Lucas Heights, New South Wales

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Lucas Heights is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 31km south-west of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire.

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Sydney suburbs near Lucas Heights (Sutherland Shire)
Holsworthy	Holsworthy	Menai
Holsworthy	Lucas Heights	Barden Ridge
Holsworthy	Holsworthy	Engadine

Lucas Heights is located on the Woronora River, which flows north into the Georges River. It is most notable for being the site of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) research establishment originally established by the Australian Atomic Energy Commission and home to the HIFAR research nuclear reactor. HIFAR is soon to be replaced by a more modern OPAL reactor. The decision to build the OPAL at this site has been the subject of criticism from some local residents and anti-nuclear groups.

The reactor was recently suggested a possible target for terrorist activities [1]. The area is also visible in detail on Google Maps, which caused some concerns regarding its security.

Lucas Heights is the location of a non-nuclear waste management facility, which was for many years a major disposal site for sanitary carters. Some of the full landfills on this site are presently being sequentially redeveloped into a sporting complex containing playing fields for soccer, netball, rugby league and a golf driving range.

Lucas Heights is an unusual suburb in that it doesn't contain a residential area. The residential area previously part of Lucas Heights has been renamed Barden Ridge. It was renamed in 1996 to increase the real estate value of the area so it was not instantly associated with the nuclear reactor.

[edit] History

Lucas Heights was named after John Lucas Senior, a flour miller who in 1823 was granted 150 acres on the 'head of unnamed stream into Georges River'. He built a water-driven mill for grinding corn from the Illawarra farms. Small ships sailed up the coast into Botany Bay, Georges River and Woronora River.