Conference Paper

Author

Atkinson, Ian R

Title

Linking the Nation - the Victoria-Tasmania Submarine Telephone Cable 1936

In

Eleventh National Conference on Engineering Heritage: Federation Engineering a Nation; Proceedings

Imprint

Institution of Engineers, Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2001, pp. 163-169

ISBN/ISSN

1740922155

Url

https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.520846852793630

Abstract

Following British settlement in N.S.W. in 1788, Tasmania was the second Australian colony, founded in 1803. All communication between Tasmania and mainland Australia, and the world, was by sea transport of mail and official documents. In 1859, the first (short-lived) electric telegraph cable was laid under Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria. However, it was not until January 1936 that the first voice telephony service became available to Tasmanians over a submarine cable provided for that purpose. This paper surveys the history of electrical/electronic communications between Tasmania and mainland Australia, with particular reference to the 1936 cable. The social and political environment, within which engineers brought about this significant achievement, is outlined.

Related Published resources

isPartOf

• Eleventh National Conference on Engineering Heritage: Federation Engineering a Nation; Proceedings edited by Baker, Keith (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2001), 262 pp, https://search.informit.org/doi/book/10.3316/informit.1740922155. Details