bellevuehill

That looks like a tripod mounted theodolite on the balcony.

Yes, it does. I'll see if I can find a larger version of this image so we can get a bit more detail....DONE!

A larger version will also help to show the built up area on the background hill. I originally thought this was Kosciusko, but no way is that the case with those buildings in the background. Buildings also make it likely there is a local historical society somewhere that has a good idea where this is. @Wragge on twitter (Dr. Tim Sherratt) also knows a good deal about the history of meteorology in Australia. We may need to tap him for this one.

Thanks and for those following these comments @wragge on Twitter was a great help and believes this to be a surveying station rather than a weather station. We will contact the Observatory as advised and see what else we find out.

I think that is Sydney town in the right distance - no NSW country town would have so many spires and large houses. We are looking west-ish (see shadows) from some surveying spot near Bondi. Maybe something to do with the Bondi sewage outfall? The large size image certainly helps. I am amused that with all that surveying equipment etc, they could not get the camera level!

I think that might be HMAS TINGIRA ex- SOBRAON -

beachcomber australia I'd say definitely. And did you notice the market gardens? I wasn't aware they were in this area too. I wonder if they were Chinese like the one's at Rushcutters Bay?

pellethepoet Probably! I was surprised by the sand hills. Royal Sydney Golf Club started with a nine-hole course mid right hand side in 1893, and 1897 Course No.2 "abutted the Chinese gardens" - www.rsgc.com.au/guests/sports/championshipHistory.mhtml . Can you see evidence? It should be there, because the tramway electric poles got to Rose Bay in 1898 - www.railpage.org.au/tram/goddmack.html section 2.5.1. Not sure if it yet goes on to Watsons Bay in this photo.

beachcomber australia pellethepoet Thanks for the info everyone, we've updated our records. If it is TINGIRA, it would suggest this photograph was taken fairly early. Looks like we've been finding quite a few of Hood's older photographs lately, which is nice to see.

Interesting to compare with ...

GoogleMapsStreetView

The two-storey building with tiled roof seems out of place in the countryside.

I believe this residence has just this week (late May, 2013) been bought by the Cranbrook School for many millions (three?) for incorporation into the school grounds.