Australian Town’s Role in First Live Telecast to UK Remembered

In 1966, Carnarvon, a town 900 kilometers north of Perth in Western Australia, served as the base for Australia’s first live television connection to London. The historic telecast occurred due to an unexpected opportunity created when the Intelsat IIa satellite failed to reach its intended orbit. Engineers quickly established a link between Carnarvon and Goonhilly Downs in the UK, allowing families to briefly connect across continents.

Alan Gilham, an engineer at the Carnarvon Tracking Station, played a key role in making the technology work. Sixty years later, his nephew Stephen Gilham traveled from Victoria to Carnarvon to commemorate the event, using modern technology to connect with his uncle, now living in the UK.

The event underscores Carnarvon’s broader contribution to Australia’s technological advancement, including its involvement with NASA’s tracking station for the Apollo missions. Museum staff hope to raise awareness of the town’s often-overlooked place in communications history.