Sydney Observatory
Upper Fort Street, Sydney
1857-59 Alexander Dawson (CA)1986 (adapted to museum
use)
Soon after the arrival of the First Fleet, Lieutenant Dawes, under the direction of the British Board of Longitude, established an observatory at Ragstaff Hill on Dawes Point. In 1821, a second observatory was established at Parramatta.
In 1858, a new observatory, one of the few buildings designed by Alexander Dawson, enabled regular observations to commence. One feature of the building was a time-ball tower. Each day at 1pm the ball on top of the tower dropped to signal the correct time, while simultaneously, for the visually impaired, a cannon was fired at Fort Denison.
The structure incorporates geometric forms related to the housing of telescopes and scientific apparatus. However, by 1892, there was concern that the proposed railway approaches for the future harbour bridge would interfere with the telescope’s operation.
An astrographic telescope was transferred to Observatory Hill at the corner of Beecroft Road and Pennant Hills Road (Observatory Park) in 1899 until 1930, when the telescope was returned to the main observatory. The site was officially occupied by the Government Astronomer until 1982.
Information appearing in this section is reproduced from Sydney Architecture, with the kind permission of the author, Graham Jahn, a well-known Sydney architect and former City of Sydney Councillor. Sydney Architecture, rrp $35.00, is available from all good book stores or from the publisher, Watermark Press, Telephone: 02 9818 5677.
Last Updated: Wednesday 12 December, 2007