Pacific Cable Station
The Pacific Cable Station was built in 1902 in Southport, Queensland, Australia. It continued to operate until the 1960's. It has been listed in the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register.
Current Use
History
In 1870's a proposal was put forward to lay a submarine cable between North America and Australia. 1879 Sir Stanford Fleming, chief engineer of G.P.R. suggested the trans Pacific Cable was linked to the railway system across Canada to bring Britian into contact directly with the greater colonies. Discussion ensured at a Colonial and Telegraphic Conference. Approval was given at the Postal and Telegraphic Conference held in Brisbane in 1893. The Pacific Cable Committee was formed in 1896 with representatives from Britian, Canada and Australia. A survey of the route from Vancouver began in 1899. The Imperial Court passed the Pacific Cable Act in 1902 authorizing the constuction of the Cable link between Australia, New Zealand, to the United Kingdom via Canada.
The Cable ship "Colonia" was built for the project at a cost of 1 million pounds sterling. They began laying cable from Bamfield, Vancouver Island, Canada , to Fanning Island, Suva, Norfolk Island and Southport, Queensland, Australia. The Cable Station landfall was at Main Beach , Cable Street passing under the river to the station at Bauer St, Southport. In October 1902 the cable was completed costing 2 million pounds sterling. The first message was sent on the 31st October and opened for the public on the 7th December 1902.
The Cable Station was in operation for sixty years, finally closing in 1962. There was only one serious interuption to the service during World War I, in 1914 when the "Nurnberg" a German Crusier cut the cable at Fanning Island. During World War II, following the raid on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese in December 1941, the Australian Authorites aware of the importance of the Cable as the only link Australia had with the United Kingdom other than the Overland Telegraph and Middle East Route, straddling potentially hostile countries and aware of the possibility of enemy action, it declared that schools in The Southport area should not open at the beginning of 1942. Some schools were evacuated to country areas. Following success in the Battle of the Coral Sea, it was felt this part of the country was safe from invasion.
In 1964 the property was sold to the de la Salle Brothers. Some of the equipment was used by The University of Newcastle-on-Tyne, The Royal Society, R.A.N. and C.I.S.R.O. When the brothers decided to redevelop the area they offered two of the buildings to The Southport School. There was a long association between the school and the Cable Station. Mr C.E. Goff was in charge of the Cable Station trainees, and Mr T.C. Judd an early superintendent encouraged sporting contests between the school and the Cable Station. The major prize for Senior Mathematics was named the Goff Prize in honour and recognition of C.E.Goff. The buildings were divided into 12 sections and moved to The Southport School. Mr Ron Burling the school Architect re-erected the buildings. The building was reopened at The Southport School on the 12th September 1982. The National Trust listed the building because of it's historical and architectural significance. In 1983 The Southport School was awarded the John Herbert Award for the relocation and sympathetic restoration of these historic buildings.
History. Notes taken from Mr Frank Surman April 1997. David Anderson, from A.B.C. Rockhampton taped Mr Surman's account to broadcast on 29th April 1997.