The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere

The SUPL Mission

To enable breakthrough scientific discovery and foster global collaboration, SUPL is unique Australian research infrastructure, featuring a high precision, ultra-low radiation deep underground laboratory.

The SUPL Vision

To advance transformative research and innovation beyond the cutting edge of knowledge.

A World-class Facility

About the Laboratory

The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) is a new, world-class research facility, established to support breakthrough and applied research requiring an ultra-low background radiation environment.

SUPL provides the opportunity for extreme precision measurement experiments such as research relating to quantum technologies, as well as advancing research in particle physics, astrophysics, and other nationally significant research priorities, such as radiobiology.

Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory

The perfect location

SUPL is located deep underground, just over one kilometre down, under solid rock in the Stawell Gold Mines, beneath the town of Stawell in Western Victoria (about 2.5 hours’ drive from Melbourne) and is the only deep underground laboratory in the southern hemisphere.

An environment for extreme precision measurement

The purpose of the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory

The purpose of SUPL is to provide an ultra-low background environment for extreme precision measurement. SUPL is a national research facility for experiments that require, or would benefit from, its unique low background environment, such as quantum technology, dark matter detection, nuclear and background radiation detection, as well as those that benefit from the isolated, controlled, and stable underground environment, both within the laboratory and potentially through the mine’s tunnels.

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