Wireless Hill Museum
         Telefunken Drive,
         Ardross
         Western Australia 6153



('mouseover' images to enlarge)
                                                               

The Wireless Hill Museum is situated within Wireless Hill Park in Ardross and hosts regular
exhibitions, educational talks, school holiday activities, and a Museum Learning Program.
The Museum building is located within the old Engine Room of the original Wireless Station
established in 1912.

The Wireless Station was one of Australia�s first links with radio technology,
used for telecommunications during World War 1 and World War 2.
Using Morse Code, the Station communicated with ships off the Australian coast
using a mast that was 120.7 metres (396 feet) tall.
As an untuned λ/4 vertical antenna it would resonate at about 621 KHz.
{ Formula 3 x 10 8 = λ x f }



In 1911 "Wireless Hill" was surveyed by the Federal Government
as a potential site for one of two national wireless stations.
They were to provide for the first time in the nations history,
a direct wireless telegraphy communication across Australia and the world to London.
(orignally known as) Applecross wireless station and Pennant Hills in New South Wales
along with other smaller coastal stations on the eastern seaboard,
formed part of an important link in a network of coastal shipping communication
around the Australian coastline prior to World War 1

The Applecross station contract was awarded to the German company Telefunken & Co.
The original station comprised of an operators building, the engine room
and later around 1915, the store building.
Applecross Wireless Station was operated by the Postmaster General's Department.
Power was supplied by a 50 cycle/sec alternator driven by a 60 HP (45KVA) Gardiner engine.
                                                               

The original wireless equipment consisted of a crystal receiver using local galena ore
and a Telefunken 25 Kw quenched-arc transmitter.
                                                               

During both world wars the station was controlled by the Australian Navy.
It played a very significant role in strategic communications.
The surrounding bush was cleared in World War 1 for security reasons.
In the 1920's the station began transmitting radiograms,
police communication and shortwave signals.
In 1922 operations of the site passed to Amalgamated Wireless Australia.
In 1931/32 the station began commercial radio broadcasting
for local Perth Radio station 6PR using a class B transmitter.
                                                               
In 1947 Wireless Hill Station came under the control of the
Overseas Telecommunications Commission, along with the
telecommunications station at Bassendean and the old cable station at Mosman Park.

By 1958 rapidly evolving communications technology predicted the demise of the station.
However it remained in operation and in 1959 when it was used to transmit
the first television broadcast in Western Australia by TVW Channel 7.
In 1962 the mast, a local landmark, was replaced by a shorter mast of 42 metres (138 feet).

In 1967 the site was re-zoned as an A class reserve and the name changed to Wireless Hill Park.
The station was officially closed by the OTC in 1968.
Then formally vested to the City of Melville in  1969.

Wireless Hill Park is listed as a heritage site of special significance,
and is listed on the Resister of the National Estate. (Heritage council of WA #3518)
Wireless Hill station is the last existing station of its type in Australia
and one of the few remaining in the world today.

The Wireless Hill Mast 1912-1962



The original mast was built of German steel which weighed 60 tons.
It was 120 metres high and constructed in a lattice work fashion in the shape of a triangle.
It worked on a ball and socket pivot which allowed for some movement due to high winds.
The whole structure rested on 3 tiers of round, glass insulators, seperated by sheets of lead.
The insulators were placed over a foundation of concrete that was 4 � metres deep.
Three massive concrete anchor blocks, were attached to the mast by guy wires.
The anchor blocks can still be seen outlying the 3 central buildings,
and were converted into viewing towers in 1974 as part of
re-development plans for a museum and nature reserve.





Link: Historical timeline of the PERTH Wireless Hill Station. (pdf)

Wireless Hill Museum proudly presents Transmission; a History of Amateur Radio in WA.
This exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday 10th June, 2020.
The exhibition Transmission celebrates the unique story of the VHF (Very High Frequency)
Amateur Radio Club of WA, who have resided onsite at Wireless Hill Park since 1972.



Originally known as the Applecross Wireless Station, the site was formally opened in 1912,
when telecommunications switched from underwater cable to the mast antenna,
signaling the beginning of a new era in radio transmission and telecommunications.

Virtual Tour - Wireless Hill Museum "Transmission" exhibition 2020.
Click on image to enter.


Click on or tap the Play button to take a guided tour
Navigate around the exhibition using your mouse or finger.
Float your cursor over (or tap) the white hotspots to see
more information in popup windows - video's, photos or text

Additionally, each of the alloy picnic bench-tops throughout Wireless Hill Park
have been engraved with a different morse message, that can be "decoded" example below:



Reference source's:
Personal photo's and website's:
Wireless Hill Museum - City of Melville
WA TV History parts 1-6



© 4Q 2020