I Confused by this armillary sphere in Australia

[swampwiz]

I presume that the sphere is pointing at the declination of -90, and that the descriptions "torrid" & "temperate" correspond to tropic & non-tropic, respectively; as such, it seems that these descriptions are on the wrong sides.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_solstice#/media/File:Longreach_at_Midday_of_Summer_solstice.jpg

 

[Baluncore]

You are correct. They have made a muddle of the orientation.
The axial arrow should dip north at 23.5 deg, with most of the sphere on the lower, (equator), end of the axis. Then the torrid zone will be down axis, with temperate up axis to the south.

 

[Baluncore]

If you look here, you will see a different perspective.
https://foursquare.com/v/tropic-of-...254d8457?openPhotoId=52647444498e6bff66ac585e

 

[swampwiz]

If you look here, you will see a different perspective.
https://foursquare.com/v/tropic-of-...254d8457?openPhotoId=52647444498e6bff66ac585e

Of course, "torrid" is in blue, while "temperate" is in red, which is the opposite of the standard idiom of hot=red, cold=blue. Of course, those of us that have deep understanding of physics (especially astrophysicists) would say that hot=blue, cold=red.

 

[Baluncore]

Of course, "torrid" is in blue, while "temperate" is in red, which is the opposite of the standard idiom of hot=red, cold=blue.

But their tropical sphere is painted red, so they reversed the convention when printing the torrid sign.