Jessie Boylan is a photomedia artist based in Castlemaine, Victoria. She explores issues relating to human impacts on the land and communities in relation to environmental and social devastation – like nuclear testing, mining and war. She is a member of the Atomic Photographers Guild, an international group who aim to render visible all aspects of the nuclear age and is a key artist in Nuclear Futures, an Australia Council-funded community arts project, which is exploring the legacy of the nuclear age through creative arts. Jessie is a lecturer in Photography at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Australia.
Between 1952 and 1963 the British Government performed nuclear weapons tests at Maralinga and Emu Field in South Australia and Monte Bello Islands off the coast of Western Australia. A total of twelve major nuclear tests were performed, and up to 700 minor ‘dirty’ trials were also conducted. Many Aboriginal people and nuclear veterans have either died or are still suffering the physical and psychological effects of these tests.
The first of the major test series at Maralinga was codenamed Operation Buffalo. It consisted of exploding four nuclear bombs, the first named One Tree was 12.9 kilotons equivalent. The fallout was found as far away as the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland. These tests were heavily criticised as they were exploded in inappropriate conditions according to the McClelland Royal Commission, in 1985.
At 4:15pm on October 9th, 1957, Taranaki, the last of the seven major nuclear tests and last of the Operation Antler series, was detonated while suspended from a balloon. Official reports say that it yielded a massive 26.6 kilotons of TNT equivalent (almost twice as much as “Little Boy” the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945). Evidence from the damage caused to props and trees in the vicinity suggest that it was much larger.
The Maralinga village, located over 1000km north-west of Adelaide in remote South Australia, hosted 8,000 Australian service personnel and 22,000 British personnel over the entire eleven years the project was underway. The village contained an airport, photography lab, bar, swimming pool, tennis court, football field, cricket pitch and cinema; not many of these structures are left today, but what does remain is overgrown and crumbling or converted to pits for radioactive debris.
In 2005, then Environment Minister, Brendan Nelson announced the federal government’s decision to establish a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. At the time he said “Why shouldn’t people living in the middle of nowhere have a radioactive waste dump on their land?”. Inhabited aims to reveal the myth of uninhabited and lifeless places that is created by politicians and industry promoting nuclear activity in Australia.
From the British-Australian atomic tests in South Australia and Western Australia in the 50s and 60s to past and present uranium mines and the proposal for a national nuclear waste dump in Australia, Inhabited gives a face to the people most directly impacted by nuclear developments in Australia, but whose voices are the least heard.
*Please note, this exhibition was created in 2006/07 when the proposed national nuclear waste dump had 3 potential locations in the Northern Territory. As of 2011 is was planned for Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek in the NT; in 2014 the Muckaty Traditional Owners fought against the NT Government and the Northern Land Council and managed to win, preventing the waste dump from being built at Muckaty. The Australian Government has now returned to the drawing board, looking for a new site.
Yami Lester, Walatinna Station, South Australia, 2006 - In 1953, Yami, a Yankunytjatjara man, was ten years old, living at Wallatinna Station when Totem One went off, it was part of a series of atmospheric atomic bombs that the British and Australian governments were testing during the 50’s and 60’s at Emu Field and Maralinga in South Australia and the Monte Bello Islands off the West Australian coast. He was blinded not long after the fallout.Nikki, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006Mitch, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006 - When the northern Territory nuclear waste dump was first proposed, Mitch and her daughters Billy Jean and Nicki established a colourful protest vigil on the turnoff to the Tanami Highway. Mitch spoke up for her family opposing the then proposed Harts Range site. The site is now off the list, however, Mitch continues to speak up strongly about nuclear and indigenous issues.Marlene Bennett and grandson Lance, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006 - Marlene has strong family links to Muckaty Station, the site proposed for the Commonwealth radioactive waste facility. Muckaty lies 760km south of Darwin. Marlene and her family are strongly opposed to the waste dump proposal and feel there has been a process of secrecy and bullying throughout the process. Lance said he wants the Prime Minister to put the nuclear waste dump in his own back yard if it’s so safe.Kevin Buzzacott, Alberrie Ck, South Australia, 2006 - Kevin, an Arabunna elder from the Lake Eyre region, has been fighting against Olympic Dam Uranium Mine in Roxby Downs South Australia since it began operations in 1986. The mound spring areas, which are dotted all across Arabunna land, are threatened due Olympic Dam using up 30-40 million litres of water each day from the Great Artesian Basin.Kath Martin, Mt. Everard, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006 - Kath, Traditional Owner and Athenge Lhere woman worked tirelessly to oppose the Commonwealth radioactive waste dump which was proposed for Mt Everard, just 13km from her home. Mt. Everard has a sacred Arrernte site within the boundaries. The site has since been excluded from the site selection process.Jenny Lewis, Pt. Pirie, South Australia, 2006 - Between 1955 and 1962 uranium from Radium Hill was processed at the Port Pirie Uranium Treatment Complex, which left behind 200, 000 tonnes of solid tailings. Jenny was a prominent member of the local campaign group that succeeded in getting the tailings fenced off, as for a number of years children were using it as a playground. Between 1989 -1990 the group’s actions led to a partial clean up of the 26 hectares of contaminated soil. Jenny is keeping vigilant to stop any further development of the site.Eileen Wingfield, Pt. Augusta, South Australia, 2006 - Eileen, a Kokotha woman and Goldman Environmental Prize winner, was part of the Irati Wanti (the poison, leave it) campaign from 2000 – 2005, that stopped the dumping of nuclear waste in Woomera, South Australia. She has also been fighting to stop Olympic Dam uranium mine which operates on Kokotha land.Bindi and Billy, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006 - Bindi and Billy are Traditional Owners for Muckaty Station, 120km north of Tennant Creek, which is the proposed nuclear waste dump site in the Northern Territory. In 2006 Bindi was taken on a trip to Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney to examine the waste that might be coming to his country. Until he arrived at Lucas Heights, he thought he was being asked about hosting an ordinary rubbish dump.Billy Jean, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, 2006Avon Hudson, Woomera, South Australia, 2006 - Avon is a veteran from the Maralinga atomic tests from 1956-1963 in South Australia. He became a whistleblower and exposed the project on live television. The army personnel were never told of the dangers of radiation, and there have been ongoing intergenerational health effects such as cancer and other health defects throughout families of the veterans. The Australian government still hasn't taken responsibility for the impact of the tests.
Olympic Dam Uranium and Copper Mines
Oympic Dam uranium & copper mine, South Australia, 2011Oympic Dam uranium & copper mine, South Australia, 2011Oympic Dam uranium & copper mine, South Australia, 2011Oympic Dam uranium & copper mine, South Australia, 2011Oympic Dam uranium & copper mine, South Australia, 2011
Jessie Boylan is a photomedia artist based in Castlemaine, Victoria. She explores issues relating to human impacts on the land and communities in relation to environmental and social devastation – like nuclear testing, mining and war. She is a member of the Atomic Photographers Guild, an international group who aim to render visible all aspects of the nuclear age and is a key artist in Nuclear Futures, an Australia Council-funded community arts project, which is exploring the legacy of the nuclear age through creative arts. Jessie is a lecturer in Photography at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Australia.
