Astronomer Professor Georg von Nuemayer's 1860s South Yarra home listing
The former observatory home of Professor Georg von Nuemayer - a noted astronomer and polar explorer - has been listed for sale in South Yarra.
He undertook major astronomical work from the basement in the Domain Road property during his residency in the 1860s.
Historic sketches of the pendulum room where the work was conducted (such as the one below) appear in then contemporaneous publications.
Source: Royal Society of Victoria
Located on a corner block, the 203 square metre property is set on one of Kings Domain's finest streets.
The four bedroom home has several living areas plus terrace courtyard and double garage.
The 119 Domain Road, South Yarra property has been listed by Kay & Burton agents Gowan Stubbings and Emma Bloom who expect between $2.75 million and $3 million at its April 5 auction.
Von Nuemayer, who lived between 1826 and 1909, was the director of the Flagstaff Observatory, and former member, councillor, Vice President and honorary life member of the Royal Society of Victoria.
There now sits a plaque on the property commemorating the significance of the home set on the Hope Street corner, formerly known as Montpelier Terrace/Place.
Born in Palatinate, Germany Neumayer was education in Munich, becoming interested in polar exploration, terrestrial magnetism, oceanography, navigation, and nautical astronomy. After he made a voyage to South America, he arrived at Sydney in 1852. After trying his fortune on the goldfields, Neumayer gave lectures on navigation to seamen, and then spent time in Tasmania at the observatory.
After he arrived in Melbourne in January 1857, he secured government funding for an interim observatory, with the instruments provided by the King of Bavaria, at what is now Flagstaff Gardens. The Botanic Gardens observatory opened in 1862.
Von Neumayer was a member of the exploration committee of the Royal Society which organised the 1860 Burke & Wills Expedition joining it between Swan Hill and Bilbarka. The South Yarra property was his residence around 1863 and 1864.
In 1895, von Neumayer had established the German Commission for South Polar Exploration, which culminated in the 1901 so-called Gauss expedition.
Neumayer died in 1909 in Germany, his name given to the German Polar Research Station in Antarctica, "Neumayer Station".
The front two rooms and the hall on ground floor and first floor, basement and attic room have been assessed as original dating back to its 1850's construction. One of the first residents was John Moore from the Tasmanian Fire Insurance company.