Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum

Carnarvon's role in the race to land humans on the moon

Carnarvon may not be the most likely place you’d expect to encounter world-changing space technology but it once played a key role in the global race to land man on the moon. The Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum reveals the area’s role in the 1960s and 1970s Gemini and Apollo missions, showcasing fascinating equipment and stories from the days hundreds of space technicians lived and worked in Carnarvon in their ultimately successful bid to help land the first man on the moon. In its day, this was the biggest tracking station outside of the USA.

Address:

Mahony Ave
Carnarvon WA 6701
Australia

Opening Hours

Open 7 days; April to September 9am - 4pm; October to March 10am - 2pm

Collecting data on astronaut wellbeing

Because spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral in the USA passed close to remote Carnarvon on their first orbits around the Earth, the area was the ideal location to collect data on the crew’s...

World’s first working laboratory in space

Skylab was the world’s first working laboratory in space. But it got off to a rocky start. The unmanned rocket Saturn V launched the lab in 1973 but it was damaged shortly after launch, threatening...

OTC dish played key role in moon landing

The white sphere of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC) dish looms high over Carnarvon as a reminder of the region’s key role in landing man on the moon. The dish opened in 1966 and...

More Coral Coast collections

Several museums in one

The Carnarvon Heritage Precinct encompasses several museums in one area - the Railway Museum and Shearing Hall of Fame, the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage and the One Mile Jetty Centre, which includes...

Geek out on science and Aboriginal culture

Take a walk through science and Aboriginal culture. The Gravity Discovery Centre is an adventure through various areas of science, such as astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology and biodiversity. The...

Museum and herbarium

In the mid-1980s residents from the sparsely populated Murchison Shire banded together to build the rammed earth Murchison Museum. Step inside the museum to discover artefacts revealing everyday life...

Monsignor Hawes - discover the man behind the work

This modern and beautifully interpreted display showcases the life and architecture of priest and prolific architect Monsignor John Hawes, who arrived in the Mid West in 1915. Excerpts from Hawes’...

While you're in the area

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Carnarvon Hotel
Food and Drink
Carnarvon Hotel
The Carnarvon Hotel is a locally owned and operated pub with the best...
121 Olivia Terrace, South Carnarvon, WA 6701
Carnarvon Central Apartments
Accommodation
Carnarvon Central Apartments
Make the most of your visit to Carnarvon by staying at Carnarvon Central...
120 Robinson Street, Carnarvon, WA 6701
One Mile Jetty Interpretation Centre
Attraction
One Mile Jetty Interpretation Centre
Carnarvon's One Mile Jetty Interpretive Centre and heritage precinct...
Babbage Island Road, Carnarvon, WA 6701
Gascoyne River
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Gascoyne River
Western Australia's longest river, the Gascoyne River feeds the palm...
Gascoyne River, Carnarvon, WA 6701