Ellery and Neumayer (continued)

Neumayer took a very active part in the scientific life of Melbourne and published a number of papers in the transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria. Neumayer left Victoria in 1863 and with the formation of the German empire was appointed as the first hydrographer of the German Naval Observatory in 1874, which post he retained until 1903 when he retired at the age of 78.

The parallels between Maury, FitzRoy, Todd and Neumayer are inescapable. Like FitzRoy and Maury, Neumayer was a seaman although his career was in reverse order to that of FitzRoy and Maury. They were seamen who became scientists. Neumayer was a scientist who became a seaman. Like Todd, Neumayer had an indefatigable energy which left a permanent mark on Australian meteorology and like Todd he enjoyed a vigorous life to a ripe old age.

With Neumayer's departure Ellery took over the post of Government Astronomer. Ellery maintained and increased the network of stations established by Neumayer and commenced collecting observations by telegraph and preparing daily weather charts, one of the earliest being that appearing in the Argus in 1881, along with regular forecasts.

Ellery retired in 1895 and was succeeded by P. Baracchi who continued the issue of regular synoptic charts and forecasts.

Bureau of Meteorology