In an Australian-first, new tourism displays using cutting-edge ‘mist holographic technology’ are now telling the story of the Northern Territory's primary role in one of the 19th century’s great engineering feats.
The Australian Overland Telegraph Line, constructed in the early 1870s between Darwin and Port Augusta, connected Australia to the world.
Tourism Minister Adam Giles said that personal stories behind this epic engineering feat are being told to new audiences through the technology.
“The new hologram displays celebrate our pioneering spirit and bring to life the little-known stories of some of the people who were involved in this significant milestone in Australia's history,” Mr Giles said.
The stories of five people involved in the project are showcased, including Laurence Wallace, a Morsecodian who introduces Morse code, and John McDouall Stuart, an explorer who highlights the challenges of early exploration.
Minister for Arts and Museums Gary Higgins said the holographic displays are located at historically significant sites that show how the Overland Telegraph linked the north with the south.
"The southern site chosen is the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, which is the best preserved relay station in the Territory," Mr Higgins said. "The northern site selected is the Lyons Cottage in Darwin, which was formally the residence of the British Australia Telegraph officials and the only surviving building linked to the Overland Telegraph in Darwin.”
Almost 3000km of galvanised telegraph wire was used for the project, which was overseen by Charles Todd, an astronomer, who was employed as the Superintendent of Telegraphs.
The project’s scale and the harsh, volatile conditions of the arid centre and tropical north, with the variously searing heat, shifting sands, mosquito plagues, lack of water at times, flooding at others, and food supply issues, made the construction of the Overland Telegraph one of the great engineering feats of the nineteenth century.
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Business Manager Justine Petrick said that the innovative technology is popular with visitors and locals, who are able to interact in a tangible way with the displays, as well as benefit from increased awareness of the Territory's engineering history and pioneering achievements.
“People are really engaging with the displays, especially the visiting school students, many of who are coming from interstate,” Ms Petrick said. “The students interact with the displays by blowing on them and walking through the mist and they also enjoy sitting back and listening to the stories of the characters.
What seems like archaic technology now was like the Internet in its day as the Overland Telegraph Line changed the world and it seems fitting that cutting-edge technology that is an Australia-first is now telling the story of the Overland Telegraph’s construction.”
The mist holographic technology devices have been brought in from iO2 technology in the USA for Tourism NT and are currently the only two in Australia.
Described as ‘mid-air projection’, the technology provides the illusion of a holographic image when projected from the rear by using electronics and thermodynamics to create a transparent screen of vapour.
Image: Visitor interacting with the mist holograph of explorer John McDouall Stuart. Courtesy of Tourism NT.