Coen Carrier Station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coen Carrier Station
Coen Carrier Station, 1995
Location	Coleman Close, Coen, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1939 - 1945 (World War II)
Built	1942
Architect	Postmaster-General's Department
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Coen Carrier Station (former), Coen Telegraph Station, Coen Carrier Repeater Station
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	27 May 1997
Reference no.	601485
Significant period	1942 onwards
Builders	Postmaster-General's Department
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The Coen Carrier Station is a special old building in Coen, Australia. It was built in 1942 by the Postmaster-General's Department. This building was a very important part of Australia's communication system during World War II. It helped send messages and phone calls across long distances. It is also known as the Coen Telegraph Station or Coen Carrier Repeater Station. Today, it is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its historical importance.

History of the Coen Carrier Station

The Coen Carrier Station is a building made from steel and corrugated iron. It was put together in 1942. This happened because Australia needed to quickly improve its communication lines. This was due to the threat of war with Japan in the Pacific. The station was one of four similar buildings built at that time.

Early Telegraph Lines in Queensland

In the 1870s, gold was found in Far North Queensland. This led to more people moving to the area. Small goldfields opened, including one near Coen. A telegraph station was built in Coen in 1886. This was part of a long telegraph line. This line stretched from Laura to Thursday Island. It opened in 1887.

This telegraph line was very important. It connected isolated towns in the Cape York Peninsula. It also linked them to bigger cities in the south. This helped the region grow and stay connected. It was also seen as important for Queensland's defense.

World War II and Communication Needs

In the late 1930s, war with Japan seemed likely. Communication became a top priority for defense. Even before Australia joined the war in December 1941, there was a push to improve facilities. Airfields and communications were the most urgent needs.

By mid-1941, new airfields were ready. However, the Coen Telegraph Station still used old Morse code. It only had a small local telephone system.

When Japanese forces attacked Darwin and Townsville in 1942, plans sped up. American troops also arrived in North Queensland. Australia became a key communication hub in the South Pacific. After major battles in May 1942, it was clear. North Queensland and Cape York Peninsula would be vital for fighting Japan. Good communication was essential. It linked airfields and battlefronts to command centers.

The R Type Carrier System

During the war, a new communication system was developed. It was called the R Type Carrier System. This system allowed more phone and telegraph messages to travel on the same wires. It was installed along the old telegraph route. This meant one pair of copper wires could carry three types of communication. It could handle normal phone calls, improved telegraph messages, and special phone calls.

To make this system work, several things were needed:

• New copper wires were added to existing poles. This covered over 1,000 miles.
• A special phone system was installed. It had terminals in Townsville and Cape York. It also had "repeaters" in places like Coen. Repeaters boost the signal.
• A four-channel telegraph system was set up.
• Power equipment, like generators and batteries, was installed.
• New buildings, called carrier stations, were built. These housed the new equipment. Coen was one of these locations.

Work began in August 1942. It was a huge effort. The US Army Signal Corps and Australian Army Signals helped. The Postmaster-General's Department supervised. Australian Army Engineers built the line north of the Hann River. This included upgrading Coen and building a new line to Iron Range. The entire line was finished by November 1942.

Building the Coen Carrier Station

At Coen, the new carrier station was built next to the old 1886 telegraph station. It was a pre-made building. It had a steel frame, corrugated iron walls, and concrete floors. Inside, it had rooms for equipment, power, and batteries. It also had living space for staff. These buildings were likely designed and made in workshops in cities like Melbourne.

Because of the war, new equipment was hard to get from overseas. So, the Postmaster-General's Department made their own. They built a special four-channel telegraph system. This was installed in the Cape York Peninsula carrier stations. The buildings were still being finished during installation. All communication channels were working by December 1942. The Coen Carrier Station was fully completed on Boxing Day. A PMG officer and two Army signals staff worked at each station.

After the War

The improved communication helped defeat the Japanese. After the war in 1945, the Postmaster-General's Department took over. The lines were then used by the public. For the first time, people in Cape York Peninsula could make long-distance phone calls.

In the 1950s, the system improved further. The Coen telephone exchange moved to the main street. But equipment stayed in the old telegraph station and the carrier station. By the late 1960s, the 1886 Telegraph Station was no longer needed. It was moved and later destroyed.

In 1982, a new radio system reached Coen. This meant the old open wires were no longer needed for long-distance calls. An automatic phone exchange was installed in Coen. By 1987, this new system reached Thursday Island. The old wire line north of Coen was then abandoned.

Through all these changes, the Coen Carrier Station housed phone equipment. During the new system's installation, it was used as living quarters for workers. After that, it housed Telecom staff. It has been empty since 1990. The site is now part of a Ranger Station.

The Coen Carrier Station is the most complete of the four stations built in 1942. The others were closed or changed over time.

What is the Coen Carrier Station?

The Coen Carrier Station is on a gentle slope in Coen. It is near where the Coen River and Lankelly Creek meet. It is also next to where the old Telegraph Station used to be.

The building is mostly rectangular. It sits on a concrete base. Its frame is a mix of wood and steel. The main supports are steel, and wood is used for windows and doors. The outside walls are made of ripple iron. The inside walls are fibrous cement sheets. The original windows are on the west side. Louvred windows have been added on the south side.

The main part of the building has three rooms. These were for equipment, power, and batteries. There is no original telegraph equipment left inside. On the east side, there is a glassed-in verandah. It runs the full length of the building. At the south end of the verandah, there is a small kitchen area.

A laundry and bathroom are attached to the north end. They are built on a concrete slab. This part has a timber frame and fibrous cement walls. It has a sloped roof and louvred windows. You can still see where the telegraph and electric wires were attached.

The roof is made of corrugated fibrous cement. It has a gable shape. There is a large vent along the roof's top. A smaller round vent is near the north-west corner.

You can see the remains of three water tanks around the building. A new steel shed has been built at the north-west corner of the site.

Why is it Important?

The Coen Carrier Station is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it is very important.

• It shows how Queensland's history developed.

The Coen Carrier Station played a key role in defense and communication during World War II. It also shows Coen's long history with telecommunications. It helped connect isolated communities for over a century.

• It is a rare example of Queensland's heritage.

This building, built in 1942, is rare. It is one of the few remaining carrier stations. These were designed and pre-made in Australia during World War II. They were installed under difficult wartime conditions.

• It shows great technical achievement.

The former Coen Carrier Station is important because it represents new technology. It was part of a system that allowed more messages to be sent over existing lines.

• It is linked to important groups in Queensland's history.

The station is connected to the work of the Postmaster-General's Department. They developed new technology in Australia during World War II. It also has a strong link to the Australian Army Signals Corps. They installed the communication lines and staffed the building during the war.