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Highway pay phone rings in national treasure status
Nearly 1,000 calls were made from the phone over two months, and the National Trust says it symbolized community connection during the fires.
- A pay phone outside Narooma Plaza on the Princes Highway has been heritage listed by the National Trust of Australia NSW for its cultural and social role during the Black Summer fires.
- During the Black Summer fires, mobile coverage and power failed across Narooma, forcing locals and tourists to queue at three public phones to check on neighbors or inform loved ones of their safety.
- Historian Naomi Parry Duncan recalled the "bewildering and frightening" time, noting "at all of the pay phones there were queues of people politely waiting." She told AAP the instinctive mutual support was "really quite amazing."
- The site is now marked by a bronze plaque emblazoned with gum leaves, denoting its significance. Telstra data shows 25 million calls were made from pay phones across Australia within the last year.
- Telstra regional general manager Chris Taylor stated that pay phones remain "absolutely critical" for vulnerable communities needing crisis support. The company is pursuing landmark status for other phones in remote Queensland and Melbourne.
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11 Articles
11 Articles
Sydney Morning Herald+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
NSW pay phone given heritage listing
There’s now a push for the landmark status to be awarded to two other Australian phones.
·North Sydney, Australia
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Left
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources lean Left
67% Left
L 67%
C 22%
11%
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