OBJECT TITLE / NAME

House

MEDIAImage

PHOTOGRAPHERKodak

COLLECTIONHastings-Western Port Historical Society

REG NO.P321

HISTORY

This is Houghton House, The Cable Station, overlooking Flinders Pier. A telegraph cable connected Flinders with Tasmania in 1869. Cable Station received and decoded messages. The Federal Government established the PMG in 1909 but the cable remained in use until 1936 when it was replaced by a telephone cable.

DESCRIPTION

This image shows an impressive looking house with two very large chimneys on the roof. It has a small verandah at the front, right-hand corner of the house. There are stripes painted on the verandah roof and three verandah posts can be seen. A large window is visible on the right-hand side of the image. Trees and shrubs are at the front of the house and a large pine tree is on the right-hand side. A paling fence that includes a small front gate is across the front of the image. It is unclear whether it is grass or a street that is in the foreground. Part of another house, with a chimney can be seen on the left-hand side. Printed across the bottom is: “Houghton House, Flinders The Cable Station Overlooking Flinders Pier”.

SUBJECTS

Buildings, structures and establishments, Cables, Communication establishments, Telegraph, Telephone services

KEYWORDS

Cable Station, Flinders, Houghton House