26
BAMOS October 2021
Article
Restoring the old met building in Sydney ... and an intriguing photo
Dick Whitaker
Members may recall from a previous issue of BAMOS that the old New South Wales headquarters of the Bureau , located at Observatory Hill in Sydney , is under refurbishment .
The building was completed in early 1922 — one hundred years ago next year and during its long period as the centre of the Bureau of Meteorology in NSW it became well known across Sydney as ' The Hill '.
After the Bureau shifted out in 1963 the building gradually descended into disrepair and it appeared likely that it would be deemed uneconomic to restore . But from a virtual ruin it has been taken over by the New South Wales Department of Education and is to be restored as the Library of the nearby Fort Street Public School .
This endeavour was discovered by Peter Price , a retired meteorologist , who began his career at the building back in 1958 . Peter suggested that the Bureau should be recognised in the restoration as an important part of our meteorological heritage in NSW .
This led to the assembly of an informal group of ex-Bureau employees , notably the ex-Director of Meteorology , Dr John
Zillman , who spent part of his early meteorological career in the old building during 1962 . Historical information was gathered from various sources to present to the Department of Education for possible use in the restoration .
While researching photographs of the building during the period 1922 to 1963 several contemporary images were discovered .
These were mainly from media sources that included items from the Fairfax archive of glass plate negatives , and contained images of important Bureau figures such as David Mares , Edward Timcke and Bernard ( Barney ) Newman .
Another interesting 1956 image surfaced in the National Archives of Australia that was accompanied by the rather intriguing caption :
“ Students from New Caledonia visiting Australia learn how instruments are read to forecast weather from Mr H Bond , Senior Meteorologist at Sydney ' s Weather Bureau — photographer , John Tanner ”.
Front row ( L – R ): Harold Bond , Raymond Page , Evelyne Pisier , Astrid Rossignol , Josseline Cendre , Onen Aoti , Marie-Josee “ Tote ” Pujol . Back row ( L – R ): Michel Senes ( teacher ), Yves Bernut , Thonon , JP Pascalon , Edmond Essartier , Régine Rolland , Yvette Phan , ( unknown behind her ), Rouxel , ( unknown ), Eliane Jacquet , Raymonde Cure ( two unknowns behind ). Credit : National Archives of Australia .