P007005 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Corporate Body created 2022-06-14 human Helen Cohn updated 2025-11-11 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P007005b.htm corporateBody Watheroo Magnetic Observatory AACR2 1 January 1919 March 1957 Start Place Near Watheroo, Western Australia, Australia Magnetic observation Atmospheric observation Observatory The Watheroo Magnetic Observatory was established at the instigation of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C. (U.S.A.), as one of two southern hemisphere observatories required by the Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism for it's project to determine the shape of the Earth's magnetic and electrical fields. With the assistance of Professor Alexander Ross of the University of Western Australia Department of Physics, Institution physicists W. Wallis and Wilfred Parkinson selected a site near Watheroo, approximately 210 km north of Perth. Operations began on 1 January 1919. The installation of meteorological instruments resulted in monthly reports being provided to the Commonwealth Meteorologist in Perth. Wallis was the first Director, succeeded by Edward Kidson. Ross continued his association with the Observatory, which proved a valuable adjunct teaching facility. During WWII the Observatory provided assistance to the Royal Australian Air Force in relation to its long-range radio communications. In July 1947 the Carnegie Institution handed the Observatory to the Australian Government. Operations at the Observatory were managed by the Bureau of Mineral Resources and ceased in 1957. A number of the instruments were transferred to the Mundaring Geophysical Observatory which, when it closed in 2000, passed the instruments to the Mundaring and Hills Historical Society. Wood, Francis Waverley (1905 - 1977)

Officer in Charge, 1946-1949

 Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, Commonwealth of Australia (1946 - 1992)

Managed the Observatory 1947 - 1957

 Parkinson, Wilfred Charles (1884 - 1964)

Assistant, 1919 - 1921; Observer-in-Charge 1921, 1930 - 1933 - 1936, 1939 - 1946

 Ross, Alexander David (1883 - 1966)

Assisted in the establishment of the Observatory

 Kidson, Edward (1882 - 1939)

Director c.1919 - 1921

 Cairns, John Edwin Ingliston (1901 - 1976)

Assistant 1922 - 1928

 Perth Observatory, Colony of Western Australia (1896 - ) 'Watheroo Magnetic Observatory', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Watheroo Magnetic Observatory Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: The Watheroo Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne [sic] The Watheroo Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne [sic] 1960 Nature 186 606 Book: Atmospheric-electric results from Watheroo observatory, Western Australia, 1924 - 1934 Watt, G. R.; and Torreson, O. W. Atmospheric-electric results from Watheroo observatory, Western Australia, 1924 - 1934 Washington, D.C. Carnegie Institution of Washington 1948 Book: Earth-current results from Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia 1932 - 1942 Rooney, W. J.; and Gish, O. H. Earth-current results from Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia 1932 - 1942 Washington, D.C. Carnegie Institution of Washington 1949 Journal Article: Records of earthquakes at Watheroo Magnetic Observatory Kidson, Edward Records of earthquakes at Watheroo Magnetic Observatory 1920 Terrestrial magnetism and atmospheric electricity 25 4 174 Book: Ionospheric research at Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia, June 1938 - June 1946 Berkner, Lloyd V.; and Wells, H. W. Ionospheric research at Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia, June 1938 - June 1946 Washington, D.C. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington 1948 Book Section: Some memories of Watheroo Magnetic Observatory Parkinson, W. C. Some memories of Watheroo Magnetic Observatory Washington, D.C. American Geophysical Union 1994 The Earth, the heavens and the Carnegie Institution of Washington Good, Gregory A. 161-4 Book Section: To Watheroo and back: the DTM in Australia, 1911 - 1947 Home, R. W. To Watheroo and back: the DTM in Australia, 1911 - 1947 Washington, D.C. American Geophysical Union 1994 The Earth, the heavens and the Carnegie Institution of Washington Good, Gregory A. 149-60 Journal Article: The construction and equipment of the Watheroo Magnetic Observatory in Western Australia Fleming, J. A.; and Wallis, W. F. The construction and equipment of the Watheroo Magnetic Observatory in Western Australia 1920 Terrestrial magnetism and atmospheric electricity 25 1 1-6 Book: Magnetic results from Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia 1919 - 1947 Fleming, J. A. [and others] Magnetic results from Watheroo Observatory, Western Australia 1919 - 1947 Washington, D.C. Carnegie Institution of Washington 1947-1951 Journal Article: Watheroo Magnetic Observatory Bush, Fiona Watheroo Magnetic Observatory 2020 Early days 104 27-35