Queensland Telecommunications Museum
The Largest Collection of Telecommunication Memorabilia in Queensland.

Milestones.

New Open Hours on Trial


We will be opening on

Saturdays starting from Saturday the 24th June.

9:30am till 2:30pm

Excluding weekends where major events are held
such as Voting Days, Sport Grand Final Days.
 



Queensland Telecommunications Museum
Queensland Telecommunications Museum-milestone.jpg

HISTORY OF TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS IN QUEENSLAND

1861 First telegraph line in Queensland opened between Brisbane and Ipswich and later in year extended to meet Sydney line.
1878 First experiments with telephone conducted in Brisbane on Saturday 26 January. Later in year first successful telephone call made to Ipswich.
1880 First Govt. owned telephone exchange in Australia cut over in Brisbane on 8th October on ground floor at G.P.O.
1882 First country exchange was opened at Maryborough with 32 subscribers.
1885 Over 300 subscriber's services were connected to the Brisbane exchange.
1886 Bundaberg exchange opened.
1887 Coastal Telegraph Line completed in August between Thursday Island and Brisbane.
1888 The first public telephone office was opened at the Brisbane Post Office followed by others at South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley.
1889 A new multiple switch board was installed at Central and cut over in 1890.
1891 Charters Towers exchange opened.
1893 First section of the Pacific cable from Burnett Heads to new Caledonia.
1894 Telegraph station at Paterson moved to Peak Point now known as Cape York.
1895 The Govt decided to obtain the services of an Electrical Engineer from abroad.
1896 During the year ended 30 June the number of subscribers on Central Exchange reached 600 and the number of calls averaged 6500 daily.
1897 The first trunk line was put into operation between Townsville and Charters Towers.
1898 A Brisbane - Ipswich line was opened and proved successful. The same year saw the opening of telephone station on the "Phonopore System"
1900 Inauguration of the Postmaster Generals Department (PMG)
1901 The telephone system was vested in the Federal Government. Federation was here.
1902 Pacific telegraph submarine cable laid from Vancouver to Southport.
1907 New regulations were introduced which gave existing subscribers the choice of remaining under the old system or transferring to the measured rate system.
1910 Professor Alexander Graham Bell made a visit to Brisbane and the central exchange whilst the installation of a new C.B. Exchange was in progress.
1912 Transfer of last subscriber from magneto exchange to new C.B. exchange Brisbane.
1923 First interstate trunk line was brought into service from Brisbane to Sydney.
1925 The first automatic telephone exchange in Queensland established in South Brisbane.
1927 Three dial circuits from Ipswich and one each from Toowoomba and Southport were provided to Albion, Newmarket and Sth. Brisbane Automatic Exchanges.
1928 The first carrier wave telephone system was introduced into Queensland when a 3 channel system was installed between Brisbane and Sydney.
1929 In November Brisbane Central Exchange became automatic.
1932 First Queensland country automatic exchange opened at Cairns.
1940 The installation of an automatic exchange at Rockhampton was completed.
1946 A 12 channel carrier system was installed between Brisbane and Sydney, the first of that type in Queensland.
1949 100,000 telephone subscribers in Qld. The first radio trunk line in Qld between Redland Bay and Russell Island.
1951 The Townsville exchange was converted to automatic working during March.
1952 Teletype (USA) introduced into Queensland replacing Morse code.
1955 Telex introduced into Queensland for business use.
1959 First point to point STD from Redcliffe to Brisbane and Southport to Brisbane.
1959 Television introduced into Queensland.
1960 First speaking clock system in Brisbane. Intro of the Extended Local Service area (E.L.S.A.) in Brisbane Area. First crossbar exchange installed at Toowoomba.
1962 200,000 telephone subscribers in Queensland.
1963 First broadband bearer system in Queensland. Brisbane to Tweed Heads section of the Brisbane to Lismore Coaxial cable.
1966 Completion of Brisbane to Cairns microwave radio line (Seacom). First single SSB HF radio system Cairns to Weipa.
1968 Cutover of the Brisbane ARM (Crossbar) - STD trunk exchange. 1974 400,001 telephone subscribers in Queensland.
1970 Coolangatta C.B. exchange converted to automatic allowing Gold Coast to receive automatic service.
1972 Remote control TV transmitter station constructed on Mt Bellenden Ker to provide service to Far North Queensland.
1972 Centenery of opening of Overland Telegraph, Adelaide to Darwin.
1974 Completion of Townsville, Mt Isa and Darwin microwave radio system. STD introduced to Darwin. 400,001 telephone subscribers in Queensland.
1975 Commencement of installation of first 10c computer controlled trunk exchange as Woolloongabba. First radio concentrator at Isaac River.
1978 Telefinder service introduced to Brisbane and Gold Coast
1979 Telephone and telex calls transmitted by "Hermes" satelite in demonstrations at Longreach, Emerald and Yeppoon.


 
This Page last updated on 19th of March 2020

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