Traffic Signal Photo Gallery:
Vintage Signals

This gallery concentrates on traffic signals used in the 1970s and earler. Many brands were used by different road maintenance authorities including AWA, Eagle, G&W and many more. Signals prior to the 1970s use glass lenses and reflectors and did not use target boards. Textual pedestrian signals were the norm and in some states these were neon signals not incandescent. Many styles of pedestrian call buttons were also used too, some light up models and some that did not. Setups from state to state varied widely, and in some states a Red & Yellow together phase was used before the green signal was lit.

The first ever traffic signals installed and operating in Australia were:

• Adelaide - King William Streeet & Hindley Street & Rundle Street, December 1927.
• Melbourne - Collins Street & Swanston Street, 1928.
• Sydney - Kent Street & Market Street, 1933.
• Brisbane - Queen Street, 24th May 1936.
• Perth - Railway Street & Sutherland Street, West Perth, December 1953.
• Canberra - Northbourne Avenue & London Circuit and Northbourne Avenue & Cooyong Street, 23rd October 1965.

Click on the maps below to see some photos of some installations from various states and territories.

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Queensland

Victoria