Overseer's diary

Diary kept by Walter Rutt, Overseer of the Overland Telegraph Construction Party, Section 1. Volume includes copies of letters sent. 4 Oct. 1871 - 26 Nov. 1872. 1 volume (later reminiscences of 1921 at D 8354 (L))

Walter Rutt was a government engineer who worked under RC Patterson, the superintendent of the Northern Section of the Overland Telegraph Line, from July 1871. His diary records the detailed planning, the hardships and privations when supplies were cut off by floods and late arrival of the supply vessels.

One worker recalls that the men received only two meals a day which consisted of a small bread roll, a little bully beef and rice. Sugar was a luxury doled out twice a week. Food supplies could be augmented with a little hunting (time allowing); lizard seasoned with curry was readily eaten.

One of the greatest engineering feats of 19th century Australia, the Overland Telegraph Line enabled communication between Australia and the rest of the world. In 1870 the South Australian Government authorized construction of the 3,200 kilometre line from Port Adelaide to Darwin (Adelaide to Port Augusta was already completed). Concurrently the British Australian Telegraph Company undertook to lay an undersea cable from Java to Darwin. Charles Todd, South Australian Superintendent of Telegraphs, managed the vast project, which was divided into three parts: northern, central and southern sections.

Steady progress was made in the northern section until November 1870 when the incoming wet season created extreme conditions. Heavy rain brought disease and ruined food supplies. Workers went on strike, the contract was cancelled, and under pressure to complete the project, the South Australian Government placed Robert Patterson in charge. In January 1872 Charles Todd went north as well, to inspect but also ease relationships between exhausted men and their supervisors. The line was finally completed on 22 August 1872.

Walter Rutt was a government engineer who worked under RC Patterson, the superintendent of the Northern Section of the Overland Telegraph Line, from July 1871. His diary records the detailed planning, the hardships and privations when supplies were cut off by floods and late arrival of the supply vessels.

One worker recalls that the men received only two meals a day which consisted of a small bread roll, a little bully beef and rice. Sugar was a luxury doled out twice a week. Food supplies could be augmented with a little hunting (time allowing); lizard seasoned with curry was readily eaten.

One of the greatest engineering feats of 19th century Australia, the Overland Telegraph Line enabled communication between Australia and the rest of the world. In 1870 the South Australian Government authorized construction of the 3,200 kilometre line from Port Adelaide to Darwin (Adelaide to Port Augusta was already completed). Concurrently the British Australian Telegraph Company undertook to lay an undersea cable from Java to Darwin. Charles Todd, South Australian Superintendent of Telegraphs, managed the vast project, which was divided into three parts: northern, central and southern sections.

Steady progress was made in the northern section until November 1870 when the incoming wet season created extreme conditions. Heavy rain brought disease and ruined food supplies. Workers went on strike, the contract was cancelled, and under pressure to complete the project, the South Australian Government placed Robert Patterson in charge. In January 1872 Charles Todd went north as well, to inspect but also ease relationships between exhausted men and their supervisors. The line was finally completed on 22 August 1872.

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