an area almost untouched

Amelius, (borrowed your intriguing turn of phrase)
Is most of this area really untouched? The Americans (?)have been at Mereenie for years & there's another old gas well nearby. But I do think that the Simpson Desert is untouched( please correct me anyone).
Does anyone know if CTP, AMU have the drilling lease for Pine Gap area or are they kept off this anomalous area like the public were all excluded from Woomera?
It is interesting that Blamore is more or less in a line with Australia's "Rift Valley"& all those elliptical depressed below sea level areas. If I was in Longacre Street, London or Martin Place , Sydney I could pop into one of the map shops & get myself one of those contour maps of the Centre which used to show these vast areas that were below sea level in a sort of purplish brown colour. The politicians used to suggest dynamiting the land from Spencer Gulf to open up the centre to the sea. Just as well they didn't as it would have increased CTP's costs. I do think the much poison darted Shrewd is right about onshore Oz oil-but he has the hide of a rhinocerus anyway.