Item 9256

SEACOM

About this Collection

ITEM 9256_APO SEACOM 1965 Displays + SEACOM Equipment

Item 9256 is a collection of 42 black and white photographs contained in a brown 300mm x 254mm “COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA – POST-MASTER GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT” with “O.H.M.S.” shown in the top left corner.

 The envelope has no address, but hand written comments in black felt pen on the front says “DISPLAYS    MW     BE-CNS Micro-wave Route” and “SEACOM: Brisbane Display 1965, MW Equip, Mackay Display 1965, Cairns Display 1965”.

The contents include photographs of

      • APO SEACOM Display – 6th QLD Industries Fair – Brisbane – May 1965 – Neg No. Q3793. These 19 photos are catalogued as Item 9256.1 to 9256.19
      • APO SEACOM Display – Mackay Industries Fair – September 1965 – Neg No. Q6760. These 4 photos are catalogued as Item 9256.20 to 9256.23
      • APO SEACOM Display – Cairns 1965 – Photographs are stamped “John H Desch Studio, Shields St Cairns” and these 5 photos are catalogued as Item 9256.24 to 9256.28
      • And 15 photos of Micro-wave transmission equipment at unnamed SEACOM sites, including Neg No Q3574 and Neg No Q3916, and several un-numbered photographs. These are catalogued as Item 9256.29 to 9256.43
      • 1x POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT envelope labled “Rockhampton M W Towers” containing 3 photographic negatives.
      • 1x Australia Post envelope labled “Cairns Microwave Tower, Hartley St, Cairns 1966” containing 2 photographic negatives.
      • 1x Australia Post envelope labled “Townsville Microwave Tower, near Castle Hill, Mt Stuart National TV Transmitter” containing 1 photographic negative.

The Neg No’s on the back of the photos are shown on the stamp “P.M.G.’s Department, Engineering Division, Brisbane. Drafting Section Photograph”

There are also 31 duplicate photographs in the envelope.

 

NOTE:

SEACOM:

The name given to a microwave system to carry telephony traffic and TV between Brisbane and Cairns in Queensland, Australia.

“Early work on the project involved experts in many fields, working together to develop a definite plan in a short time. Post Office radio engineers selected the best radio route. The purchase of sites and the surveys for the access roads were arranged by the department of the Interior. Architects and civil engineers of the Commonwealth Department of Works, assisted by consulting engineers, designed the roads and buildings, and supervised their construction. Private Industry provided the men, materials, and machines in this vast undertaking.”

The SEACOM microwave system consisted of 29 intermediate repeater stations located on high ground along the coast of Queensland, between Brisbane and Cairns. Completed in 1966, it carried the Australian Post Office telephone and telegraph traffic, and provided for television programme relay north from Brisbane.

Australian Post Office (APO) SEACOM Display – 6th QLD Industries Fair – Brisbane – May 1965

Each photograph shows a “Section of the Australian Post Office display at the Sixth Queensland Industries Fair, Brisbane, from 30th April to 15th May, 1965, inclusive, which featured the Brisbane/Cairns microwave radio route.

The display included a tribute to early inventors in the communications field leading to modern day achievements in television, teleprinters, (Tress and Telex) automatic telephone exchanges and transistorised microwave radio equipment. One of the main features was a 16ft. (4.88m) long model depicting a typical cross section of the country over which the radio route travelled. The display was designed and constructed by officers of the Post Office in Queensland.”

APO SEACOM Display – Mackay Industries Fair – September 1965

“POST OFFICE EXHIBIT – Mackay Industries Fair

Display on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th September, 1965. (evenings only).  Showgrounds stand at Mackay.

3,500 visitors to this Brisbane – Cairns Broadband microwave radio route display.”

APO SEACOM Display – Cairns 1965

Photographs are stamped on the rear “John H Desch Studio, Shields St Cairns”. Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 are in pencil. There are no other details given.

 

Lyndley Northcott    November 2021.