theodolite

Lovely scan, so much detail: the birdcage, the recently washed and neatly lined up tin mugs and plates, the fine bark hut, the camp oven, the billies, the wash dishes... Machattie Park in Bathurst was named for Dr Richard Machattie. www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDe...

Merryjack Plenty of fire wood and that large camp oven appears to be adjacent to a fire pit. Is that a big pumpkin on the right with a smaller one on top? I suspect Beaufoy Merlin arranged the objects in the foreground to add interest to the photo.

Merryjack I agree, although a poor attempt arranging the items when just moving the camera forward a bit would have solved the empty space problem and provided a closer detail of the subjects.

Thanks for all the extra information - there's a wealth of detail in these negatives. The clarity and focal depth early cameras like this one was very good especially on the larger plates like this 10 in. x 12 in one. But the exposure times were another matter as you can see with the trees and the tent flap.

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!

Thank you for the readable name tag, SDASM.

I don't know what manufacturer makes this theodolite. It might be a Zeiss? If you know, please add a tag.

Which Q. A. lab this guy works in is unclear. There are some Saltarellis in Tustin city government. There are two in the San Diego phone book but no Phillip.