▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁Services . ▁An ▁out c ry ▁from ▁the ▁public , ▁scientific ▁and ▁amateur ▁communities ▁was ▁helpful ▁in ▁retain ing ▁the ▁observ atory . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁The ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁Vol unte er ▁Group ▁runs ▁the ▁Observ atory ▁under ▁a ▁community ▁partners hip ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Park s ▁and ▁Wild life ▁and ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁Vol unte er ▁Group ▁which ▁was ▁signed ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Cent en ary ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁cent en ary ▁of ▁its ▁foundation , ▁the ▁observ atory ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Conserv ation ▁and ▁Land ▁Management , ▁now ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Park s ▁and ▁Wild life ▁( West ern ▁Australia ). ▁ ▁B ick ley ▁Observ atory ▁her itage ▁listed ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁the ▁B ick ley ▁site ▁was ▁her itage ▁listed , ▁being ▁Australia ' s ▁oldest ▁continu ing ▁operating ▁observ atory ▁and ▁Australia ' s ▁only ▁remaining ▁State ▁Government ▁operated ▁astronom ical ▁observ atory . ▁ ▁Public ation ▁The ▁Western ▁Australian ▁astronom y ▁al man ac ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁by ▁the ▁DE C ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Observ atory ▁expert ise , ▁util ising ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Observ atory ▁to ▁edit ▁and ▁contribute . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁publication ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁al man