Illustration of the Culgoora Radioheliograph in the 1976 booklet commemorating CSIRO's 50th year.

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is celebrating its centenary this year.  Established as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1926, it was constitued as a statutory authority in 1949 and renamed the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). In 1976, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, CSIRO published a booklet titled Surprise and Enterprise, celebrating CSIRO’s achievements across all Divisions. The Division of Radiophysics highlighted research undertaken with the Culgoora Radioheliograph, with particular credit to the leadership of Joe Pawsey and Paul Wild. The Culgoora Radioheliograph, 20km west of Narrabri was located on the site now used for the Australia Telescope Compact Array — the Paul Wild Observatory.