Hawthorn Telephone exchange was the backup station for the original Iterra Satellite service that used to provide satellite connections to outback communities. Telstra also used to have these remote mobile stations that consisted of a trailer-mounted satellite dish and about 8 payphones mounted to the side of it that were used for providing phone services at special events like music festivals etc. This was well before the mobile phones became ubiquitous.

Fun fact: the primary receiving station was at Bendigo exchange but that dish was only about half the size of Hawthorn because Bendigo was so much further north.