Overland Telegraph Line

Object Source: C1091 Plan shewing the Adelaide and Port Darwin telegraph line [map]

Date of creation : 1873

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Format : Map, 990 x 500 mm

Colonial Australia was ruled by a 'tyranny of distance', remote from Europe and the affairs of the world until the invention of telegraphy. The first undersea cable to carry this new and rapid means of communication was between Europe and America. Eventually land wires and undersea cables would link the major cities of the world. The major cities of the south-eastern corner of the Australian continent were linked telegraphically by 1860, but overseas news still had to come in by ship. The colonies began to plan for an undersea link from Asia, but where would it come ashore and which colony would win that particular prize of building a telegraph line to link up with it?

Three colonies in particular vied for the prize: South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. South Australia would win the contest through the explorations of John McDouall Stuart across the continent from Adelaide to Van Diemen's Gulf and astute manipulation by the colony's Post Master General, Charles Todd.

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. Despite Stuart's pioneering route, further exploration work would be needed, particularly on the central and northern sections. Work began in June 1870: the northern section would pose the most problems for the construction teams contending with the conditions of the tropical wet season. The central section still remained largely unexplored however, only Stuart having crossed through this section on his explorations. Todd's exploration teams under John Ross and William Whitfield Mills resurveyed the route, discovering the Todd River and and the springs named after Todd's wife Alice, Alice Springs.

Todd was unable to meet the deadline of January 1872 due to the conditions under which his teams worked. The government was saved from paying compensation to the British Australian Telegraph Company because the undersea cable failed and the delay in repairing it allowed Todd to complete the Line. This was finally completed on 22 August 1872. Australia's 'tyranny of distance' was greatly reduced.