Precision measurement

Imagine conducting research in an environment so isolated from the background noise that the smallest signals, which are undetectable at the surface, can be measured with extraordinary precision. Picture an underground laboratory shielded from cosmic rays and surface-based electromagnetic noise, where you can achieve levels of accuracy previously thought impossible. This is the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL)—a haven for groundbreaking precision measurement studies that could revolutionise scientific disciplines from physics to medicine.

SUPL offers an unparalleled research environment for conducting precision measurement studies. Shielded from cosmic radiation, SUPL provides researchers with the most controlled conditions available on Earth, enabling breakthrough discoveries that simply aren’t possible above ground. This is particularly important in fields like environmental monitoring, ultra-low background material screening, and medical research—especially in areas like radiation and chemotherapy dosing. The precision that underground labs afford could lead to new discoveries, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the impact of environmental pollutants.

Consider the success of the Boulby Underground Laboratory in the UK, where ultra-low background material screening supports technological advancements in detectors for rare event physics, such as dark matter interactions, and in precision screening of materials for radioactivity—a capability crucial for cutting-edge technologies and experiments.

In Australia, ANSTO’s work in nuclear stewardship and environmental monitoring showcases the importance of such environments for studying trace contaminants in ecosystems. Similarly, precision environmental monitoring at SUPL could provide researchers with insights into pollution, water quality, or even climate change impacts that are unattainable at the surface, where background noise could obscure critical findings.

Underground laboratories are already proving their worth in fields like particle physics and environmental science, where precise measurements are essential.

Now, extend this precision to medical treatments, such as cancer therapies. Traditional dosing for radiation and chemotherapy is based on what can be detected at the surface, with minimal thresholds determined by our current, limited capabilities.

Imagine using the shielding offered by an underground facility to investigate these treatments at lower dose limits. Researching radiation and drug interactions underground could enable scientists to optimise cancer treatments by reducing the necessary dose, finetuning chemotherapy regimes and improving treatment efficacy. This can potentially lead to significantly improved patient experiences and outcomes, with fewer side effects, less damage to healthy tissue, and better-targeted treatments, ultimately reducing the long-term burden on healthcare systems.

Moreover, underground laboratories create opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations, bringing together environmental scientists, physicists, medical researchers, data scientists and others to solve complex problems from new angles.

Investigate precision measurement studies in SUPL and uncover insights that could transform not only science but lives. With the Earth itself shielding your experiments, you can reach new heights of precision, and contribute not just to scientific breakthroughs, but to a healthier, more efficient world.

Together, we can redefine the limits of what’s measurable—and what’s possible.

Dark Matter

Imagine unlocking the mysteries of 85% of the universe’s mass—the invisible force that shapes galaxies and binds the cosmos. Dark matter is one of the most profound scientific enigmas, and solving it could revolutionise our understanding of physics and the universe itself.

The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL), provides unparalleled conditions for conducting dark matter research, like the SABRE South experiment, which is being built to detect Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), a prime candidate for dark matter. Shielded from cosmic rays and environmental noise, deep underground labs allow researchers to explore the frontiers of particle physics with precision unmatched by surface-level facilities.

Experiments like SABRE South leverage advanced technology and strategic isolation to ensure accurate data collection. With global collaborations already underway and early milestones achieved, such as successful muon detection system installations, these efforts could provide groundbreaking discoveries on the nature of dark matter. The researchers involved in SABRE South are making strides in this high-potential field, positioning us at the cutting edge of scientific discovery.

While funding research on elusive particles may seem speculative, history shows that major scientific breakthroughs often come from the most uncertain frontiers. Underground laboratories, like those involved in dark matter research, not only push forward astrophysics but also advance related technologies in sensor development, quantum computing, and data analysis—ensuring tangible short- and long-term benefits.

The SABRE South experiment is poised to reveal answers to cosmic questions that have puzzled humanity for generations. Be part of this journey into the unknown.

For more information, visit SABRE South

Searching for signs of Dark Matter

Over more than a year, the team from the ABC travelled to Stawell to see the works happening 1km beneath the ground at Stawell Gold Mines. They produced a mini-documentary explaining our search for dark matter.

