The path to the low frequency Square Kilometre Array in Australia

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is a planned next-generation radio telescope to be constructed at two locations, in Western Australia and Southern Africa, utilising a range of antenna technologies to cover the radio frequency range required to satisfy its science goals. The SKA pushes the boundaries of physics and engineering on a number of fronts simultaneously and is thus a very ambitious project with innovation at its heart. In this article we consider the component of the SKA to be built in Western Australia in full scope, a survey telescope designed for very early Universe cosmology, operating at low radio frequencies. The path to the low frequency SKA in Australia involves precursor instrumentation, SKA pre-construction activities, and the deployment of the final instrument in two phases over approximately the next decade.