Support for civilians and participants in the British Nuclear Tests

This page provides information for ex-service personnel and civilians who were involved in, or present at, the nuclear tests at Maralinga, Emu Field and Monte Bello Islands between 1952 and 1965, as well as Australian Federal or Commonwealth Police Officers and Australian Protective Services Officers who patrolled the nuclear test area at Maralinga after the test period.

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What were the British nuclear tests?

During the 1950s, the British Government conducted a number of nuclear tests in Australia which involved Australian Defence Force personnel. The tests were conducted at Emu Field and Maralinga in South Australia and at the Monte Bello Islands off the West Australian coast from 1952 to 1957.

If you participated in nuclear testing or lived in or around Maralinga, Emu Fields or the Monte Bello Islands during these times, you may be eligible to claim for the following benefits with DVA:

• Veteran Gold Card
• Commemorative Medallion 
• Compensation under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

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Veteran Gold Card

The 2017-18 Budget included a measure to provide the Veteran Gold Card to all Australian participants in the British Nuclear Tests program in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s (including certain civilians within the test areas) and to Australians who were part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in Japan after the Second World War. More information about the BCOF can be found at Support for members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force and people who served in Japan.

Treatment is provided under the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests and British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Treatment) Act 2006.

For Veteran Gold Card holders, DVA pays for treatment in Australia for any medical condition, regardless of whether or not it is related to your involvement in the nuclear tests, when obtained from a healthcare provider who agrees to treat you under DVA health care arrangements.

Who is Eligible

The major nuclear tests in Australia were conducted at Emu Field and Maralinga in South Australia and at the Monte Bello Islands off the West Australian coast from 1952 to 1957. Minor tests were conducted at Emu Field in 1953, and at Maralinga until 1963. There were no atomic tests carried out in the Monte Bello Islands after 1956. Australians participating in the tests (Australian Defence Force members or Commonwealth employees or contractors) or civilians present in at least one of these testing areas within a two year period after the relevant test are eligible for the Veteran Gold Card.

Commonwealth Police, Australian Federal Police and Australian Protective Service Officers who patrolled the Maralinga nuclear test area up to 30 June 1988 are also eligible.

Anyone who was in a nuclear test area at a relevant time is eligible, regardless of whether their presence in a nuclear test area was associated with the nuclear tests. This includes pastoralists and Indigenous people among others.

Definition of an Australian Participant in the British Nuclear Test for Veteran Gold Card purposes

A person is eligible for a Veteran Gold Card as a British Nuclear Test participant if one of the following criteria are met:

1. A person is a nuclear test participant if the person:

• was present in a nuclear test area during any of the following periods:
  • from the beginning of 3 October 1952 to the end of 19 June 1958, if the area was the Monte Bello Islands Area
  • from the beginning of 15 October 1953 to the end of 25 October 1955, if the area was the Emu Field Area
  • from the beginning of 27 September 1956 to the end of 30 April 1965, if the area was the Maralinga Area
• was at that time, an Australian resident.

2. A person is a nuclear test participant if they meet all of the following:

• was involved in the transport, recovery, maintenance or cleaning of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft or equipment that was contaminated as a result of its use in a nuclear test area, being involvement that occurred during any of the following periods:
  • period from the beginning of 3 October 1952 to the end of 19 July 1956, if the area was the Monte Bello Islands Area
  • from the beginning of 15 October 1953 to the end of 25 November 1953, if the area was the Emu Field Area
  • from the beginning of 27 September 1956 to the end of 30 May 1963, if the area was the Maralinga Area
• was, at that time, any of the following:
  • a member of the Australian Defence Force
  • an employee of the Commonwealth
  • a person who, under a contract with the Commonwealth, provided construction, maintenance or support services relating to the conduct of nuclear tests in that nuclear test area during that period
• was at that time, an Australian resident.

