After years of precursory surveying, debate and proposals the most ambitious civil engineering project of the day, the Overland Telegraph Line, began construction in September 1870. Superintendent of Telegraphs, Sir Charles Todd led the construction through “terra incognita,” guided by the precursory surveys of John McDowall Stuart and technologies such as his prismatic surveying compass. The unknown and hostile landscape claimed the lives of several men and scores of transport animals in the dogged pursuit of telegraphic connection to the rest of the world. Completed in August 1872, the Line connected Australia to the world via telegraph wires running 3,200 kilometres from Port Augusta in South Australia, to Darwin, then connecting via submarine cable to Java and beyond. The “earth [had been] girdled with a magic chain” according to the then Governor of New South Wales, Sir Hercules Robinson. How does it work? For use in surveying, the sight vane and prism are turned up on their hinge and the instrument is held horizontally either in the palm of one's hand or on a tripod. Two small discs of red and green glass attached to the prism can be flipped down over the sight line to reduce glare. The objective is to bring the subject into the sightline created by the prism, aligning with the thread of the sight-vane until the subject is bisected evenly. Once aligned, the division on the card may be read through the prism. This reading provides the magnetic azimuth, used for calculating the bearings of distant landmarks. Circular instrument mounted in a brass case with glass window and brass lid. The compass card face four black compass points printed on mint green paper; on the underside the magnetic needle would be affixed, all held in place by a brass knob at the centre. The arched labels of "Sawtell" and "Adelaide" and the Prince of Wales feathers appear to have been affixed with adhesive which has since yellowed in the areas of application on the compass card. The compass face is printed with numbers, every 10 degrees from 10 - 360, printed in reverse indicating this compass would have once held a mirror at the sighting bracket. On one side of the brass case is a brass hinged sighting-prism, possibly of ebonite. The sighting-prism is mounted in a hinged brass bracket on one edge of the brass case. It has two flip-type filter glasses (red and green) and folds down into a retracted travelling position. A hinged brass bracket on the opposite edge would have held the sighting bracket - carrying the sighting vane and mirror - which is now missing or removed. Under the hinge is a lever, possibly related to the movement of the bracket. Underneath the brass case is an indented circle with screw threads, possibly for attachment to a tripod, and indistinguishable marks scratched into the surface.Etched on to the centre of the lid, "Sawtell ADELAIDE / No 792." Affixed to the paper compass face, possibly from separate pieces of paper, "SAWTELL / ADELAIDE" with the Prince of Wales Feathers above "SAWTELL". Underneath on remains of white tape in red: "159."surveying, compass, charles todd, overland telegraph line, telegraph

Small round pinText: "SAWTELL BOWLING & REC CLUB". Inset, gold coloured female figure bowling a lawn bowl against a green, blue and light blue background.

.01- card/invitation (no 229) for the Grand Final Night Dinner Dance. PMFC 1976 Aylsbury Court, Brighton. Sunday 10 September. Autograph page filled .02 - PMFC Grand Final Night Dinner dance 1977 at the Royal Ballroom, Sunday 25 September. Ticket no 827 issued by J SAWTELL, Social Secretary .03 - More autographs on card, probably from the 1976 dinner.sport - australian rules football, social activities, port melbourne football club, pmfc, j sawtell

Back row (l-r): Hoot BARWISE or Dave HUME, Larry MCGILL, Joe ?, Bluey ALEBRECHT, Roy CORR, Frankie BARNETT, Peter MURPHY, Mick CLAUSEN ?, Doug ROSS Third row (l-r): ?, Alex JAMES, Keith COLLINS ?, Ted AANENSEN, Keith CLAYTON ?, Mike CAHILL, Geoff McDONALD or Alf SAWTELL, Ron ROBERTSON ? Second row (l-r): Bruce ROSEWARNE ?, Keith CHAPPLE, Rabs CONRAD, Shorty PALMER, Eric McLEOD, Jack FISHER, Phil RYAN, Bill GATES, Bill LYNCH Front row (l-r): Keith BENNETT, ?, ?, ?, George FISHER, ?, ?, ?, Jack WARWAY Photo of Graham Family Football Club team 1950s (Graham Family Hotel, Graham and West Esplanade), plus several childrensport - australian rules football, larry mcgill, 'bluey' alebrecht, roy corr, doug ross, alex james, ted aanensen, mick cahill, alf woods, keith chapple, rabs conrad, 'shorty' palmer, eric mcleod, jack fisher, phil ryan, bill gates, bill lynch, keith bennett, george fisher, jack warway, frankie barnett, dave hume, peter murphy, geoff mcdonald, alf sawtell, ron robertson, bruce rosewarne, 'hoot' barwise, mick clausen, graham family hotel, graham family hotel football club, lagoon reserve, business and traders - hotels

Photograph of 1961-62 Under 16B premiershipmurrumbeena, murrumbeena cricket club, cricket, cricket clubs, cricketers, jeff graham, barry salmon, norm burne, don macwhirter, david sawtell, ray wallace, norm mansell, jack gilbert, jim reilly, alan graham, robert anderson, bob mcdermott, john mctavish, neil carbery

Large framed presentation of two photos of Rising Sun Hotel's Sunday League Premiership football and cricket teams ('Boundary Rovers' and 'Rising Sun Cricket Club' 1947-48, handlettered with details, including names of players. Brown frame (painted over beige-painted frame), beige surround, blue and black letterings. Ref item 1336 for matching program.Lettering blurred at toparchibald (arch) todd, sport - australian rules football, sport - cricket, societies clubs unions and other organisations, rising sun hotel, boundary rovers football club, rising sun cricket club, c mcauley, v butler, p darcy, w gibbons, r forrest, j thornhill, j williams, v coy, a pettiona, l boyce, c bulpitt, w payne, g pettiona, p johnson, tommy lahiff, j white, e byrce, t gibbs, william coy, a ferris, g sykes, jim coy, h florence, t duffy, w stuart, j millar, j pettiona, n gent, k marshall, a harrison, l dickson, s bulpitt, g sager, w pitts, g winchcombe, w ahale, w bowers, j collins, r murray, r trainer, j sawtell, s harrison, g beaton, j dobson, t brosnan, a martini, r harrison, m maher, a keeping, a 'nappy' ollington, business and traders - hotels