Overland Telegraph construction party, Roper River, 1872

This is a black-and-white photograph of four of the men involved in constructing the first north-south telegraph line across Australia in 1871–72. The shot was taken at Roper River in the Northern Territory in 1872. In thigh-high boots, third from left, is Charles Todd, who had overall responsibility for the project. The others, from left to right, are John Archibald Graham Little, engineer Robert Charles Patterson and surveyor A J Mitchell. The men, all bearded, are standing in front of a large-wheeled cart covered with a tarpaulin.