CARNARVON SERVICE DIRECTORY 

The Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum celebrates the little known history of the role Carnarvon played in the manned space program and in the Australian satellite communications industry. In 1966, the Casshorn antenna locally known as the ‘Sugar Scoop’ was used for the first television broadcast from Australia to the BBC in London. The program was called “Down Under Comes Up Live”. On 21 July 1969, the day of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Casshorn antenna which stands beside the OTC Dish relayed Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon from NASA’s Honey Suckle Creek Tracking Station to Perth’s TV audience via Moree earth station – the first live telecast into Western Australia. Later in 1969, the larger 29.6 metre wide steerable antenna was built to facilitate better communication between the NASA Tracking Station and the USA. The Carnarvon Tracking Station (no longer standing) was located 10 kilometres south from Carnarvon. The station was built to support NASA’s Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs. It was commissioned in 1964 and operated for 11 years. It was the last station to communicate with the space capsules leaving the earth’s orbit, and the last to make contact before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. At the height of the operation it had a staff of 220 people. The OTC Satellite Earth Station is now the site for the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum, located approximately 6km from the town centre. The OTC Satellite Earth Station was opened in1966, initially the 12.8 metre wide Casshorn antenna known as the ‘sugar scoop’ was part of the global satellite communications system. The museum focuses on two parts, the Carnarvon Tracking Station and the OTC Satellite Earth Station, for which each station played separate roles in the early space industry. Phase One of the museum was officially opened by retired NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin in 2012, Phase Two by Australian born astronaut Andy Thomas in 2014 and Phase Three in 2016 by “The Last Man on the Moon” astronaut Gene Cernan. In 2018 a new display was built to honour the first American in space Alan Shepard. The full size 25 meter tall mock up of a Mercury Redstone sits proudly sits at the entry of the museum. The museum is operated by a small dedicated group of volunteers and is mainly self funded.

There are over 2,300 Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) members from 94 brigades in Western Australia who provide firefighting and prevention services throughout the state. VFRS firefighters undertake a range of responsibilities including: • Combating fires • Containing hazardous material spills • Road crash rescue • Fire safety education DFES provides VFRS training in: • Personal and team safety • Structural and bushfire fighting • Communications • First aid • Vehicle driving both on and off road • Leadership and emergency management procedures Members of the Carnarvon Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service (VFRS) play a vital and significant role in helping to ensure that the community is a safe place to work, live and play. They carry out risk management activities, fire prevention activities, fight fires, teach fire safety education to school children, work with local residents to improve their own personal safety and respond to road accident rescues. VFRS Volunteers serve the community on a voluntary basis by providing a commitment in time, knowledge and expertise in operational and non-operational roles (e.g. Support Member). Become a Volunteer! The Carnarvon VFRS is located at Robinson Street. Training is on every Monday. VFRS is seeking volunteers to join the rank and file. It is a family friendly, equal opportunities service where everyone is made to feel welcome.

There are 39 Marine Rescue WA groups situated along Western Australia’s 13,000 kilometre coastline from Rockingham in the west to Esperance in the south to Kununurra in the north, including Christmas and Cocos (Keeling ) Islands, all with one central aim to protect and saves lives at sea. Of the total number of groups, 39 have been formally approved under the DFES Act and comprise of more than 1,700 registered volunteers. Become a Volunteer! The Carnarvon Marine Rescue is located at towards the end of Harbour Road at the boat harbour. Training is on every second Wednesday, and they also have a Sundowner on the Last Friday of the month. CVSR is seeking volunteers to join the rank and file. It is a family friendly, equal opportunities service where everyone is made to feel welcome.