex is popular with locals and tourists. The complex features a 25-metre pool and a 1-metre diving board.
- Woomera Theatre, Dewrang Avenue. Shows films every most fortnight on Saturday evenings. It also has a photogenic entrance at other times.
- Bowling alley, Dewrang Avenue (in the Visitors Centre), ☏ +61 8 8673 7042. 6:30AM-3PM Weekday 7AM-3PM Weekends. Bowling Alley built back in the 80's by the Americans. Bookings required 24 hours in advance.
Buy
- Woomera Village Store, Dewrang Avenue (opposite Visitors Centre). Sells groceries and booze.
- Thrift Store, Dewrang Avenue. Saturday 10am. Great thrift shop full of lots of bargains - excellent to update your clothes whilst travelling!
Eat
- Eldo Hotel, Kotara Crescent (follow the signs). Standard pub food at standard outback prices (good drink prices though, especially during happy hour). Balcony overlooking the desert. Dinner 6pm-8:30pm, bar open later (from 9:30pm on Mondays to 12:30am on weekends). $20-$35.
- Spud's Roadhouse, Pimba, where the turnoff from the highway is. Typical roadhouse fare, including lavish burgers. $10-$30.
Drink
Sleep
- Woomera Traveller's Village & Caravan Park.
Hotel
- Eldo Hotel, Kotara Cr (follow the signs), ☏ +61 8 8673 7867. Former workers' accommodation, it's pretty basic but clean and comfortable. No WI-FI available $117 ensuite room.
- Spud's Roadhouse, Pimba, where the turnoff from the highway is. Motel rooms and caravan parking. $110 motel rooms.
Connect
Telstra should have service in Woomera. Vodafone doesn't. Optus might.
There is no wifi at the Eldo and probably nowhere else either.
Go next
Red Lake, Lake Richarson, Lake Windabout, Arcoona Lake, Mirage Lagoon, Whisky Swamp, Laek Mary, Purple Lake, Coorlay Lagon, Roxby Downs, Olympic Dam, Lake Campbell, Island Lagoon, Lake Hart, Lake Hanson
| Routes through Woomera |
| Alice Springs ← Coober Pedy ← | N  S |
→ Port Augusta |