Veritasium: The absurd search for Dark Matter

Veritasium visited SUPL to profile the exciting research into Dark Matter that we will be hosting.

Darkness Visible Down Under

‘Decades of research have led astronomers to a staggering conclusion: there exists an invisible type of mass that outweighs everything we can see five times over.’ In this video, produced by the Royal Society of Victoria, Prof. Alan Duffy explains the scientific background of the underground physics laboratory.

A brief introduction to dark matter

ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics Professor Elisabetta Barberio provides an introduction to the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory and an explanation of the search for dark matter.

Quantum technologies

Imagine working on quantum technologies research and development, pushing the boundaries of science, unlocking unprecedented computational power, sensitive quantum sensors, and ultra-secure communication systems. However, a hidden challenge threatens to limit the potential of these breakthroughs—cosmic radiation and other sources of surface-based noise. By conducting research in underground laboratories, shielded from surface noise and the interference of radiation, we can address this obstacle and accelerate the realisation of quantum technologies that will shape the future.

The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) offers an unparalleled opportunity to advance quantum research in a low-radiation and electromagnetically quiet environment. Quantum systems, particularly those based on superconducting qubits, are notoriously sensitive to noise and radiation, with ionising radiation having been linked to performance degradation. Shielding from cosmic rays in an underground facility significantly improves coherence times, pushing quantum systems to their full potential.

Additionally, in 2025, the installation of the CELLAR (Cryogenic Experimental Laboratory for Low-background Australian Research), made possible by a successful LIEF grant led by the University of Queensland, will transform SUPL into a world-class facility for quantum research. The milli-Kelvin dilution fridge at CELLAR will cool experiments to temperatures 300 times colder than outer space, drastically reducing thermal noise and supporting experiments that require extreme precision measurements. This state-of-the-art cooling technology will enable ultra-low background experiments, providing researchers with the ideal environment to pioneer quantum advancements and further solidifying Australia’s leadership in quantum science and technologies.

Research shows that ionising radiation from cosmic rays can induce correlated errors in quantum systems, such as superconducting qubits used by industry leaders like IBM and Google. Studies suggest that cosmic rays can degrade qubit performance, reducing their efficiency and scalability. SUPL’s underground environment, combined with the advanced capabilities of the CELLAR dilution fridge, mitigates these radiation effects while also minimizing thermal noise, significantly extending coherence times for quantum systems.

Beyond computing, quantum sensing technologies—used in Defence, navigation, and medical fields—will benefit from both radiation shielding and ultra-low temperatures. Experiments that require extreme precision, such as magnetic anomaly detection or quantum navigation in GPS-denied environments, would see marked improvements in sensitivity when conducted under such ideal conditions.

Some may argue that not all quantum systems are affected by radiation. While it’s true that certain quantum technologies, like photonic qubits, are less vulnerable to ionising radiation, many critical components, such as superconducting detectors and sensors, are still impacted. As quantum systems evolve and scale, addressing both radiation and thermal noise will become essential to ensure their stability, performance and reliability. The long-term competitiveness of quantum computing could depend on this.

Life in extreme environments

Imagine discovering life forms that thrive in environments so hostile, they could help us unlock the secrets of deep space exploration, develop new cancer therapies, and protect astronauts from the harsh conditions of outer space. Underground laboratories, shielded from natural background radiation, offer an unparalleled opportunity to study biology at the extremes. These environments mimic the conditions found on other planets and in the deep subsurface of Earth, making them the perfect frontier for groundbreaking research in biology and biophysics.

Conducting biological research in deep underground laboratories allows scientists to explore how life responds to extreme environments and minimal radiation. The unique low-radiation conditions in underground laboratories, such as those at SUPL and other global facilities, create a controlled environment that is impossible to replicate on the surface. This research holds immense potential for advancing fields like space exploration, nuclear safety, medicine, and evolutionary biology. By investigating how life adapts, evolves, and survives in these extreme environments, we can gain insights critical to solving real-world challenges, from developing radiation protection technologies to enhancing our understanding of disease mechanisms.

