When was the Overland Telegraph Line finished?

22 August 1872
On 22 August 1872 the construction of the Overland Telegraph line between Adelaide and Darwin was completed. It has been described as ‘the greatest engineering feat carried out in nineteenth century Australia’.

Who was responsible for the Overland Telegraph Line?

The Overland Telegraph Line crossed 3200km through mountains, flood plains and desert. It was one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 19th century. The project was given to the South Australian Superintendent of Telegraphs, Charles Todd.

When did telegrams stop in Australia?

The last telegraph message sent exclusively by land line was sent in mid-1963, and the final message using a land line for any section of its passage was sent in 1964.

What is the overland telegraph for kids?

The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was a 3200 km telegraph line that joined Darwin with Port Augusta in South Australia. Completed in 1872 the Overland Telegraph Line allowed fast communication between Australia and the rest of the world. It was one of the great engineering feats of 19th century Australia.

What happened to telegraph lines?

After World War II much new technology became available that radically changed the telegraph industry. Old wire lines were too expensive to maintain and were replaced by coaxial cable and microwave links.

What happened in the overland telegraph line?

The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was a 3,200 km (2,000 mi) telegraph line that connected Darwin with Port Augusta in South Australia. Completed in 1872, the Overland Telegraph Line allowed fast communication between Australia and the rest of the world.

Can telegrams still be sent?

Telegrams can still be sent to and from most countries.

Can you still send a telegram in 2021?

Yes, you can send actually send someone a telegram, that is, a message sent via telegraph lines formerly owned by Western Union. For $18.95, you can send up to 100 words to a friend or a loved one, and it will arrive in a mere two to four business days.

Why did Samuel Morse invent the telegraph?

In 1832, while returning by ship from studying art in Europe, Morse conceived the idea of an electric telegraph as the result of hearing a conversation about the newly discovered electromagnet.

Does the telegraph require electricity?

In the 1830s, the British team of Cooke and Wheatstone developed a telegraph system with five magnetic needles that could be pointed around a panel of letters and numbers by using an electric current. All the system needed was a key, a battery, wire and a line of poles between stations for the wire and a receiver.

How long did it take to build the South Australian telegraph line?

The contract that had been signed by the South Australian Government and the British Australian Telegraph Company allowed just 18 months for the construction of the Line from Adelaide. This would link up with a cable planned to come ashore at Port Darwin in 1872. The line would be built in three sections; southern, central and northern.

Who is the superintendent of Telegraphs in South Australia?

The management of the contract was taken over by South Australia’s Superintendent of Telegraphs, Charles Todd. Todd divided the route for the line into three parts: the southern section from Port Augusta to Oodnadatta, a central section on to Roper River, and the northern section from there to Darwin.

When was the Trans-Continental Telegraph introduced in Australia?

However, after the John McDouall Stuart’s successful return crossing from Adelaide to the Arafura Sea in 1862 the idea of a trans-continental telegraph line was reinvigorated. Individual Australian colonies recognised the economic benefits of hosting an overland telegraph line.