One of the most iconic ruins of the 2003 Canberra bushfires, the Mount Stromlo Observatory Director’s Residence, is now open to the public following a major restoration project after being closed for 12 years.
The January 2003 bushfires destroyed the Residence along with five telescopes, workshops and several other major buildings at Mount Stromlo, which overlooks Canberra.
The façade of the Residence has been restored to its original 1920s condition while the interior, which remains in its post-fire state, features some 21st century additions, with a series of state of the art audio-visual installations examining the history of Mount Stromlo.
The building forms part of the Mount Stromlo Interactive Heritage Trail walking tour which features a downloadable app incorporating augmented reality to showcase the history and scientific achievements of the mountain campus.
The revival of this significant historic building, combined with the Heritage Trail, site tours, public astronomy evenings and the natural beauty of the mountain and its views, provides people with plenty of reasons to visit Mount Stromlo.
Funding for the Residence and the Heritage Trail was made possible with the assistance of the Australian Government’s Your Community Heritage Grants Programme.
