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 teaser 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.
$1.10 Overland Telegraph
The stamp takes a graphic approach to depict various elements
relevant to the Overland Telegraph project. There’s a Morse code key,
which represents the fact that the telegraph messages were sent and
received through the electrical wire by Morse code, which is a series of
sounded dots and dashes. These had to be received by Morse code at
each station, carefully written down, then sent in Morse code to the
next station. Although widespread by the 1870s, this was relatively
recent technology. The electric telegraph was invented in 1837 and
International Morse Code only adopted in 1865. The map depicts the
route followed by the Overland Telegraph and the Morse c
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. Royal Australia Mint.
MEDIA RELEASE
The Adelaide Advertiser 18 July 2022
A brief description of the Overalnd Telegraph story followed
by details of the upcoming OT-150 Sysmposium in Adelaide.
R.M. Williams Outback: Magazine: GREAT CONNECTION
Telegram that changed Australia turns 150
Described as the internet of the 19th-century, it's 150 years
ago this month since the telegraph line linked Australia to the
outside world. A Morse Code message bearing the words
"Advance Australia" heralded the completion of the
monumental task on November 20, 1871.The massive
submarine cable that would eventually connect the colony
with Britain was dragged ashore at Darwin by hundreds of
workers 12 days earlier…..
posted 22 Aug 2022, ABC Katherine
Overland Telegraph Line remembered as significant feat with
complex history on 150th anniversary
posted 22 Aug 2022, ABC Katherine
The Overland Telegraph Line revolutionised Australia 150
years ago and broke its extreme isolation
posted 28 June 2022
Australia's undersea telegraph cables listed under the NT
Heritage Act, 150 years on
posted 8 May 2022, ABC Radio Melbourne
Future not dashed for morse code as former postal clerk
helps bring it to a new generation
ABC News Website - Compendium <click> the titles
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.
South Australian Legislative Council - Motion to recognise
the 150th Anniversary of the completion of the O.T. Line
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.
Followed by highlights of the Overland Telgraph Line story
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….
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….
