…THE… ….NEWS BULLETIN….

For information of ex- Hill Community and families Official Organ of the Radium Hill Historical Association Inc. February 2021

CONTENTS Hello There, BIRTHS Hello there, Birthdays 1 Well, 2021 saw the sixtieth year They say that 40 is the old age of Our Achievements 2 since the closure of the Radium youth and that 60 is the youth of Hill mine. A sad time for old age. Where do you fit in? the hundreds of people who lived Radium Hill Visits and 2 and worked there. What a year 1961 was at the Access Update A.I.M. Hospital, the last year that Miss Radium Hill 3 Many folk have been in touch this babies were born in Radium Hill past year from around the world, including; Closing down 4 with news, advice, and best wishes. Thanks to all of you. Kym Pudler, Atillio Scopel, Paul Glandore Reunion 2021 5 Bertocchi, Steven Westover, Pier R. H. School Fete photo 6 It has been a mixed year, Scalet, Brian Ford, Cynthia Wade, comprising the good and the not so Michael Clayton, Kathryn Lawrie, good. and Graham Paull. Townsite Layout map 6 Entry to our old town of Radium

Hill and cemetery, via the “old Gee, how time flies. th track” through both Tikalina and Happy 60 birthday to you all. CONTACT NAMES Maldorky stations is still restricted. Kevin Kakoschke (President) Hopefully this state of affairs will Graham Paull, who at number 32A Mortimer Street, change in the not too distant 117, was the last babe born at the KURRALTA PARK future. A.I.M. Hospital before the Mine South 5037 Phone (08)8293-2375 closed and Sheryl Carss was the The past support which we have first born in 1953, just after the June Kakoschke (Secretary) received from our many supporters Mine was opened. 32A Mortimer Street, has been greatly appreciated. Most of these babes are now KURRALTA PARK Grandparents would you believe. 5037 Phone (08)8293-2375 From your Committee, pleasant Email [email protected] reading, keep in touch via letter, Some of our friends have reached Website – www.radiumhill.org.au phone call, email, or guest book the ripe old age of 90 years or comment on our web site. more including; Margot Binkowski (Treasurer) 3A Ivy Street Modbury 5092 Phone (08)8263-3984 Best wishes to you and yours, Murray Stock, Norman Gilberthorpe, [both 95] Frank This newsletter design is in keeping with the original Kevin Kakoschke Laurison, Flo Mansfield, Edith style used in Radium Hill and was produced by June Kakoschke Feb. 2021. Babinskas, Jack Ballenger, Neil Gobbett. Printed Eureka Printing Marleston, SA

The next Radio Activity News Bulletin will be published in February 2022

“leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs”

OBITUARIES Many thanks to Evan Lloyd, Brian Regina Leifheit and Geoff Tattersall for their Gilbert Sheehan continued involvement to resolve Hans Reppenhagen this matter.

RADIUM HILL ACCESS LIST OF OUR ASSOCATIONS UPDATE ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1990

During 2020, representatives from Built the Radium Hill Heritage The Headframe at night all lit up like the Radium Hill Historical Museum, located in Peterborough, a giant Xmas tree. Association have continued to depict the birth, life, death and discussions regarding access to the legacies of Radium Hill, Town Radium Hill townsite and Australia’s first uranium mine. cemetery with key government 1. Constructed a BBQ shed. stakeholders including the Wrote the book “We Were Radium 2. Constructed a shower shed. Department of Energy and Mining Hill” and produced the 19 min. 3. Constructed a sheltered “Beer and Primary Industries SA. video “The Way We Were”. garden” area. Unfortunately, as a result of the Posted out a newsletter “The Radio 4. Erected 18 “then and Now” COVID 19 pandemic this Activity” to up to 460 former historic photographic plaques discussion process has slowed. residents, each year since 1990. around the former townsite. 5. Manufactured and installed 81 In terms of the parameters of Conducted three Radium Hill house number and family limited access, the RHHA strives occupiers, (man, wife and only to include former residents Reunions in for those folk who couldn’t make it to the children) and the years that and associated families. It does not Radium Hill Reunions. they were resident at that support or promote open or public address in the townsite. access. 6. Reroofed two rooms in the The Association is negotiating Catholic Church ruins. limited access to the townsite and 7. Had the Townsite Heritage cemetery sites as per a defined and listed in 2017. developed access agreement. This 8. Conducted many Easter is where access is defined as Reunions since the first in limited to specific times, dates of 1991 when over 400 attended. the year. This proposed agreement 9. Conducted “Ghost Town Cabarets” at Easter each year. would define all parameters for Inside ‘The Radium Hill Heritage access to suit all key stakeholders Museum’ at Peterborough. 10. Built the AJ Smith memorial including pastoral leaseholders cairn in honour of the Tikalina and Maldorky. Mine discoverer of uranium at Radium Hill. At the January 2020 meeting with 1. Identified 49 different minerals 11. Built 4 long-drop dunnies in DEM and PIRSA, an offer was the camp area. presented to supply recent drone occurring in the mine area. 2. Identified 157 plant species 12. Rehabilitated 9 holes of the film of the Radium Hill site. This original 18 hole golfcourse film could be used for display occurring in the Radium Hill area. 13. Conducted an ongoing purposes at the Radium Hill noxious cactus grubbing Heritage Museum located within 3. Identified 132 bird species sighted in the Radium Hill area. campaign since 1990. the Steamtown Heritage Rail 14. Constructed BRIMK Crossing Centre, Peterborough. 4. Had the MINES DEPT. fence off a dangerous area near Whip and road repairs Representatives from the Radium shaft. Hill Historical Association look Cemetery forward to continue collaborative discussions with all stakeholders to 1. Identified the twelve original reach a suitable access outcome to graves in the cemetery, names, the Radium Hill site. DOB, DOD, age, cause of

