Complex sentence: By the mid- 1960s, videotape equipment had been installed in all major ABC centres, and during that decade, direct television relays were laid, first from Melbourne to Sydney, and Sydney to Canberra, then between all major centres except for Perth and Hobart.
Split into simpler sentences: By the mid- 1960s, videotape equipment had been installed in all major ABC centres. During that decade, direct television relays were laid-first from Melbourne to Sydney, then Sydney to Canberra, and later between all major centres except for Perth and Hobart.