Sydney Observatory stands on Observatory Hill in Millers Point, Sydney. It was built between 1857 and 1859 to plans by William Weaver, with Alexander Dawson supervising. Governor Denison initiated the project. The time ball was first dropped on June 5, 1858. The two-story sandstone building is in the Florentine Renaissance style with an Italianate character.
It has two telescope domes on octagonal bases and a four-story time-ball tower. A historic 11-inch (29-centimeter) refractor from 1874 is the oldest telescope in regular use in Australia. The time ball still drops daily at 1 pm.
The site became a museum of astronomy in the 1980s, and the East Dome opened on January 27, 2015. That addition won the National Trust's Heritage Award for Adaptive Reuse. Visitors can see the sky through telescopes in the evening and attend exhibitions and education programs.
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