Wireless Hill Park Museum Group

Child Places

• 03828 Village

Statement of Significance

The Wireless Station which was built on the site, the buildings of which remain largely intact today, date practically from the inception of radio communications anywhere in the world. One of the earliest wireless stations in Australia. The technology in 1912 would have been little different from that used by Marconi in 1901. The Station was used continuously from 1912 to 1967 as the main coasta l radio communications centre for the state and additionally from the 1920's as a feeder station for radiograms within Australia, and from 1943 as a secondary station for international messages. It encompasses an era in technology . The phasing out of Applecross coincided with the introduction of world wide communications using satellites. This is not to say that traditional wireless communications have been phased out. Perth's l.T.,C.'s maritime operations centre at Gnangara (call sign VIP) continues to provide a range of vital H.F. and V.H.F. services 24 hours per day. The station was important because of its dominant location and general acceptance as a land mark in the metropolitan area. SCARCITY This would be a practically unique situation in Australia where almost the whole original premises of one of the first wireless stations in Australia exists in practically its pristine state.

Physical Description

Perth Wireless Station was one of the first coastal wireless stations to commence construction and was the fifth to become operational. Along with Pennant Hills it was the most powerful station in Australia. The Applecross station was completed on the 30th September, 1912. The equipment in the station varied over the yea rs to meet the changing demands on the station as well as changes in the technology. The prime purpose of the station was for contact with ships at sea, thus providing some sense of security for the ships, as well as the taking and sending of commercial traffic from shipping. Applecross and Pen nant Hills were also able to contact each other, thus provid ing an emergency link across the continent in the event of other communication links failing. The station commenced operations under the control of the Post Master General 's Department. In 1915 all stations in Australia were taken over by the navy in the interest of national security, passing back to the P.M.G. in 1920. As part of a deal to establish a direct wireless link with Britain, the Commonwealth Government in 1922 handed over the control of all coastal wireless stations in Australia to Amalgamated Wireless Australasia, at the same time taking a 50% equity in the company. A.W.A. were to establish a main link with Britain from a station in the Eastern States and the coastal stations were to act as feeder stations to the main station. A.W.A. remained in control of the stations, including Applecross until the formation of O.T.C. and the handing over of the station in 1947. During the Second World War, Applecross remained under the management and ownership of A.W.A., although perhaps under the ultimate control of the navy. During the war Applecross assumed the role of an intermediate relay station for the Beam System when atmospheric conditions limited the hours when direct contact could be made. A second station was established at Bassendean in 1943 and the operators were shifted there, returning to Applecross in 1946. Applecross remained in use during this period as a transmitting site only. The Perth relay facilities were re-established in 1952 to establish an alternative route to britain during the approaching trough in the sun spot cycle. The operators and receivers were removed from Applecross in 1953 and until its final closure in 1967 Applecross remained as a transmitting station only. Following the closure of the station in 1967 the site was purchased by the City of Melville for use as a public reserve. A prominent feature of the station was the 394 foot high mast erected at the crest of the hill and which dominated the surroundings. Due to the coast of maintenance it was replaced in 1962 BY A 46 metre high mast which was removed in 1967 with the closure of the station. The equipment originally installed in 1912 was a Telefunken crystal receiver and a spark transmitter powered by a diesel driven 500 cycle alternator. While the navy were in control during the First World War they installed a valve receiver and a Poulsen arc transmitter. When A.W.A. assumed control in 1922 a valve transmitter was installed which was subsequently updated in 1927. These transmitters still relied on rotating machinery in the engine house for their source of power. At some stage the rotating machinery was dispensed with and the transmitters operated direct from the mains supply. In 1942 Mr. F. James commenced work with A.W.A. and his first task was connected with the removal of the machinery from the engine house. Little is known about the receivers. A picture of the operators room in 1931shows a receiver with plug in coils on the front panel. By 1934, a switch had apparently been installed to facilitate band changing.

History

Assessment 1992 Construction 1912

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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