Watheroo Observatory

Statement of Significance

The place represents significant associations with international scientific associations. It is unique in Australia.

Physical Description

Watheroo observatory is set back a hundred metres from Watheroo West Road, with a Eucalyptus tree lined gravel drive at a diagonal direct from the road to the dwelling. Watheroo Observatory comprises a group of buildings dominated by a double volume timber framed and weatherboard clad dwelling. The dominant building has a perimeter verandah at ground floor level, and a high-pitched gable roof into which a number of dormer windows have been inserted along both sides. Adjacent to the dwelling there are at least two weatherboard outbuildings, each with gable roofs. Approximately 100 metres to the north east of the dwelling there appears to be a smaller scale dwelling, also weatherboard, with a hipped corrugated iron roof.

History

Dr John A Fleming was instrumental in choosing the site, (W Parkinson took a long time to select the site) away from iron deposits. This site was very sandy and the shortage of water created problems. The Observatory was established by the Carnegie Institution as a magnetic observatory to study sun spot activity in 1919. The Carnegie Institution of Washington was established by Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) a Scottish born steel industrialist who established a number of foundations and endowments for education and research. The Carnegie Institute approached the French Government, who had contracted custom built crawler tractors from the Citroen Car Company. Those vehicles did the first motorised crossing of the Sahara Desert. The French Government granted the Institute one of the tractors and it was used on this site until it burnt out in 1928. The Carnegie Institution carried out a programme of observations in terrestrial magnetism and electricity and ionospheric research. In 1931, the Observatory Golf Club was established. In 1947, the Observatory was transferred as a gift to the Australian Commonwealth Government, and the Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics operated and maintained the observatory. By the late 1950's the department was having difficulty maintaining the observatory as a residential establishment and considered moving the observatory to a metropolitan site, to benefit the staff by way of closer contact with the scientific workers at the university and other establishments. In 1955, a site was chosen at Gnangara Pine Plantation, for magnetic observations and another at Mundaring Weir, for ionospheric and seismological observations. A site office was located at Mundaring Town. The Gnangara station was completed in 1956 and observations and recordings paralelled those of the Watheroo station recordings in July 1957, and the Gnangara Observatory took over magnetic observations on 31st January 1959, followed by the Mundaring station taking the over activites on 18th March 1959. The place is now privately owned.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact or Redeemable Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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