Charles Todd’s Magnificent Obsession: The Epic Race to Connect Australia to the World

Before the NBN, before the Snowy River Scheme, the greatest infrastructure achievement in Australian history was the completion of the Overland Telegraph. Its singing wires traversed the continent north to south, including desert landscapes not previously trodden by white men, under an onerous contract that demanded its 3000 kilometres would be completed in eighteen months.

This is the definitive account of the construction of the Overland Telegraph, which followed the rough maps that Stuart had brought back from his final expedition and eight years later rammed telegraph poles into the inhospitable terrain he had encountered, so as to link Australia for the first time with the outside world via an underwater cable to Singapore. Creating the Overseas Telegraph was the obsession of Adelaide’s Chief Telegraphist, Charles Todd, and his triumph over not only his rivals but the unforgiving geography is a totally compelling yarn. There’s tragedy, violence and heroism, laced with crocodiles, mysterious illnesses, floods and drought. Drawing on original letters and journals, David Dufty has uncovered never before published details about the project.

It was the greatest feat of engineering in 19th century Australia, one that very nearly collapsed in the face of immense challenges, and an epic race against time.

David Dufty is an historian and researcher. He is the author of The Secret Code Breakers of Central Bureau, winner of the 2017 Nib Military History Prize, and of Radio Girl, the story of a pioneering engineer and wartime legend.