Researchers have already seen fascinating results from studies in underground laboratories. For example, experiments have shown alterations in DNA repair mechanisms, changes in organism fertility and life expectancy, and impacts on growth kinetics. These findings are essential for improving radiation therapies and protecting astronauts in space. Moreover, the study of extremophiles—organisms that thrive in the harshest conditions—can lead to advances in environmental protection, such as optimizing mine remediation techniques and improving our strategies for planetary exploration.

The low radiation environment also allows for precise biological experiments. By comparing biological responses in underground laboratories with those at the surface, researchers can pinpoint adaptive mechanisms to background radiation. This knowledge directly benefits nuclear safety, helping to refine models like the linear no-threshold model, which links all radiation exposure to biological risk.

You might be wondering: why go underground when surface labs are more accessible? The answer lies in the quality of data. Surface environments expose biological samples to constant, low-level background radiation, masking subtle effects that are critical to understanding life’s responses to minimal radiation environments. Deep underground, the absence of this “noise” allows for more accurate, reproducible experiments, yielding insights that simply cannot be achieved above ground.

Moreover, with advancements in automated experimental setups, long-term studies in underground facilities can now be conducted with minimal human intervention, making them cost-effective and time-efficient.

The underground environment at SUPL allows us to push the boundaries of biological science. We invite researchers in this promising field of study. The opportunities for innovation are vast, from breakthroughs in cancer research to the development of technologies that will support humanity’s future in space.

Unlocking Earth’s Secrets in the Lachlan Fold Belt

Imagine stepping back in time to when the Earth’s crust was forming—500 million years ago, the Lachlan Fold Belt was taking shape, and sediments were being laid down that would give rise to the Stawell Gold deposit (~440 million years ago). Now, imagine the scientific breakthroughs waiting to be uncovered by situating an underground laboratory in this historic geological site.

Imagine stepping back in time to when the Earth’s crust was forming—500 million years ago, the Lachlan Fold Belt was taking shape, and sediments were being laid down that would give rise to the Stawell Gold deposit (~440 million years ago). Now, imagine the scientific breakthroughs waiting to be uncovered by situating an underground laboratory in this historic geological site.

SUPL, and the tunnels of Stawell Gold Mines, offer unprecedented access to study geological processes that span hundreds of millions of years. Researchers can explore metamorphic rocks, including the turbidite sequences and volcanic formations, unique to the Lachlan Fold Belt. This provides real-time insights into Earth’s evolution, seismic activity, and resource formation. The Stawell deposit, formed by complex folding and faulting, offers invaluable opportunities to study mineral-rich systems at depths exceeding 1,000 metres.

The success of Stawell’s gold exploration is built on its unique geology, which has continuously revealed valuable new insights into subsurface mineral systems. The Lachlan Fold Belt’s rock sequences and the Magdala system, rich in gold-bearing quartz veins, offer a natural laboratory for understanding ancient tectonic and fluid migration processes. Such research has implications not just for mining but for energy production, geothermal exploration, and mitigating geological hazards.

Understanding ancient geological processes helps predict mineral locations, informs climate models, and aids in natural hazard assessment. The past is the key to the future.

Let’s delve deep beneath the surface to unlock secrets that have been half a billion years in the making. Together, we can turn the ancient whispers of the Earth into the loud call of scientific advancement.

Research Conditions at SUPL

Depth

1025m rock overburden

M.W.E. (Metre Water Equivalent)

2900

Type of access

Helical drive-in via operational mine

Total muon flux

3.6x10-8/cm²/s

Average radon concentration

450 Bq/m³

Temperature

21°C +/- 2

Relative humidity

40-70%

Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory

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Acknowledging SUPL

In order to monitor SUPL’s impact, it is essential that our users acknowledge us in any publications that arise from work conducted at SUPL.

Please acknowledge your use of SUPL in research papers using the SUPL Research Organisation Registry (ROR) and the following text:

‘This research was conducted in the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL). https://ror.org/01az7g189’.