Historical information

The switchboard was located in the office of the switchyard. This switchboard was used by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme in Mt Beauty. Employees living in the towns and in the Kiewa Valley who had telephones were connected to the switchboard and were able to speak after dialling a number and then being connected by an operator working at the switchboard. This connection pre dated automatic connections.

Significance

This switchboard was used by the S.E.C.V. for their employees on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme and is an example of communications used in the 1940s and 1950s using telephones and operators prior to automatic 'stations'. To prevent operators from listening to conversations, a tone was introduced so that those on the phone became aware of someone listening in to their conversation.