Paul Wild Observatory

Visit the Paul Wild Observatory and see the Australia Telescope, the largest and most powerful radio telescope in the southern hemisphere. After five years of planning and construction the telescope was opened in 1988 and is now keenly sought after for use by astronomers world wide. At the observatory there are five huge antennas that can be moved along a 3km trail in an east-west direction and also along a 230m north-south track. Each antenna weighs 270 tonnes and can be moved to selected points along the rail track. A sixth antenna is situated a further 3km west of the main track. Using this configuration the combined power of the antennas can simulate a single dish 6 km in diameter.