17 February 2026
Fiji is the home of a new radiation monitoring station that is being operated and maintained by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).
The new radionuclide monitoring station in Fiji is part of Australia’s contribution to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Organization’s International Monitoring System (IMS).
ARPANSA’s radiation monitoring networks director, David Hardman, says ARPANSA’s monitoring network team has been working with local operators to update the infrastructure and equipment at this site to uphold nuclear non‑proliferation and global security.
‘The new station strengthens the global network designed to detect nuclear explosions around the world so that no nuclear activity goes unnoticed,’ Mr Hardman said.
‘ARPANSA has a long history of supporting regional partners in operating radionuclide stations.
‘Our collaboration with Fiji strengthens the coverage of the IMS in Australia and the Pacific.’
In 2019, ARPANSA took on the operation and maintenance of two additional radionuclide stations as part of the IMS in the Pacific, one in Fiji and one in Kiribati.
Fiji’s new station is an upgrade to previous infrastructure on the island nation. This upgraded facility will collect data for the IMS while a much larger facility is being constructed.
The IMS is a unique global verification system comprising more than 300 monitoring facilities worldwide, using technologies such as radionuclide, seismic, hydroacoustic, and infrasound monitoring to detect signs of nuclear testing.
By analysing, integrating and comparing data from the IMS, the time, location and nature of a possible nuclear event can be determined.
ARPANSA’s experts work closely with colleagues in the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) to ensure that Australia’s international obligations are met through the CTBT, which bans nuclear explosions and testing.
To learn more about the CTBT program and ARPANSA’s involvement visit: https://www.arpansa.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/international-collaboration/ctbt
