Telstra Tower

Observation and communications tower in Australia

Telstra Tower

Telstra Tower in 2018

Alternative names| Black Mountain Tower, Telecom Tower
General information
Type| Observation and communications tower
Location| Canberra, Australia
Coordinates| 35°16′32″S 149°5′52″E﻿ / ﻿35.27556°S 149.09778°E﻿ / -35.27556; 149.09778
Construction started| October 1972
Completed| 1977
Opening| 15 May 1980
Cost| $16.3 million AUD (1980), $73.9 million AUD (2021, adjusted for inflation)
Height
Antenna spire| 195.2 m (640 ft)
Technical details
Floor count| 10
Design and construction
Architect(s)| Richard Ure and the Commonwealth Department of Works
Main contractor| Concrete Constructions

Telstra Tower (also known as Black Mountain Tower and formerly Telecom Tower) is a telecommunications tower and lookout that is situated above the summit of Black Mountain in Australia's capital city of Canberra. It is named after Australia's largest telecommunications company, Telstra Corporation. Rising 195.2 metres (640 ft) above the mountain summit, it is a landmark in Canberra and offers panoramic views of the city and its surrounding countryside from an indoor observation deck and two outdoor viewing platforms.

It was closed to the public in 2021, but in 2023, the ABC reported the tower was set to reopen in 2025 with a makeover celebrating Ngunnawal culture.[1] The tower is currently set to reopen in March 2026.[2]

## History

[edit]

In April 1971, the Postmaster General (PMG) at the time commissioned the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Construction to carry out a feasibility study in relation to a tower on Black Mountain accommodating both communication services and facilities for visitors. The tower was to replace the microwave relay station on Red Hill and the television broadcast masts already on Black Mountain.[3]

Design of the tower was the responsibility of the Department of Housing and Construction, however a conflict arose with the National Capital Development Commission which, at the time, had complete control over planning within the Australian Capital Territory.[3]

During the approval process of the tower, protests arose on aesthetic and ecological grounds. Some people felt that the tower would dominate other aesthetic Canberra structures due to its location above Black Mountain and within a nature reserve. There was a brief green ban imposed by the Builders Labourers Federation (under the influence of Jack Mundey) that eventually failed.[4] A case was brought before the High Court of Australia arguing that the Federal Government did not have the constitutional power to construct the tower.[5] The decision was made in favour of the government and construction was able to commence.[5][3]

Black Mountain Tower was opened on 15 May 1980 by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.[3][6] It was officially named Telecom Tower, and when the telecommunications company was rebranded in 1993, became Telstra Tower.

Prior to the construction of the tower, CTC-TV (now known as Southern Cross 10) had its studios located at the top of Black Mountain until new studios were constructed in Watson in 1974. Also located on the top were two guy-wired masts, one for CTC-TV channel 7 and the other one for the local ABC TV station broadcasting on channel 3\. These were demolished in 1980 after the tower had opened.

The Alto Tower Restaurant, a revolving restaurant in the tower, closed on 14 February 2013.[7]

## Facilities

[edit]

Panoramic view of Canberra and distant New South Wales, as seen from the tower.

Telstra Tower provides important communication facilities for Canberra. There are three floors of business, sales and radio communication facilities located between the 30.5 metre and 42.7 metre levels providing space for communication dishes, platforms and equipment for mobile services within the tower.

The tower's currently closed public viewing platforms have provided 360 degree views of Canberra and the surrounding city and countryside. Prior to its closure to the public in mid-2021,[8] visitors to Telstra Tower could see the city unfold from the enclosed viewing gallery or from the two open viewing platforms.

Former facilities included Canberra's only revolving restaurant which closed in 2013,[9] and completed a full rotation every 81 minutes, allowing diners to experience a changing view throughout their meal. In the lower level of the Tower's entrance foyer, there was an exhibition, "Making Connections", which traced the history of Australian telecommunications from the earliest days into the 21st century. A theatre showed a video, produced shortly after the tower opened, on the tower's design and construction.

Telstra Tower has become one of the most symbolic landmarks in Canberra and a major tourist attraction, with an estimated 430,000 visitors each year by 2017.[10] In 1989 the World Federation of Great Towers invited the tower to join such distinguished monuments as the CN Tower in Toronto, Blackpool Tower in England and the Empire State Building in New York City.

Telstra Tower is one of the most visually imposing structures on the Canberra skyline, visible from many parts of Canberra and Queanbeyan.[10]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, and the restrictions on public gatherings within the ACT, the Tower was closed in July 2021. Since then InfraCo has been working on developing a long-term strategy for the usage of the Tower.[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Glenday, James (21 March 2023). "Canberra's iconic Telstra Tower on Black Mountain to get a makeover that celebrates Ngunnawal culture". ABC News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
2. ^ "Telstra Tower - One of Canberra's most iconic landmarks". Telstra. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
3. ^ a b c d Black Mountain Tower Archived 24 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine National Archives of Australia
4. ^ Burgmann, Meredith; Burgmann, Verity (1998). Green Bans, Red Union: Environmental Activism and the New South Wales Builders Labourers' Federation. Sydney: UNSW Press. p. 52\. ISBN 0868407607. Retrieved 8 December 2024 - via Google Books.
5. ^ a b Johnson v Kent [1975] HCA 4, 132 CLR 164 (17 February 1975), High Court (Australia)
6. ^ History of the Tower Archived 3 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine Telstra Tower
7. ^ Lawson, Kiersten (14 February 2013). "Last supper for Alto on Valentine's Day". Goodfood.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
8. ^ Evans, Steve (24 December 2021). "Iconic Telstra Tower to close to public indefinitely". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
9. ^ Glenday, Lisa (2 July 2021). "Telstra Tower labelled an 'embarrassment' for Canberra as tourism operators call for makeover of Black Mountain monument". ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
10. ^ a b Brown, Andrew (13 May 2017). "Canberra's Telstra Tower on Black Mountain marks 37th anniversary". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
11. ^ Crowe, Alex (14 July 2021). "Telstra Tower closed amid reports of disrepair". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Australia portal
* Architecture portal

* Media related to Black Mountain Tower at Wikimedia Commons
* Telstra Tower website Archived 16 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine
* Telstra Tower Black Mountain Panorama Gallery
* Telstra Tower at Structurae

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