Googatha Elder Aunty Sue Haseldine on the Imposition of the Koonibba Test Range on Country

Googatha elder Aunty Sue Haseldine was out on Country last month, which is located in northeastern so-called South Australia – north of the town of Ceduna – when she got word that Southern Launch, the private space company that runs the Koonibba Test Range, which happens to sit upon Googatha Country, would be running a test launch of a rocket in November 2025.

So, Aunty Sue, who was on Country with others, emailed the Australian company to find out whether and when a rocket would be launched. She received no reply, however. Yet, a helicopter did fly over her camp, which served to inform Aunty Sue that they were well aware of her presence, but it didn’t answer her question.

The Googatha elder was not out on Country when Brisbane-based rocket manufacturer AtSpace tested a rocket. However, in May 2024, Aunty Sue was aware that a rocket would be launched at the Koonibba Test Range, and she and some others stayed out on Country to protest it, and they watched the space vehicle fly over their heads.

Southern Launch came to an agreement with Koonibba council and the Far West Coast Native Title Claim early on in respect of native title rights. However, Aunty Sue advises that the company failed to consult everyone and it is she who is obliged to go out on Country twice a year to conduct cultural practices.

The Googatha elder has never given consent to the test range on Country, and she produced a statement in this regard in August, which was distributed to the interested parties involved.

Maralinga No More

The rocket testing at Koonibba Test Range brings with it the memory of nuclear testing at Maralinga. On Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Country in northeast South Australia is where the British tested seven major nuclear bombs and about 550-odd minor nuclear trials at Maralinga between the years 1956 to 1967. The Maralinga site is now part of what is called the Woomera Prohibited Area.

Aunty Sue points out that Maralinga lies north of Koonibba, and the land within the WPA has already been devasted by the British. So, she considers that the operations at Koonibba, which have the backing of the federal and state governments, along with a number of domestic and international aerospace companies, should be shifted up to Woomera, rather than destroy her Country as well.

The first rocket test launch was conducted at the Koonibba Test Range in 2020. However, the first commercial test took place last year, and Aunty Sue was on Country. In October, it was announced that an American company will be landing 20 spacecraft at Koonibba over the years up to 2028. And there also exist plans to test guided missiles at Koonibba, but no tests have been confirmed as yet.

Sydney Criminal Lawyers spoke with Googatha elder Aunty Sue Haseldine about the existential threat that the rocket launch and landing operations on Googatha Country pose, the fact that it would appear that Southern Launch was recently attempting to bully her off Country, as well as the fact that her people have been denied free, prior and informed consent.

Aunty Sue, the Googatha people and the West Mallee Protection group have been running a campaign against the imposition of the Koonibba Test Range, which is a site run by private space company Southern Launch on Googatha Country.

Testing has been happening since 2020, while commercial testing opened for international space and weapons companies started as of last year.

So, what has the campaign to stop these operations on Googatha Country involved? What sort of threat do they pose?

Southern Launch was discussing this with Koonibba council for two years, before anybody knew that they were doing anything. That is how sly they were.

Then, when we found out, Googatha started saying, “No, you are not going to damage Country. You are not going to kill all those animals. You are not going to join this up with the Woomera Prohibited Area.”

So, this has been going on quite a while.

This is a large area of land

It is massive. It is too big to lose to war games or whatever they want to play. It is our cultural area.

They’re not just testing the launching of rockets here either, they are bringing that American company Varda Space Industries.

The Americans are making pharmaceuticals in space. So, Varda is sending their rockets off into space in America and because it is too dangerous to land their rockets back there, they are landing here on Googatha Country.

What sort of impact is this having? 

I can’t keep a total eye on Country because I don’t have a drone. But I try to keep an eye on Country. I race out and protect it as much as I can.

I don’t know where those things are landing. But they could start a fire and devastate the animals. They could hit sacred sites when they land, which would devastate me. There are a lot of sites out there.

I understand that you are obliged to take two trips out on Country a year due to cultural obligations.

I do that and take other people with me. But I go out on Country all the time during the year. It is not just on those two days, but I do go out on those days.

Brisbane company AtSpace tested a rocket at the Koonibba Test Range on 27 November this year. There was an issue last month because you were on Country around the time the testing was going to take place.

