The Commonwealth Solar Observatory was established in 1924 on Mount Stromlo, located on the outskirts of Canberra. Founded mainly to study the sun and support research into geophysics, the complex included residences, plant and maintenance buildings as well as scientific observation and recording equipment. This fact sheet provides information on the Archives’ holdings relating to the construction and maintenance of the complex.
Records held by the National Archives relating to Mount Stromlo include correspondence files, photographs, and architectural plans and drawings which deal with the design, construction and subsequent maintenance of the complex. A selection of records is listed below.
 | Files relating to the construction and maintenacne of Mount Stromlo | 1925–29 | CP698/30 | ||
 | Mount Stromlo – Observatory buildings | 1925–29 | CP698/30, 1 | ||
| Mount Stromlo – general file | 1925–28 | CP698/30, 1/1 | ||
| Mount Stromlo – Director's residence | 1920–25 | CP698/30, 1/2 | ||
| Mount Stromlo – buildings | 1927–28 | CP698/30, 1/3 | ||
| Mount Stromlo Observatory – estimates only | 1927 | CP698/30, 1/4 | ||
| Mildenhall photographic collection of early Canberra | 1921–35 | A3560 | ||
| Small dome on Mt Stromlo looking northeast | 1926 | A3560, 4 | ||
| Cottages under construction at Mt Stromlo | 1926 | A3560, 201 | ||
| Administrative building on Mt Stromlo | 1925 | A3560, 909 | ||
| Cottages on Mt Stromlo | 1926 | A3560, 1642 | ||
| Pine plantation on Mt Stromlo | 1926 | A3560, 2623 | ||
| Construction site – Mt Stromlo with witmason crane | 1927 | A3560, 3597 | ||
| Observatory dome under construction | 1927 | A3560, 3602 | ||
| Director’s house under construction | 1927 | A3560, 3621 | ||
| Observatory dome | 1928 | A3560, 4194 | ||
| Observatory dome and administration buildings | 1928 | A3560, 4414 | ||
| Buildings at Mt Stromlo | 1928 | A3560, 4654 | ||
| Director’s residence – Mt Stromlo | 1929 | A3560, 5386 | ||
| Administrative building – Mt Stromlo | circa 1921–34 | A3560, 7460 | ||
| Telescope | 1928 | A3560, 7532 | ||
| Workmen on Solar Tower – Mt Stromlo | 1928 | A3560, 7535 | ||
| Workmen on dome over Farnham telescope | 1928 | A3560, 7543 | ||
| Office buildings at Stromlo under construction | 1927 | A3560, 7561 | ||
| Architectural drawings with AB prefix | 1925–30 | A2502 | ||
| Details of senior mechanic's residence – Mt Stromlo | 1925 | A2502, AB429 | ||
| Layout of buildings | 1924 | A2502, AB430 | ||
| Detail of bronze lettering | circa 1924–30 | A2502, AB649 | ||
| Lavatory – Oddie House – Mt Stromlo | 1929 | A2502, AB747 | ||
| Steelwork to laboratory and Sun Telescope Building | 1924 | A2502, AB835 | ||
| Garages, fuel stores | 1927 | A2502, AB881 | ||
| Stromlo pump house | 1927 | A2502, AB968 | ||
| Architectural drawings with AC prefix | 1925–31 | A2503 | ||
| Additions to staff quarters (AC1202) | 1926 | A2503, folder 6 | ||
| Reynolds Reflector house (AC1389) | 1926 | A2503, folder 7 | ||
| Director’s residence (AC1445) | 1927 | A2503, folder 7 | ||
| Reynolds Reflector house (AC1475) | 1927 | A2503, folder 7 | ||
| Excavation to store building site (AC1485) | 1927 | A2503, folder 7 | ||
| Temporary Farnham house (AC1504) | 1927 | A2503, folder 8 | ||
| Details of lab and sun telescope building (AC1548) | 1927 | A2503, folder 8 | ||
| Sub station and Farnham telescope building (AC1554) | 1927 | A2503, folder 8 | ||
| Detail of workshop store and office (AC1645) | 1927 | A2503, folder 8 | ||
| Architectural drawings with AG prefix | 1930 | A2506 | ||
| Residence ‘A’ | 1930 | A2506, AG164 | ||
| Residence ‘H’ | 1930 | A2506, AG164 | ||
| Groundsman’s cottage | 1930 | A2506, AG167 | ||
| Remodelling of the Administration building | 1930 | A2506, AG171 | ||
| Reynolds Reflector House – details of reinforcements to concrete | 1930 | A2506, AG324 | ||
| Aperture cards for ACT architectural plans and drawings | 1921–59* | A9663 | ||
| Bingar dome | undated | A9663, M1957D | ||
| Timing gear details | undated | A9663, M8381 | ||
| Dome for 48 inch telescope | undated | A9663, 19927 | ||
| Building for cosmic rays | undated | A9663, 4788 | ||
| Variations to addition | undated | A9663, 13747 | ||
| Optical munitions annexe | undated | A9663, 15114 | ||
| New bachelor quarters | undated | A9663, 19435 | ||
| Restoration of fire damaged building | undated | A9663, 22028 | ||
| Proposed dome and annexe for CATTS 20 inch telescope | undated | A9663, 23338 | ||
| New ionospheric station | undated | A9663, 20866 | ||
* Most items in this series are not individually dated. The series date range provides some indication of when individual items were created.
You can obtain more information about the record series listed above (and the items within the series) from RecordSearch, the Archives database. As well as records relating to the complex and its maintenance, you should be able to identify records relating to solar and astronomical observations, and other scientific activity and research undertaken at Mount Stromlo (including the Observatory’s wartime role in optical munitions production). Follow the links in the series lists to go directly to information on that series. You can also use RecordSearch to find out about the agencies that created the records and to locate more records on your subject. You might also explore PhotoSearch to find out if there are photos pertaining to your subject.
RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online and in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff are available in the reading rooms to help you, or email ref@naa.gov.au.
updated January 2008