Episode 2: The Black Mist
An examination of the fallout from Britain's atomic testing programme which began in October 1952.
Britain tested a number of atomic weapons in Australia and the South Pacific between 1952 and 1963. Seventy years on from the first detonation, former servicemen and their families, Pacific Islanders and indigenous communities in Australia are still living in the long shadow of these events.
In this episode, we travel to the remote area of Wallatinna in southern Australia to visit Karina Lester - an A峁塧ngu woman who has recently returned home to the traditional land of her late father, Yami Lester. She shares the story of the community who were living there at the time of Operation Totem, a pair of atomic tests which took place at Emu Field in 1953 with catastrophic consequences. With the contribution also of Dr Elizabeth Tynan.
Presented by Steve Purse.
Produced by Hannah Dean.
With recording on location in southern Australia by Jaye Kranz and additional archive from a 1999 ABC interview with Yami Lester by Caroline Jones
A Falling Tree production for 成人快手 Radio 4
(Photograph courtesy of Steve Purse.)
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- Fri 21 Oct 2022 11:00成人快手 Radio 4
- Thu 13 Apr 2023 20:30成人快手 Radio 4