Historical information

There are three, black Bakelite, wall mounted, crank handle telephones across the lightstation; one in the former assistant keeper’s quarters, and two in the former head keeper’s quarters. The phone has instructions for its use on the crank dial. Two have a coiled handset cord, which dates the phone to just after 1949 when these came into use. The third has a smooth cord and must pre date 1949. Another much older wall mounted phone remains in the lighthouse. The four telephones at Gabo Island formed an intercom system that facilitated communication between the lighthouse and lightstation buildings. They demonstrate the necessity for employing various methods of communication in a remotely located lighthouse as well as communication between the lightstation buildings. Telephones of the same wall mounted, crank dial type remain at Cape Otway, Point Hicks. As fixtures, the telephones belong to the building fabric and are included in the existing listing of the Gabo Island Lightstation in the Victorian Heritage Register (H1773).

Significance

These intact items of equipment have first level contributory significance for their historic value and provenance.

Physical description

Black bakelite telephone, wall mounted with reciever/ handset on spiral cord attached to the body of the phone. There is a crank handle attached to the front of the telephone.

Inscriptions & markings

On dial under crank handle. Outer perimeter of circular LABEL,"TO CALL:-TURN HANDLE & LIFT HANDSET / WHEN FINISHED PEPLACE HANDSET & TURN HANDLE"