Commemorates (Sir ) Charles Todd, Post Master General, Superintendant of Telegraphs and Government Astronomer of South Australia. The monument is near the spot where the final join was made on 22nd August 1872.
The South Australian government, influenced by Charles Todd (later Sir Charles), the Superintendent of Telegraphs, decided to build a line from Port Augusta to Darwin independent of the other colonies, and work began in September 1870. The Overland Telegraph Line was one of the greatest civil engineering feats in the history of Australia.
(Sir) Charles Todd planned, organized and supplied the eternal drive that carried the project through to its successful end. He also sent the first telegraphic message: "We have this day, within two years, completed a line of communications two thousand miles long through the very centre of Australia, until a few years ago a terra incognita believed to be a desert..."
Front Inscription:
THE OVERLAND TELEGRAPH LINE
This column was erected to the memory of SIR CHARLES TODD KCMG, MA, FRS, FRAS, FRMS, FSTE. Postmaster General of the Province of South Australia. His gallant construction teams, operators and linemen under RC Patterson, AT Woods, WH Abbott, BH Babbage, RC Burton, W Harvey, RR Knuckey, GG MacLaughlan, GR McMinn, W McMinn, WW Mills, AJ Mitchell, R Rutt and explorer John Ross.
The Northern and Southern parts of this epic overland telegraph line were finally joined about one mile west of this spot by RC Patterson engineer at 3.15 PM on Thursday 22 August 1872. Thus making possible for the first time instantaneous telegraph communications between Australia and Great Britain. FINIS CORONAT OPUS.
This memorial was constructed and erected by the Line Training School PMG Department South Australia.
Another great piece of Aussie engineering, please respect this historical site.
Enjoy, OFH.