death, and home address of I would have liked to have been a P3 each for the SA Dept of fly on the wall. The stories they The feed in the paddocks just took Mines. told about the headmasters, off. 2. Made and installed names Humphreys, Raymond, Bonner, The sheep thought Xmas had come plaque for each grave. and other teachers, plus the antics early. 3. Refenced the cemetery of the wayward students, would The Cemetery trees at Radium Hill grounds. Designed, fabricated make your hair curl. received a new lease of life. and installed the cemetery entrance portal. DROUGHT TO RAIN Unfortunately, it was too late for 4. Built the cemetery monument What a year 2020 was. The the Sturts Desert Pea flowers. and installed a plaque of the drought lasted right up until original burials. September. 5. Planted 16 gum trees within The winds they blew, the dust that MISS RADIUM HILL the cemetery borders and flew, soon to settle from the skies, watered them 4 times a year. onto the roof tops where it showed. We have received a photo of a 6. Had the Cemetery Heritage Labour Day Parade in listed in 2017. Dam were all dry and the rain in 1958, where ‘Miss Radium Hill’ 7. Interred the ashes of 24 former water tanks were empty. The (Pam Morrison) was representing residents in the Cemetery, surrounding stations had destocked Radium Hill as a participant in the complete with name plaque. by about half. The lambs had been ‘Miss Australia Quest’ which 8. Conducted numerous ANZAC abandoned by their mothers. You Australia wide, raised money for commemoration services at see, animals can’t live just eating Spastic Associations throughout Easter each year in dirt. Most houses in the region had Australia; it was the Woodville remembrance of the 367 desalination plants even to supply Spastic Association. former residents who had drinking water. It was a year filled with many served in the armed forces of happy occasions and she was their country. But things changed in mid- supported by a most wonderful September and it rained, water committee at Radium Hill and on from the skies instead of dust. the day of the Broken Hill parade You beauty! they were there in full force to support her. Wia Werra had 56 mms and Pam remembers at the time she Tickalina had 65mms. received much applause and ‘wolf Radium Hill would have received whistles’ which today would horrify the feminists in our society. a similar amount. A crowd in the weed free Cemetery. But there were problems! The By the way she loved it! roads became impassable and the Fourteen ex-Radium Hill residents rain washed all the dust off the have registered their wish for their roofs into the rain water tanks, but ashes to be interred in the Cemetery as a result, the water in the tanks when their time comes. Hopefully was now muddy and unfit to drink. their desire will be carried out. So, to overcome the problem they still kept their desalination plants A big thank you to all those who running in order to get their clean have helped over the years. drinking water. Pam Morrison in The Miss Australia The countryside soon took on a ‘Youngsters’ Get Together Quest parade in Broken Hill. tinge of green.

Janet Lindo (nee Pengilly) from In mid-October, the heaven’s SNIPETS NSW met up with Michael opened up again and poured about Phillips, Maria Drazil, and Desi 70mm of rain over the countryside Early Childhood Memories by Utting (nee Scholten) here in around Radium Hill and Adelaide for chat over coffee. Raylene Williams. 6 yrs old to 11 surrounding Stations. yrs old at Radium Hill.

