Our Namesake

Len Beadell (1923-1995) O.A.M,B.E.M.,F.l.E.M.S (Aust)

Len Beadell has been described as "The Last Australian Explorer" because of his life time of work surveying, mapping and creating access to a vast portion of the Australian Outback.

In 1947, he was tasked by the Australian government to locate and survey the site for a rocket testing range in northern South Australia's tretching across West Australia almost to the Indian Ocean. The town that was the base for the range was later named Woomera. This he tackled with enthusiasm, energy and unfailing good humour.

As a surveyor Len was responsible for the initial town survey and launch sites and in the years to follow he led a gang of road makers to create over 6,500kilometres of access roads for scientific observers of various weapons tests.

The best known of these roads is The Gunbarrel Highway which runs from the Stuart Highway west to Carnegie Station, a distance of 1,500 kilometres

Source: http://www.beadell.com.au/lb_biography.htm