[1] The original Perth Observatory was constructed in 1896 and was officially opened in 1900 by John Forrest, the first premier of Western Australia.

[2] William Ernest Cooke was appointed the first Western Australian Government Astronomer in 1896 after a similar posting at the Adelaide Observatory.

...A glance from the tower, from which a wonderful panorama of Perth may be obtained, shows that no growth of the city can ever adversely affect observing conditions[3]In 1920 and 1921 Curlewis was involved with the Government Astronomer of South Australia, Dodwell, in determinations to fix positions for marking of the West Australian border on the ground with the South Australian border at Deakin, Western Australia.

They used the relatively new technology of the day, wireless radio time signals, and other methods to fix a position for the Northern Territory border with Western Australia.

Spigl, who was from a surveying background, progressed rebuilding a post war ravaged Observatory by rejuvenating the time service, seismology services, completing the Astrographic Catalogues, became involved in the International Geophysical Year by installing a Markowitz Moon camera and restarted the publications for the Royal Astronomical Society.

Spigl was actively searching for a new site for the Perth Observatory as a result of the decision for it to be relocated as an outcome of the implementation of the 1955 Stephenson-Hepburn Report.

In 1970 Harris was successful in forming a dedicated Perth Observatory Meridian section to assist the German expedition in their work.

After the German expedition left over the 1971/72 Christmas/New Year period, Harris successfully negotiated the loan of the Hamburg telescope indefinitely and obtained funding from the Government of Western Australia to increase the Meridian staff numbers.

The program was designed to collect 35-mm format photographic data on the atmospheric and surface features of Solar System planets, mostly Mars, Jupiter and Venus; Harris was to be a regular observer outside his normal daytime Government Astronomer role.

Harris also continued time and tide services for Western Australia, however as had been the case in 1908 for Meteorology, the move saw seismic monitoring activities being relocated to Mundaring under the Commonwealth Government control.

Like his predecessor, he died at an early age, 49, but had raised the standing of the Perth Observatory to a well respected scientific institution within Australia and internationally.

In 1971, with funding by the Government of Western Australia and negotiations for the loan of the Hamburg telescope, Nikoloff was placed in charge of the newly formed Perth Observatory Meridian Section.

In 1969 Candy was offered the position of Director of the British Astronomical Association, however declined due to his plans to emigrate to Australia that year.

His numerical prowess, gained during his time at HM Nautical Almanac Office, was to be a great asset in the astrometric programs of the Perth Observatory, as was his interest in comets.

Not content with this, Candy introduced new photographic glass plate processing practices to increase the limiting magnitude of objects achievable at that time from 14th to 19th.

The new processes were to see the recovery of five comets and the positioning of the Observatory to 2nd place between 1973 and 1977 and 4th between 1978 and 1984, resulting in him being awarded the prestigious Merlin Medal of the British Astronomical Association in 1975.

Under his direction the Perth Observatory discovered over 100 new asteroids as well as contributing a significant number of observations to the Minor Planet Center.

He continued the first publication of the Perth Observatory on comet and minor positions, commenced by Mr B Harris, with Communication No.

At the same time became a working member of International Astronomical Union Commission 20 until 1988 – Positions and Motions of Minor Planets, Satellites and Comets.

[6] After Dr J D Biggs resigned, Ralph Martin acted in the Directors position until on 22 January 2013 the WA Government announced that all research programs would be cut and the Observatory would only be open for tours.

After nearly being closed by the State Government, the Observatory was moved to its current site at Bickley near Mount Gungin in the Darling Range.