Western Australia - Colonial period: 1861 - 1901.
Delivery form: WC-DO-3.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH ... WESTERN AUSTRALIA spanning the central Crest.
Message area: 8 lines of 5 boxes for message numbered at right to 40.
Reverse side: 14 lines of 5 boxes - numbered at right to 110.
Colours (text & form): Light red on pale yellow.
Size of form overall: 161 × 216 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:
 

A very important form sent on the day of opening of the Eucla Telegraph Office to His Excellency Governor Ord.
The message reads: "As the pioneer settlers of this district we have the honour to congratulate your Excellency on opening telegraph communication with this distant post of the Colony and which we believe will be the means of giving it increased life and progress."

National Archives of Australia NAA: K1209 Eucla 5.
Image identified and copied by Malcolm Brown of W.A.

 WC-DO-3A.

Eucla to Perth.
8 December 1877.

Characteristics:

  • two lines of text under heading;
  • top left corner is blank;
  • reverse side continues the message boxes to 110.
WC-DO-3B WC-DO-3B.

Geraldton to Perth(?)
(17 June 1881).

Characteristics:

  • two lines of text under heading.;
  • reverse side continues the message boxes to 110.
WC-DO-3C.

Melbourne to Perth(?)
(27 April 1885).

Characteristics:

  • two lines of text under heading.;
  • reverse side  has 10 Regulations plus the Scale of Charges.
Interesting message about cargo missing ship's departure.
WC-DO-3C WC-DO-3C (reverse side).

Regulations and Scale of Charges.

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
DO-3A None 8 December 1877 (one of the 1st telegrams sent from Eucla). R
DO-3B None 17 June 1881 sent from Geraldton to Perth. R
DO-3C None 27 April 1885 at Perth (?). R