John Graeme Balsillie (11 September 1885 – 10 July 1924) was an Australian inventor, communications engineer, wireless telegraphy pioneer, business proprietor and senior public servant.
Balsillie helped to develop the Australian Wireless System free of royalty, jump-starting the nation's radio communications network.
At this time he met Edward Gustavus Campbell Barton, who was lecturing in all matters electrical at the local colleges, and no doubt developed Graeme's interests in both wireless telegraphy[1] and rainmaking.
Following the Imperial Press Conference that year, then Postmaster-General John Quick asked that Captain Collins "secure an expert report on the value of the Balsillie system of wireless telegraphy.
[6] On 3 August 1914, immediately before Australia's declaration of war, Balsillie was among a handful of senior Defence figures (including Major Reynolds, officer in charge of aviation, and Mr. T. Trumble, acting secretary of the Defence Department) providing advice to Prime Minister Joseph Cook as to Australia's preparedness while the entire cabinet made its way to Melbourne.
[7] In April 1915, Balsillie was asked about reports from the wireless operators on board the SS Port Kembla that they had been entertained by gramophone musical selections from Boston while off New York.
Balsillie responded that "music by wireless" was not new and that he was aware of the Poulsen system being used to transmit similar content from Berlin to Copenhagen several years ago.
William Morris Hughes, the then Prime Minister, appointed Judge C. E. R. Murray, of the District Court Bench of New South Wales as a Royal Commissioner to report on the matters in dispute, but at the last moment, and after Mr Balsillie had engaged counsel, his Honour fell ill and resigned his commission.
[19] The committee initially lent some cautious support to the project, but in December 1915 made known its negative preliminary findings and recommendation for further investigations to be undertaken.
"[22] Regardless, with Federal Government financial support, Balsillie had commenced wider experiments at Bookaloo Station northwest of Port Augusta, South Australia on the trans-Continental railway line and in June 1916 reported further limited success.
[25] The newly established Department of Science and Industry was tasked in August 1920 to investigate further the Balsillie experiments which supported the labelling of the Hughes government as spendthrift.
[28] Balsillie was exceedingly open with reporters enquiring about his various experiments and inventions, and the newspapers of the day are filled with detailed descriptions; but little is known of his personal life.
That network provided great protection for the new nation during World War I, enabling the co-ordination of its naval fleet while operating in Australian and nearby waters.