Lucas Heights is a suburb in southern Sydney,
in the state of New South
Wales, Australia. Lucas
Heights is located 31 kilometres south-west
of the Sydney central
business district, in the local
government area of the Sutherland
Shire.
Lucas Heights is located on the Woronora
River, which flows north into the Georges
River. 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 HIFAR
nuclear reactor.
Lucas Heights 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 historic HIFAR research nuclear
reactor. HIFAR was shut down in January 2007 and replaced by the
OPAL research reactor.
OPAL bears leading neutron
radiation facilities and
attracts international scientists as staff members and many hundreds
of user groups. In the past, the HIFAR reactor
was suggested a possible target for terrorist activities. 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 the home of
the award-winning 'The Ridge' Golf driving
range.
Menai Sand and Soil, the local landscape supplier, a pony club, and
a motel are also located
in the area.