Giles Weather Station - WA

In recent years, the Bureau of Meteorology has been automating its network of regional weather stations, all but ending a 100-year tradition of field officers observing weather in the bush. There is, however, one remarkable exception. Giles Weather Station is located near the border of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and is home to just three weather observers stationed there on six-month rotations. It is now the last staffed regional weather station on the Australian mainland.The Giles Weather Station is based at Warakurna Community found along the Great Central Road. Here you can see the daily weather balloon release at 7:15am AWST. It is recommended that visitors arrive at 7:00am to the balloon viewing carpark so if feasible, a staff member can invite you over to see the process in more detail. There is a museum on site covering the station's history and showing memorabilia. Also on display are Len?Beadells’s?grader that was used to build roads in the area and the wreckage of the first Blue Streak Rocket.?All open to the public during daylight hours.Named in honour of pioneer explorer Ernest Giles, the station was established in 1956 to provide weather data for weapons and rocket testing programs.