Abandonment in Lawson?

p1 said :

Significant clean-up work has already been undertaken, with tonnes (many many tonnes) of soil being taken off site to somewhere near Windellama.

How much work remains to be done I have no idea.

PCB contamination was identified in the late 1980s and further general contamination found through out the site in early 2000s.
Defence indicated in 2005 that they were investigating what remediation was required and had hoped to begin by the end of that year with an expected time frame of six months.

Asbestos contamination was confirmed in 2006.
Lead contamination was confirmed in 2008.

Defence Support Group has been in charge of cleaning up the site. As of reports in 2008, I believe they have only removed asbestos rubble from decaying structures and the top soil (about 10cm) around the former locations of the three towers where lead paint had come off and contaminated the soil. There was also word about removal of a very significant amount of waste from a former domestic waste tip and an under ground fuel tank that was also leaking. Defence though has been quite evasive about whether ground water has been effected, plants on the site or whether the PCBs, heavy metals and hydrocarbons have been removed. They suggest it’s only a tiny area but in every statement I’ve read are always trying to change the subject from clean up to revegetation.
They’ve also been very careful to say that of the 140hectares, only 24 is suitable for housing. This conflicts with NCA reports in 2009.

creative_canberran said :

The area has been divided in planning studies into 6 sections and is identified as an area suitable for residential zoning. However, by virtue of the chemicals used in radio transmitters and old computer equipment (specifically PCBs), the ground is highly toxic and will require significant clean up work.

Significant clean-up work has already been undertaken, with tonnes (many many tonnes) of soil being taken off site to somewhere near Windellama.

How much work remains to be done I have no idea.

Remains of the former Belconnen Naval Transmission, built in 1938 and first operational in 1939… just in time for World War II.
At the time it was completed, it was the most powerful naval communications installation in the British Commonwealth and the most powerful communications installation of any kind in the Southern Hemisphere. At it’s peak, it had 38 HF transmitters and one LF transmitter operating via three transmissions towers and 44 other smaller antennae.
A contingent of 200 personnel were deployed to operate both BNTS and the sister site at HMAS Harman. Both were located here due to commanders fearing coastal locations too at risk of invasion and attack.
These sites worked in conjunction with a transmission station in Rugby, UK to provide global communications for military and merchant fleets. And in 1956 was used to relay results from the Melbourne Olympics overseas too.

The area has been divided in planning studies into 6 sections and is identified as an area suitable for residential zoning. However, by virtue of the chemicals used in radio transmitters and old computer equipment (specifically PCBs), the ground is highly toxic and will require significant clean up work.

The site won’t be developed for quite some time due to the presence of toxic substances.

Used to be residences for the personnel who worked at the site. The houses were knocked down 10 – 15 years ago from memory. I certainly remember people living there when I was growing up in Kaleen.

This is where the old Naval station was located. See http://www.qsl.net/vk1krf/BNRS/BNRS_mainpage.htm

This was bult in 1939 and was a community long before Belconnen existed! Sadly departed in the 1990 I believe and the masts have long been removed.

The Kangaroos ate all the evidence.

Do reptoids play tennis?