Behind the scenes, a wide range of scientific and technological wizardry will be employed to ensure that those measures are as accurate as possible. Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources Looking down the track at very fast trains In August 1998, the Australian government announced its preferred tenderer to build a high-speed rail line between Sydney and Canberra. The choice was not without controversy. Worldwide, the debate continues about the merits of different kinds of very fast train. In August 1998, Australia's first large-scale windfarm commenced operation near Crookwell in New South Wales.
Wind power is set to become an important means of generating electricity worldwide.
In late 1997, Australian scientists announced the discovery of what they believe to be the richest gold deposit ever found. The Australian Technology Park in Sydney has installed Australia's first commercial fuel cell. The Southern Ocean and global climate Research shows that the Southern Ocean is crucial to the world's climate system. The meeting on greenhouse gas emissions held in Kyoto in December 1997 put the enhanced greenhouse effect in the spotlight. The Mars Pathfinder spacecraft landed on Mars on 4 July 1997.