Narooma payphone heritage-listed for Black Summer bushfire role

Consensus Summary

A public payphone in Narooma has been officially recognized as a national treasure after playing a critical role during the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 or 2020. The phone, located outside Narooma Plaza on the Princes Highway, became a lifeline when mobile networks failed and power was cut, allowing locals and tourists to connect with loved ones amid the chaos. Almost 1,000 calls were made from the payphone over two months as people checked in on neighbors, reported their safety, or shared the loss of homes and belongings. The National Trust of Australia NSW has heritage-listed the phone, marking it with a bronze plaque emblazoned with gum leaves to signify its cultural and social importance during the disaster.

The bushfires struck on New Year’s Day in 2020, forcing residents into evacuation centers as flames engulfed the NSW far south coast. Historian Dr Naomi Parry Duncan, who was holidaying in Narooma at the time, described the scene as 'bewildering and frightening,' with no mobile reception, internet, or power. She recalled long queues forming at the three public payphones in town, where people waited patiently to use the phones, creating an intimate space of shared trauma and empathy. The payphone’s significance extends beyond the bushfires, as it represents a broader history of public phones in Australia, particularly in connecting women seeking employment or escaping abusive relationships, as well as Indigenous communities across vast distances.

Dr Parry Duncan led the effort to nominate the payphone for heritage status, highlighting its role not just as a communication tool but as a symbol of community resilience. Telstra, which maintains Australia’s 14,000 payphones, has emphasized their ongoing importance, noting that all calls from payphones to fixed lines and mobiles have been free since mid-2021. In the past year alone, 25 million calls were made from payphones, including 300,000 to emergency and crisis support lines, underscoring their critical function during disasters. Telstra’s regional general manager, Chris Taylor, stated that payphones remain essential for vulnerable populations who need to stay connected, particularly when modern infrastructure fails.

While all three sources agree on the core details of the payphone’s heritage listing and its role during the bushfires, there are slight variations in how the event is framed. SBS refers to the 'Black Summer bushfires of 2020,' whereas The Guardian uses the broader 'black summer bushfires of 2019-20,' reflecting a minor difference in naming conventions. Additionally, 7NEWS explicitly describes the payphone as a '90-s era' model, while The Guardian does not use this exact phrasing. Despite these differences, the consensus is clear: the payphone’s legacy lies in its ability to restore human connection when technology and infrastructure collapsed, making it a tangible reminder of both the bushfires’ devastation and the community’s strength.

The recognition of the Narooma payphone has also sparked interest in preserving other public phones across Australia, with efforts underway to seek similar heritage status for payphones in remote Queensland and Melbourne. Telstra has committed to improving the resilience of these phones, including power backups to restore connectivity more quickly during future disasters. As Dr Parry Duncan noted, public phones have long been vital in Australian culture, serving as more than just communication tools but as lifelines for those in need. The heritage listing of the Narooma payphone is not just a celebration of its past role but a call to ensure such resources remain available for future crises.