The Australia-New Zealand SKA Bid
CSIRO, on behalf of the Australasian SKA Consortium, submitted a proposal to host the SKA in Australia in December 2005. In September 2006 the Australian site was short listed, along with southern Africa, to host this global facility. In August 2009 Australia and New Zealand signed an agreement to make a joint bid for the SKA.
On May 25 2012, the SKA Organisation announced its intention to share the SKA between Australia-New Zealand and southern Africa.
Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory: World-class Site for Radio Astronomy
Australia has established one of the world's premier sites for radio astronomy, in the sparsely populated Mid West region of Western Australia. The Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) is the Australia-New Zealand SKA core site as well as the home of the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) and the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA).
The region around the MRO is characterised by an extremely low population density, excellent observing conditions and a pristine radio-quiet environment. Australia has protected the radio quietness of the site through the establishment of the Mid West Radio Quiet Zone.
The anzSKA project acknowledges the Wajarri Yamatji people as the traditional owners of the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory site.