Radio National’s Conversations With Richard Fiedler
Construction of Australia's Overland Telegraph Line in
1872 was as significant as the arrival of the internet. It
was the most important infrastructure project of the
19th century, but the story remains largely untold.
Richard Fiedler interviews author and OT-150 Committee
member Derek Pugh about the construction of the
Overland Telegraph Line
7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm
150 years ago, a work gang, under the direction of the
legendary Charles Todd, was hacking its way north in a
bid to complete the Adelaide to Darwin telegraph line.
Now, with the state's History Festival approaching, we're
being urged to embrace the story of one of Australia’s
engineering marvels and the man behind it.
The Australian: Revolution That Started a
Conversation
James and Mark Todd, great great grandsons of Sir Charles
Todd, the architect of the Overland Telegraph Line visit the
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Museum. They reflect on
the importance of the Overland Line at the time is was
bulit in the late 1870’s and also its meaning to modern day
Australia.
R.M. Williams Outback: Magazine: Great Connection
It’s 150 years since the completion of the Overland
Telegraph Line which connected the north and south of
the country, and then Australia to the rest of the world.
A challenging feat, one that changed Australia.
STORY KERRY SHARP
A Radio National Science Show special program
A wire around the world; how something that preceded
the internet almost 150 years ago changed Australia
completely. “With me is Julian Todd. Would you please
introduce yourself and say what you have to do with Sir
Charles Todd, the father of the wire around the world.”
Robyn Williams
Twenty to the Mile video by Exposure Productions
Construction of Australia's Overland Telegraph Line in
1872 was as significant as the arrival of the internet. It
was the most important infrastructure project of the
19th century, but the story remains largely untold.
150th anniversary of Australian Overland Telegraph Line -
$1 Uncirculated Coin 2022
Life in Australia changed forever when Sir Charles Todd’s
Overland Telegraph Line opened. An extraordinary
engineering feat, the line stretched 2,839 km from Port
Augusta to Darwin through the dry Australian outback, on
36,000 poles.
This 2022 $1 Uncirculated Coin commemorates the 1872
opening of the line and Australia’s historic telegraphic
connection with the rest of the world.
Institute of Engineering and Technology (International)
An article about the construction of the Overland Telegraph
printed in the Journal of the international Institute of
Engineering and Technology. It was authored by Charles
Todd’s great grandson, Stephen Gillam-Smith in London.
R.M. Williams Outback: Magazine: GREAT
CONNECTION
On August 22, 1872, new 3,000 km of new cable strung
between 36,000 polls crossing Australia's desolate
interior, leading technician John Patterson fused the
cable ends on the last poll at Frew Ponds 660 kilometres
South of Darwin., then smashed a whiskey bottle at its
base to toast the completion of the Adelaide to Darwin
Overland Telegraph Line. At the same site of 21st2
August this year, 15-year-Old Harry PUGH re-enacted the
triumphant gesture, smashing a bottle full of tea to mark
the 150 years since this nation building engineering feat
conceived and overseen by SA postmaster-general and
superintendant of telegraphs, Charles Todd….
The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (15:46): I move: That this council
1. Recognises 15 November 2022 as the 150th anniversary of
the state celebration of the completion of the Overland
Telegraph Line;
2. Acknowledges the important social, technological and
economic contribution the creator of the Overland
Telegraph Line, Sir Charles Todd and his team, have made
connecting South Australia to the rest of the world through
the creation of the Overland Telegraph Line;
3. Acknowledges that there is an important First Nations story
to be told that will better enrich our understanding of the
significant part of Australia's history; and
4. Recognises our great state's pioneering history in bold
investments, from the Overland Telegraph Line, the world's
first big battery, to our future green hydrogen industry.
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SA & NT Morsecodians - Overland Telegraph Celebration
Adelaide and Historic Telegraph Station Alice Springs
Report by By Laurie Wallace, President, SA & NT
Morsecodians Fraternity on the activities of the
organisation during the Sesquicentennial of the Overland
Telegraph in 2022. From 15 August to 28 August the SA &
NT they took part in keynote functions and events in both
Adelaide and Alice Springs. The members involved were
Laurie Wallace, President, 96 years, Graham Borlace, 84
years, Denis Hughes, 89 years and Barrie Barnes, 85 years.
Working closely with them were Public Relations Officers
Patricia Watkins and Dianne Borlace.
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