School Days. the drive-in theatre by ourselves. P4 Head Masters – Mr Humphreys, There was a group of us whom numbers were down, they liked Raymond and Mr Bonner. decided the day before why not what they saw. Two buildings was all we had. One pack a lunch and ride our bikes out for Cooking, Sewing, Laundry. to the Olary Creek for a picnic - all I received a phone call from a The other had 2 rooms which we agreed. chap in Pt. Lincoln who had were divided into age groups and BUT Marlene and I weren’t given visited the Museum and his at least 4 classes were taught all at the day off - instead were told you description of what he saw was, once, quite an achievement for the both will start at 7 am if you want ‘brilliant……, I never knew so teachers. to go. We Did It- and we also had many organisations existed there’. enough energy to accomplish and Looking back enjoyed that way of enjoy the big bike ride. Sure, did teaching and learning. I am a enjoy our packed lunch. The video which we produced stronger person for it. about Radium Hill, titled ‘The SPORTS was my strongest TWINS were born. Way We Were’ will be screened achievement. One of the fastest The most beautiful occasion was on request to Shirley Dearlove. Runners and Bike Riders. Won when the Kakoschke twins were lots of trophies.. born. Kevin and June (parents) - Yes, the Museum is well worth a Wooden Desk with Ink Well. I had (Kevin being my first cousin). My visit as it is one of the few beautiful long auburn coloured sister and I on occasions were museums in Australia that depicts hair, which was always in pig tails allowed to take the twins (Karen the birth, life, death and legacies of - this particular day my hair was and Debra) for a walk in the pram a town. being pulled backwards by Sandra around Radium Hill. It was a Dumont to whom was sitting delight to watch the little darlings CLOSING DOWN behind me and she put my hair into grow up. And look at them now!! the Ink Well. Try and explain that Wow what an adventure, In October 1961, the fateful to my Mother who was furious throughout their lives to still be announcement was made that the when I got home, there’s all this constantly in touch with my Radium Hill uranium mine would Ink running down my back. (I’ll cousins. close in December, 1961. say no more) ho-hum OLD HUGGER. To a small child – me, Old Hugger ‘WHAT! They can’t do that, Entertainment. looked scary riding his horse into where will we go’, was echoed The Drive In Picture Theatre. town. It was told to me he would around the town. [Plus a few My Dad (Darby Williams) showed ride into town about once a month swear words]. people through the gate in their to buy food. cars where to park and hook up to The workers were found jobs all a speaker. There was a lady who REUNION at Radium Hill. over Australia. was the gate keeper for the walk- It sure was a delight having bush The Mines Dept. here in Adelaide ins, there they would sit on the camps and to be entertained on the was just starting their seismic wooden planks in front of the Easter Weekends. exploration programme, looking Canteen. On top of the Canteen Thank you to whom I came into for oil and gas and took on many was where Kevin Kakoschke and contact with and shared old former Radium Hill workers. Neil Gobbett would operate the memories together. movies for all to watch. Thanks for sharing your memories Kalgoorlie and surrounding Raylene. mining areas in Western Australia The morning after the shows Dad, MUSEUM AT and Mt. Isa in became Mum, Marlene, Raylene Williams, PETERBOROUGH the new home for many. we would front up at 7.30 am and pick up all the rubbish scattered Due the COVID-19 VIRUS, all The last family to leave their home around on the ground, then rake all Museums were closed in 2020, ,No.113 in the Townsite,’Wog the gravel level. ours included. However, later in Alley’, in Dec. 1961, was Barry On one particular Sunday morning the year they were allowed to be and Sylvia Kakoschke with their Marlene and I had to clean all of opened again. Although visitor one month old daughter, Helen

who was born in the Broken Hill Looking forward to Hospital. catching up with you there. p5

Those women who were about to have their first baby were not - Please contact June, allowed to have it in the doctorless A.I.M. Hospital at Radium Hill in our secretary if you, case things went wrong. - change your address A fair number of babes were born - in Adelaide and other towns - change phone number because of this ruling. -

- know any ex-Radium DON’T FORGET Hill resident who has

passed away The reunion at Glandore

Community Centre, - - or has celebrated Naldera St, Glandore, on their 90th birthday. Sunday, October 3rd, holiday long weekend. Have your say

The Reunion hours will be Write a comment in the guest book from 1.30pm. till 4.00pm. section of our web site. View it at

Sign the visitors when you www.radiumhill.org.au arrive including address and phone number. You may like to write an item that may be suitable for inclusion in the Many Radium Hill items next newsletter Feb., 2022. Email will be on display from or [email protected] more sixty years ago. If you have any artefacts that may Wear your name tag, it will be suitable for displaying in the Museum please let us know, call or help bring back memories. email (see front page for full contact details). A special display will be of uranium bearing products, possibly the best private collection in Australia. Items in this display have been collected over many, many years. Of special interest in this display will be a smoke detector which has an element called Americium 241, a product of uranium as its sensor.

Bring along your special Radium The Radium Hill Committee 2021 Hill item for display. (L to R) Lynda Sisson, June Kakoschke, Kevin Kakoschke, Evan Lloyd, Margot Binkowski, Phill Huddy, Barry Kakoschke, Sylvia Kakoschke, Lois Harvie, Rodney Lawrence, Pam Barratt, Sandra Dumont, front Jim Krecu and Wolfganag Felleger. Put it in your diary now. (absent Kieran McCosker and Michael Phillips),