Magnetic observatories, forecasting and reporting: historical note on magnetic observations in the Australian region

Abstract

The Australian region has always played an important role in the study of geomagnetism, due largely to its position in thc southern hemisphere. The earliest recorded magnetic observations in the region were made by European mariners, principally Abel Tasman of the Netherlands (1603??59) and subsequently Jarnes Cook of England (1728?79), for whom a knowledge of the magnetic declination was of great value in navigation. As described hy Day (1966) measurements of magnetic intensity were made south of Hobart by dc Rosscl in 1792 and 1793, and in thc ncw colony of New South Wales some magnetic observations were made at Parramatta in 1823 by Rumker.