However, Southern Launch neglected to inform you about what was going on in terms of the launch in November, even though you specifically asked.

A rocket was also launched when you were out on Country last year.

What does this say to you if they are testing whilst you are on Country, and that they won’t even respond to properly warn you about the tests?

We were out there. I had to check some stuff. I got word that a rocket test was about to happen. We didn’t know.

So, I emailed Southern Launch asking for confirmation, but they didn’t reply. But a helicopter did come over and circle our camp and on the second time, it also took off into the distance. The third time it went around our camp two and a half times.

These are bullying tactics.

To run you out?

Yeah.

Were you on Country when the launch happened this year? 

Not the one last month. But I was out there last year, when the German company, HyImpulse, tested a rocket. It went over my head.

They came out and talked to me about it beforehand. So, it was a protest. I was out on Country with a heap of people.

So, we came back in closer, and I sent some people home, especially the children. Then I stayed out with a few friends to protest it.

But the last one wasn’t a protest. We were out on Country already and they told us nothing.

They received your email query when the launch was about to take place last month. They didn’t reply though. But you know they received your email, because they knew you were out on Country, as they began circling you with a helicopter.

So, what do you think about that? What does it mean that they’re doing this? 

This is Maralinga all over again. Maralinga 2. They know we are there. They don’t care. They are going to fire the rockets anyway.

It’s the same with Maralinga, they knew Aboriginal people were out on Country. They didn’t care. They dropped the bombs.

Southern Launch isn’t even telling you what is going on when you know about it and specifically ask them? 

They won’t tell me anything.

I understand you produced a Statement of No Consent in respect of the Koonibba Test Range in August? 

Yes. It went worldwide.

It was hand delivered on four continents.

Yeah, and it was hand delivered to our government mob too.

So, you said you don’t consent to the test range? 

Yeah. I don’t consent to them destroying Country, killing animals and testing weapons of mass destruction that will kill innocent people. I didn’t consent to them going out and destroying sacred sites.

These sites aren’t just mine: they belong to family. But I have the biggest mouth, and I’ve been looking after Country for a long time.

What did happen in terms of seeking your consent? Was there any attempt at a consultation process at all? 

With Southern Launch? No. Not until last year, when they came out onto Country, because I wouldn’t come in. They came out onto Country, and they offered me a job with them.

That was it. It was the first time I had ever spoken with them.

But that is four years after they’d started out there.

Yeah. That would be right.

How would you say the imposition of the Koonibba Test Range on Googatha land reflects the broader settler colonial project on this continent?

It’s still colonialism. They are still taking over and disregarding Aboriginal people. But they are also in league with Aboriginal people from the Koonibba and Ceduna native title claim.

So, they are talking to people like that. But those people are claiming Country they have never been on. They have no idea what is out there. They have no idea of the connections to story and land.

They are just collecting money because through native title they can get royalties.

Aunty Sue, if these rocket launches continue on Country and guided missiles are tested as well, what will this mean to your culture and your people? 

If they continue doing this, they will end up killing our culture, which in turn, will kill us. We will have lost a big part of our soul.

They will kill the animals. They will stop us from going out to our sacred sites. They will probably make some Aboriginal people rich.

But none of this is good for Aboriginal people at all, whether it is giving them money or blasting our Country to pieces.

So, this is a threat to your people? 

The biggest threat that the government and these companies have to our people is their money. They can flaunt it and throw it around. They are offering poor people money.

And lastly, Aunty Sue, if that is the case, what does this mean in terms of the ongoing resistance of the Googatha people to this destructive force on Country? How do you consider this situation will progress if it continues in the same manner that it has been progressing in?

If it continues to progress, it will be a very sad day for the Aboriginal people, Country and the animals. I am hoping to stop it so we can keep our culture alive and protect endangered species on our Country.

I want to let the government know, “Come on. It’s enough. You already have Woomera Rocket Range. You can take it back there. You have already devastated that Country.”

I just hope we can stop it. But we are fighting our own mob as well. The mob that want money. But money isn’t everything, you know.

We don’t own that land. The land owns us. We just keep it for the next generation. That is the way it has always been.

Images of Googatha Elder Aunty Sue Haseldine supplied by the West Mallee Protection group