Dear Rita,
This message just in from Penny Sackett, Mt. Stromlo director and ex-AST
member from some years ago.
Wayne
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Penny Sackett [SMTP:psackett@mso.anu.edu.au]
> Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 8:19 AM
> Subject:
>
> 27 January 2003
>
> Dear Friends and Colleagues,
>
> By now, most of you will have heard that that the Research School of
> Astronomy
> and Astrophysics (RSAA) at the ANU has undergone a tragic and challenging
> week as a result of the bush fires of 18 January 2003 that have destroyed
> most of our facilities on Mount Stromlo. Due disruptions in our
> communications and the enormity of work to be done, I have been unable to
> contact you personally to describe the extent of the destruction or the
> speed
> with which the rebuilding process has begun. Please forgive the delay.
>
> The bush fire of 18 January 2003 is perhaps the single worst to ravage
> Australia in 100 years. The people of Canberra have suffered mightily,
> with
> 4 lives and over 500 homes lost. Many of our staff and students were
> among
> those who lost homes, making this fire particularly difficult to bear. We
> are,
> however, exceedingly grateful that no Stromlo personnel were injured ---
> particularly amazing given the speed with which the fire storm swept over
> the adjoining forest to the mountain itself.
>
> On Mount Stromlo, only the Visitor's Centre, and the Woolley and Duffield
> buildings, which housed our academic staff and its computing resources,
> were spared. Eight houses on the mountain, and all five telescopes
> (including
> the 74" and the 50") were destroyed beyond repair. The 1924 heritage
> building,
> accommodating our administration staff, the design office, and the
> library,
> was completely gutted, as was the extensive Stromlo workshop where NIFS,
> the soon-to-be-delivered spectrograph for Gemini North, was entering final
>
> testing. Yet, as I said to staff on Monday last, Stromlo has retained its
> best
> and most important assets completely intact: our people, our spirit, and
> our
> identity. With these strengths, the process of rebuilding has already
> begun.
> We are bent, but very far from broken.
>
> Our scientific facilities and staff at Siding Spring are hundreds of
> kilometers
> distant, and remain unaffected by the Canberra area fires. Nearly all
> scientific
> data have survived, as have Gemini instrument plans. Office space and
> computing terminals have been identified on ANU's main campus and allow
> those who are able to return to work. We met daily as a team throughout
> last
> week, even while many staff continued to defend their homes ---some of
> which
> remained without electrical power --- against the ongoing threat of fire.
>
> Our computer servers have been retrieved from the mountain, and are back
> on-line; both email and telephone communication have been restored.
> Students
> and academic staff have begun to return to their science on the main
> campus,
> where work on the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager is also proceeding.
>
> Mount Stromlo has been secured, the devastation assessed, and the site is
> being made safe for our return. Staff were accompanied to Stromlo to view
> the
> damage first hand and retrieve important items from their offices.
> Electricity
> has been restored on the mountain via emergency generators, and water is
> being
> made available. Unstable structures are being reinforced and fenced, and
> debris
> removed. Broken glass in the Duffield and Woolley buildings has been
> replaced
> and the buildings are soon to be cleaned. Temporary workshop facilities
> have
> been identified on campus and with our industrial partners; these will be
> used
> until our own workshops are rebuilt on the mountain. Mount Stromlo staff
> celebrated Australia Day together with some Siding Spring colleagues over
> this
> long weekend. Once electronic communications can be restored to the
> mountain sometime next week, we will return home.
>
> We are grateful and humbled by the magnitude of the support we are
> receiving.
> The Australian National University, its staff and its Vice Chancellor have
>
> repeatedly demonstrated their unflinching dedication to RSAA and Mount
> Stromlo;
> the results of our ANU colleagues' rapid response is nothing short of
> miraculous. The Australian people have indicated their affinity for
> Stromlo
> through moving expressions of concern and generous donations. The Prime
> Minister and the Minister of Science have toured the mountain to survey
> the devastation and have indicated their desire to see this national icon
> and
> international centre of scientific excellence restored. Our scientific
> colleagues and industrial partners here and abroad have reacted swiftly to
>
> offer assistance.
>
> Your individual letters, phone calls, and offers of generosity during the
> past
> days have been greatly appreciated by all of us on Mount Stromlo. Please
> allow me to express our thanks on behalf of all staff. You can learn more
> about
> the fire on Mount Stromlo and our on-going recovery and rebuilding process
> by
> visiting the following web sites
>
> www.anu.edu.au/fires
> www.mso.anu.edu.au
>
> or by calling the general enquiry number on (+61 2) 6125 0230. I urge you
> to
> stay in touch as we build a stronger and even more resilient Mount
> Stromlo.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Penny D. Sackett
> Director
> Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and
> Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories
>
>