3. A person is a nuclear test participant if they meet all of the following:

• at any time during the period from the beginning of 3 October 1952 to the end of 31 October 1957, the person flew in an aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force or the Royal Air Force
• at the time the person flew in the aircraft, the aircraft was both:
  • used in measuring fallout from nuclear tests conducted in a nuclear test area 
  • contaminated by the fallout
• at that time, the person was both:
  • a member of the Australian Defence Force
  • an Australian resident.

4. A person is a nuclear test participant if the person meets all of the following:

• was at any time during the period from the beginning of 1 May 1965 to the end of 30 June 1988 present in the nuclear test area that was the Maralinga area
• was, at that time, any of the following:
  • a Commonwealth Police Officer under the Commonwealth Police Act 1957
  • a member of the Australian Federal Police under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979
  • a protective service officer, or a special protective service officer, within the meaning of the Australian Protective Service Act 1987
  • a protective service officer, or a special protective service officer, in a Department of the Commonwealth
• was, at that time, an Australian resident.

5. A person is a nuclear test participant if they meet all of the following:

•  was involved in the transport, recovery, maintenance or cleaning of an aircraft (including any equipment on or attached to the aircraft) that was contaminated as a result of its use in a nuclear test conducted in a nuclear test area, being involvement that occurred during any of the following periods:
  • from the beginning of 3 October 1952 to the end of 19 July 1956, if the area was the Monte Bello Islands Area
  • from the beginning of 15 October 1953 to the end of 15 May 1956, if the area was the Emu Field Area
  • from the beginning of 27 September 1956 to the end of 30 May 1963, if the area was the Maralinga Area
• was, at that time, any of the following:
  • a member of the Australian Defence Force
  • an employee of the Commonwealth
  • a person who, under a contract with the Commonwealth, provided construction, maintenance or support services relating to the conduct of nuclear tests in that nuclear test area during that period
• was, at that time, an Australian resident.

A nuclear test area is any of the areas described in the following table:
 

Nuclear test area

Item	Name of nuclear test area	Description of nuclear test area
1	Monte Bello Islands Area	The area within 10 kilometres of Main Beach on Trimouille Island in the Monte Bello Archipelago
2	Emu Field Area	The area within 25 kilometres of the Totem test sites at Emu Field.
3	Maralinga Area	The area within 40 kilometres of any of the Buffalo or Antler test sites.

Exclusions

The definition of nuclear test participant does not include others indirectly involved in the British Nuclear Tests who were not present at a prescribed site during the prescribed periods such as:

• ADF personnel serving on:
  • HMAS Sydney
  • HMAS Macquarie
  • HMAS Culgoa
  • HMAS Murchison
  • HMAS Tobruk
  • HMAS Limicola
  • HMAS Reserve
  • HMAS Diamantina
  • HMAS Vengeance
• Any person working or living in Woomera or Woomera village
• Commonwealth Police at Maralinga after 1988
• Employees contracted to Kwinana
• Employees of the National Australia Bank at Maralinga.

How do you apply?

If you were present at any of the nuclear test sites in Australia, please complete DVA form D9056.

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Commemorative Medallion 

A medallion commemorating Australian participation in the nuclear testing in Australia was minted in time for the 50th anniversary of the end of the major tests in October 2007 and recognises the service of those Australians who participated in or provided support to the British Nuclear Test Program.

Who is Eligible?

Any Australian, whether military personnel, police or civilians who participated in or provided support to the British Nuclear Test Program in Australia can make a claim for the Medallion.

How do you apply

If you participated in or provided support to the British Nuclear Test Program in Australia, please complete DVA form D9075.

On 6 November 2023, Government House advised that the Governor-General has given his approval of the UK Nuclear Test Medal to be added to the Schedule of Approved Countries and Awards. Australians awarded the commemorative United Kingdom Nuclear Test Medal are now approved to wear it alongside their other medals. For more information about the UK award, details of eligibility criteria and application forms are available at Nuclear Test Medal – Eligibility Criteria. 

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Compensation and Health Care treatment under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

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