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Exploring Melbourne's computing history

22 October 2008

The tour will visit the Melbourne Observatory, which had an early model computer.

The Caulfield School of Information Technology is holding a computing history tour of Melbourne on Sunday 9 November, 2008.

The tour will begin at the Monash Museum of Computing History at the Caulfield campus, which houses the University's first computer.

During the day participants will discover a connection between St Paul's Cathedral and 19th century computing pioneer Charles Babbage, who designed and partly built a steam-driven computer.

The tour will also visit the Melbourne Observatory's "computer room" that housed people rather than machines. Their task was to undertake astronomical calculations and take measurements of the night sky.

After a few more stops, the tour will finish at the Melbourne Museum where participants will view the first computer in Australia (and fourth in the world).

Head of the Caulfield School of IT Associate Professor Graham Farr said Melbourne had several remarkable links to the earliest days of computers.

"This tour is a chance to explore another dimension of Melbourne's history and to better understand how computers have changed science, engineering and society," Professor Farr said.

To join the free tour, which commences at 9 am, email Associate Professor Farr Graham.Farr@infotech.monash.edu.au.

Costs on the day will include food and drink and a Zone 1 tram ticket.

For more information visit the Computing Tour website.