surveyors

This is George Melrose, Surveyor who family historians credit with surveying the engineering masterpiece that is the Zig Zag railway. Which reminds me of what has long been one of my favourite photos - "66. [Steam engine hangs over a cliff: on 4 Apr 1901, no. 2542, then 246 of the B205 class, was heading a goods down the 1 in 42 grade between Clarence and Top Points on the Great Zig Zag above Lithgow when it got out of control, burst through a rocky parapet and stopped 65 m. up]"

Unclaimed remains were relocated to Bunnerong Cemetery, now re-branded Pioneer Memorial Park. From Town Hall to Devonshire Street to Bunnerong - some of the remains probably moved place of burial more often than they moved house when they were alive! Devonshire Street is now the pedestrian underpass that links Elizabeth Street with Railway Square.

pellethepoet Thanks for this info + the link to the George Melrose webpage, we'll update the caption. So glad you included a link to that steam engine from SLNSW - a real cliffhanger, wouldn't you say! Sorry for the delay in responding, sometimes these slip past unseen....but we get to them eventually.

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection I now have my own surveying photo - - but what they're surveying for is anyone's guess!

pellethepoet That's a great find...and a real challenge for our Flickr Brains Trust! Symmetrical positioning of axes is decorative? AB

Surveyors have been around for a very long time if this picture was taken in 1948 and they are still around. They have to do their work in any environment to make sure that the job is done right. It is really cool to see what all they do for us as a community. www.stevepalmersurveys.com.au

Dr. Bradfield, seen here in the centre of the photograph with his profile to the camera, is also seen in a photograph of a more ceremonial mark by the surveyors at Government House assisted by Sir Dudley de Chair on the same day, 17/03/1925:

BobMeade Good spot; you have a good memory! And very thoughtful of Bradfield to wear such a distinctive hat. These two photos are from our SHB set (I will update the caption) and now I'm wondering how many others Dr JJC Bradfield appears in... AB

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection I know those books came to State Records NSW via the Bradfield family in 1968 (series 12685) - and as such it seems likely that Dr. Bradfield had a hand in their composition and compilation. From the blocks of granite quarried at Moruya in 1926 to the first train over the bridge in 1932 He had a way of making sure he was in the picture.

See Baseline B (Conservatorium of Music to Government House) here:

Hi State Records NSW, I've published the above 'Surveyors at work, 1925' picture by you in an article on my blog at the following link: www.roomelegance.com/what-on-earth-is-a-land-survey-and-w... Please visit the article at the link above and see if you like it. Thanks for the nice image. Sandy.

Lantern slides are positive transparent photographs made on glass and viewed with the aid of a "magic lantern", the predecessor of the slide projector. www. nga.gov> online editions

Annette Cadell Thank you Annette for providing this information