Monthly Archive for June, 2009

Bombo Metal Quarries, Kiama, originally uploaded by Powerhouse Museum Collection.

By 1880 roads, tramways and railways were expanding in and around Sydney. This created demand for large amounts of crushed hard rock. Most of the rock came from basalt quarries at Kiama. It was crushed using steam power, and then carried by horse, cart and rail to boats waiting in the harbour.

Although Kiama is 120km south of Sydney, it falls well within the ecological footprint of the larger city. Like most metropolises, Sydney consumes resources from an area many times its own size.

Photography by Charles Kerry Studio.
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Post by Sandra McEwen, Principal Curator

Starting in the 1890s Russell began taking detailed photographs of the moon and meteorological events which occurred in Sydney. This photograph is one of a series illustrating storm cloud formations which Russell took from the Sydney Observatory.

The early photographic emulsions were more sensitive to blue light and this made it difficult to record sky and land features at the same time. This in part accounts for the dark area at the base of the photograph but it remains a significant illustration of the importance of Russell’s meteorological work in the 1890s.

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Post by Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator

Nineteenth century studio portraits such as this one of Madame Juliette Henry often depicted people with props to indicate their profession or social status. The scroll held by Mme Henry is likely to be an allusion to her role as founder of the Cercle Litteraire Française, (French Literary Circle), a group dedicated to the study of French literature and culture which convened at Tattersall’s chambers in Hunter Street, Sydney. Before founding the Cercle, Mme Henry was listed in the Sand’s directory variously as a teacher of French, a professor of languages and an artist.

Madame Henry was the wife of the French Australian artist, Lucien Henry. Both were deported to New Caledonia following their involvement in 1871 Paris Commune. They later settled in Sydney where Lucien Henry became an influential artist and teacher. This photograph was taken some time between 1890, when the photographer, Charles Kerry, received Vice-Regal patronage, (as indicated on the photograph’s mount), and Madame Henry’s death in 1898.

The Powerhouse Museum holds the largest collection of Lucien Henry’s work and in 2001 held an exhibition entitled, Visions of a Republic: the work of Lucien Henry. Paris, Noumea, Sydney.

Photography by Charles Kerry studio.
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Post by Kathy Hackett, Photo Librarian

Watering stock, Kosciusko, originally uploaded by Powerhouse Museum Collection.

Farmers and drovers took sheep and cattle to graze in the high country every summer from 1830 to 1969. Pastures were burned to produce fresh and green growth. Animals selectively ate soft plants between tough tussock grasses, leaving large areas of soil exposed to wind and rain. It caused soil erosion and habitat destruction.

In 1943 state governments introduced snow leases to restrict grazing seasons. Kosiusco State Park (now Kosciuszko National Park) was established in 1944 and grazing stopped completely in 1969. The focus then turned to tourism and preservation of biodiversity.

Photography by Charles Kerry Studio.
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Post by Sandra McEwen, Principal Curator

James Oddie came to Victoria in 1849. There he set up a small foundry in Geelong before eventually trying his hand on the goldfields in Ballarat. But it was as a businessman rather than a miner that he eventually made his name. After setting up both shops and a bank he was elected Ballarat’s first Mayor.

A confirmed Wesleyan, Oddie’s strong moral sensibility led him to work tirelessly to help others. Impressed with the popularity of the local astronomy courses he funded a private observatory for the people of Ballarat. This piece of philanthropy cost Oddie 4000 pounds by the time it was completed in 1886.

A 9-inch equatorial telescope, made by Howard Grubb, was purchased for this observatory in 1888. Although a high quality instrument it was not used very much while at Ballarat and in 1910, was eventually offered to the Commonwealth Government. This telescope, along with a 26-inch reflecting telescope, was accepted and became the central pieces of the new Solar Observatory set up at Mount Stromlo.

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Post by Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator