Clyde.

A Post Office opened at Clyde on 25 January 1864. It was renamed Clyde North on 9 February 1915. That office closed in 1981.
Meanwhile a Post Office was opened at the Clyde Railway Station on 1 August 1889 and it was renamed Clyde P.O. on 9 February 1915.

The Telegraph Office might have opened while the office was at the railway station and transferred its operations in 1915.

Clyde is immediately south east of Cranbourne.

The Office was issued with a T.O. date stamp.
It is probable it came in three forms:

1. as T.O. Clyde although that date stamp has never been recorded.
   
   
2. With the T.O. partially removed.

Used between 6 November 1915 and 1959.

Diameter: 27 mm with 3½ mm side arcs

Rated: Common.

Number in the Census: 2.

3. With T.O. removed and with a short date line:

Used: 10 November 1959 to 26 August 1960.

Diameter: 27 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Cowes.

The Telegraph Office opened on 18 December 1884. The Post Office had opened on 1 August 1869.

The Leader of 21 December 1889 published the observations of a traveller's visit to Cowes. In part:

"To the dear little children who are paddling with bare feet on the beach, Cowes will mean the sands and sand castles and sand dumplings. To others it will mean Woods's Hotel, also a good hostelry and well situated. To none will it mean business. West's store supplies not only Cowes but the entire island with everything required by visitors and residents. Small steamers and sailing craft from Port Phillip bring hither articles consumed on the island and take away wool and chicory and mustard - its only produce except cattle and horses. The Post Office, embowered in roses is, of course a necessity, but is little used except in the holiday season. The red coated post boy gives a touch of color to the knot of boatmen loafing on the pier but has not much work to do. The Telegraph Office is useful for errant husbands to send telegrams to anxious wives in Melbourne but otherwise is superfluous".

Cranbourne.

At a meeting of the Cranbourne Shire Council on 20 January 1877, Mr. A. Thompson, acknowledged possession of the rooms for the Post and Telegraph office. The connection was made and the Telegraph Office opened about the middle of February. The Post Office had opened on 1 August 1857.

Prior to the Office opening, the South Bourke and Mornington Journal published a letter to the Editor on 10 January 1877, complaining about happenings in the Cranbourne area. In part:

"These are days of progression; energetic persons are using their best efforts to promote such advancement in many ways but, unfortunately, the Cranbourne Shire Council is adopting an adverse system.

Referring to the Post and Telegraph Office, what a lamentable and gross injustice has been perpetrated? The Council, on the command of their leader have, in order to gratify the vanity of a local pedagogue, who also discharges the duties of Postmaster, voted away from the ratepayers the use of an additional room of the public buildings and over which they had no more control than the Turkish Sultan - and for what object? (Another retard of progression). Simply this: To prevent a Court of Petty Sessions being held there and the present Calcutta hole retained with a rent far above its value accruing to the owner. If the object is charity, raise this amount by subscription by all means, as an equivalent for such rent and afford the public the privilege of the good accommodation provided by such public together with the assistance of the Government. It is a well-known fact that the public money was not obtained with the view of devoting half the large building for postal accommodation; and further, the Government plan provides only for one room — not two.

Has the time not arrived for the ratepayers generally to be up and doing and, by a general outcry, condemn the action of vindictiveness and incapacity which is so deplorably prominent. I do not suggest a remedy but, in the interests of justice, fair play and honor, call upon some more able writer than myself to suggest such. I guarantee that there is not a ratepayer in the district but will bless his effort and hail with unbounded satisfaction the successful terminator of his effort and afford our fine district the same chance as others of attaining the eminence it is entitled to but which, owing to crotchety and vindictive actions has, up to the present, been denied.

Yours respectfully, YALLOCK".

The Council meeting on 1 September 1877 agreed to a proposal from the Post Office and Telegraph Department stating that, as the ground around the Shire Hall was unfenced, it would be desirable to have it enclosed and if the Council contributed half the costs, the Department would contribute the other half.

Cranbourne Post & Telegraph Office in 1917.
See sign along right side.

The Office was issued with a TELEGRAPH date stamp
(RO2 - T) used in the 1980s.

Size: 33.5 × 53 mm (e = 0.77).

Used: 21 September 1988.
Only recorded date so probably last day of service.

Rated RRR.

Number in the Census: 8+.

Grantville.

The Telegraph Office opened during the first three months of 1885.
The Post Office had opened on 1 July 1875.

Lang Lang.

The Telegraph Office opened at Lang Lang, near Poowong, South Gippsland on 12 July 1888. The Post Office had been opened in May 1878.

A "huge fire (in January 1926) waged along the railway between Nyora and Lang Lang, the telegraph poles and lines being down".

Milndale is about 10 km north west of Wonthaggi and just past Dalyston.

It opened as Milne's Receiving Office on 15 November 1910 and changed name to Milndale on 25 May 1912. That office was upgraded to a Post Office on 1 July 1927 and - maybe from its opening - had telegraph duties also.

On 1 August 1947, the Post Office was reclassified to a Telegraph Office until it was closed on 31 May 1951.

The Office was issued with a T. O. date stamp:

Used: 27 December 1929 to 14 October 1937.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

Prestige Philately August 2005 Lot 502.

20 April 1933.

Queensferry.

A Post Office had opened on 19 October 1874 but it closed on 26 June 1903. It opened again as a Receiving Office in 1926 and was upgraded to a Post Office on 1 July 1927. The Office closed on 30 April 1934. The Telegraph Office operated in association with the Post Office.

In a totally non-telegraphic announcement - but a great one - the Weekly Times of 8 December 1888 recorded that "a woman named Rebecca Sibbald has just attained 101 years. The parish register shows she was born in 1788, and she enjoys the full use of her faculties". Not sure about the 1% error there!!

A description in the The San Remo Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser of 24 June 1898 described Queensferry as "A pretty little township about two miles from Grantville with jetty, store, post and telegraph office. State School and Athenaeum. Rail to Lang Lang, thence by a coach daily 14 miles. It is the headquarters of the Glen Alvie coal mining company, and the terminus of the Great Victoria coal company's coal tramway survey, the construction of which has already been sanctioned by the shareholders and will shortly be the means of starting the shipment of coal from that Company's mines".

San Remo.

Originally known as Griffith Point. It was renamed by the Council as San Remo in 1888.

Office opened on

It was from San Remo that the majority of telegraphic messages were sent in relation to maritime problems in the area - including sinking ships, ships in distress as well as accidents and drownings.

In the South Bourke and Mornington Journal of 1 October 1890, is a heart felt statement from a Correspondent:

"It is much to be regretted that the public of San Remo and adjacent districts did not in some way acknowledge the valuable services rendered by Miss Boness of the Post and Telegraph Department during her stay here. I certainly consider that great want of judgment existed in not presenting Miss Boness with some token of respect in acknowledgment of the services rendered by her. I spoke to one gentleman on the subject and he said "Oh! Government servants are exempt from receiving presents." I thought it was a very mean way of exempting himself from the assistance I naturally expected from him. But the older we live, the more we learn. Selfish, unscrupulous ways in people who profess to occupy a god position are, in my idea, detestable, but the old saying is: 'where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise'. Had my object been carried out, it would have added great interest to the place and all concerned and would have been a prelude to still more stimulated action being taken by those hereafter in office.

The inhabitants of San Remo, like other places, I know of, do not come from "Givington" as long as the work is done they say "What matters". Other public servants have rendered valuable services to this part of the country, as I have been pleased before to record; we will see how their energies are appreciated when the time comes to retire from the scene of action. I have had frequent opportunities of eulogising the very active exertions of Miss Boness whilst at San Remo in connection with the Post and Telegraph Department, as my correspondence has at times been voluminous and exceptional and, when any unforeseen emergency required any little special attention, Miss Boness exerted herself with a becoming and praiseworthy cheerfulness. As the public of San Remo have been so ungrateful, I will add my mede of praise, in hopes that the same will be received in the same favourable light as it is cordially and respectfully given".

On 7 February 1896, the San Remo Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser reported that"

"San Remo was a municipal township on the Eastern entrance of Westernport Bay, situate on the mainland. It has two jetties and is a shipping port for coal with depth of water sufficient to load ships of 1,000 tons. There are erected the highest telegraph poles in the world by means of which a wire is suspended across the eastern passage and forming connection with Phillip Island.

There are two first-class hotels with private boarding to accommodate visitors, a steamer running from Stony Point every day".

In news which will relax the feelings of all, the The Western Port Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser of 16 November 1900 announced that "Miss Gray, who was relieving at the Grantville Post and Telegraph Office will relieve Miss Rudd of the San Remo office who has left for her holidays".

Tooradin.

The Telegraph Office opened in the first three months of 1885.

A Post Office had opened on 21 May 1877.