Lost Connections

The National Communication Museum will occupy the refurbished 1930s telephone exchange at 375 Burwood Road, Hawthorn

From 21 September 2024, a brand new destination in Hawthorn is gearing up to celebrate both the nostalgia of early communication technology in Australia and beyond, as well as showcase the cutting-edge technologies that will connect us in the future. Through innovative displays, the National Communication Museum (NCM) promises to explore the relationship between humanity and technology, and how technology has shaped us.

The majority of technological forward leaps in communication have tended to be in response to either necessity or a bold demonstration of ability. Indeed, the entire space race of the 1960s can be boiled down to one-up-man-ship, as the US played ‘my rocket is bigger than yours’ with the Soviets. Yet it was this competition that kicked communication technology development into high gear. Until then, household telephones were just starting to become commonplace and mobile communication meant two empty cans and a piece of string.

But the moment Apollo 11 received its revolutionary off-world phone call from Ground Control in 1969, it united humanity unlike any previous event in history. It gratified the human need to feel connected and therefore unified through the images and voices of the astronauts beamed in from 384,400km away. It also marked a giant leap in communication technology from which there would be no going back. Yet since the dawn of civilisation we have been driven to connect over distances greater than our voices can carry and have found many innovative ways to do so.

From the vast geoglyphs of Peru and the chalkhill giants of England; through to the smoke signals of Native Americans and carrier pigeons, the pre-digitised world was abuzz with people utilising ingenious ways to communicate indirectly. While those methods might seem quaint or overly complicated by today’s standards, their strength was in their non-reliance on technology. Post-industrialisation, the world of communication technology was born and through many false starts as well as advancements, we arrived at 'today' - the greatest period of global connectivity in in all human history. The NCM promises to highlight those technological mis-steps and acknowledge their importance on the road to discovery.

The NCM explained, “From abandoned prototypes to once-revolutionary gadgets gathering dust, each artefact tells a story of innovation, resilience and the relentless pursuit of connection.” Telecommunication technology is replaced en-masse every few decades or so as new and better developments occur, meaning the entire 20th century can be viewed as a trial and error period or simply a dry run for the 21st. 

The NCM bills itself as a history of humanity’s desire to meet one another as opposed to merely a collection of oddball, outdated technology, with an updated philosophy aligned with modern thinking on how connectivity has reshaped us as a global society. NCM Co-Chief Executive Officer, Emily Siddons explained, “the NCM is a trip down memory lane for those who remember retro tech like MSN messenger, rotary phones, the talking clock, the iconic burger phone and the first Internet cafes.” She continued, “But it also answers the pressing questions about communication technology today. Things like: How am I tracked and where does my data go? How can I tell real from fake or human from machine? And how far away are we from uploading our consciousness?”

Gone but not forgotten: Pay phones of the past

The NCM’s largely inherited collection has been donated by ex Post Master General Department, Telecom and Telstra employees, all of whom shared a passion for obsolete, but essential in terms of progress, communication technology. Emily revealed, “Visitors can also expect exhibits highlighting everything from Overland Telegraph Line to artificial intelligence, First Nations’ storytelling and the cutting-edge technologies of tomorrow. The space will occupy two levels of dynamic and changing gallery spaces, with a working historical telephone exchange, immersive rooms, interactive experiences, temporary exhibitions and a dedicated Kids Hub.”

The NCM will offer educational programs for schools allowing kids to take a peak into analogue history and see what the future almost was. School holiday programs are due to commence in September with a limited number of bookings accepted for Term 4. General bookings for access will be available closer to the 21 September opening. Public donations to their collection are on pause at present, but will be considered once they are up and running. For further details go to ncm.org.au. 

• NOTICE: The print edition of The Glenferrie Times and the circulated digital copy incorrectly lists the opening date of the NCM as 20 September. The correct date is 21 September. The NCM have updated their website to reflect the correct date.