Historical information

In 1884 the Ballarat School of Mines Council reserved a three acre site on a spur of the White horse Ranges known as Mount Pleasant. The Vice-President of the Ballarat School of Mines, James Oddie undertook at his own expense (said to be 4,000 pounds) to erect and equip the observatory. By 1886 seven rooms, a workshop and a cottage had been erected.

The first large telescope built in Australia, the Baker Telescope, opened 1888.

In 1913 the Council of the Ballarat School of Mines handed over the Observatory to the Ballarat East Town Council.

Physical description

A number of images as depicted in a newspaper. The top image shows the Carlver Equitorial Telescope. Middle left is a stained glass window at the observatory (donated by the Ballarat Courier), middle right is 'fire mist'; lower left shows Saturn, and lower right is 'in pleiades'.