The Office opened about 19 km WNW of Omeo as a Telegraph Office on 16 May 1940. It was closed on 30 June 1969.

The office was issued with the usual Post Office canceller with a large date date line:

Used: 26 November 1945 to 28 March 1953.

Diameter: 30 mm with 2 mm side arcs.

Rated: RRRR.

The date line was later changed to a small date line with nylon wheels:

Used: 6 December 1965 to 1 October 1968.

Rated: RRRR.

6 December 1965.

The only recorded non-archival example
and the first day of use for the SDL format.

Bairnsdale.
East Gippsland.

1. The Telegraph Office;
2. The date stamps.
3. The Bairnsdale Railway Station.

1. The Bairnsdale Telegraph Office.

The Telegraph Office opened on 29 July 1869 after the Post Office had opened in February 1858 (on the east bank of the river in Lucknow) but soon relocated in April 1862.

On 23 April 1875, £1,200 was apportioned by the Postmaster-General for the building of a new Post and Telegraph Office at Bairnsdale. Tenders were called in August 1875.

Both these buildings were the design of architect A. J. Mcdonald of the Public Works Department.

Bairnsdale's impressive Court House more recently - taken from the opposite side from the image above.
The Post & Telegraph Office is at the left in the distance.

The Gippsland Times reported on 6 February 1884:

"The work of effecting the alterations and additions to the Post and Telegraph Office is being rapidly proceeded with by the contractors, Messrs. Fidler Bros. The foundations are now nearly complete, and present an appearance of great solidity and certainly seem calculated to support a much heavier weight than they are ever likely to bear. The tower will be supported by a foundation of solid masonry seven feet deep, whilst that of the remaining portion of the building will have a depth of five feet. The lower portions of the stone work consist of white free stone obtained from the neighborhood of Briagolong, while the upper or that portion above the ground consists of ordinary bluestone. This portion of the work is in the hands of Mr. G. A. Barry, who is carrying it out in an expeditious manner, and he expects to have it completed shortly".

The Post Office was (sadly) demolished in 1970.

2. The date stamps.

The office was issued with three types of date stamp for use with telegraphs:

1. a one hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 12 April 1889 to
19 June 1894.

Size: 27.5 × 38 mm (e = 0.69).

Rated: RRR.

Used in blue on 20 October 1891 and in 1892.

Rated: RRRR.

2. a rubber oval POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp RO3-P&TO
   (not recorded by WWW).

Used: 2 November 1938 and 8 December 1951.

Size: 25 × 44 mm (e = 0.82).

Rated: RRRR.

Number recorded: 2.

3. a rubber oval POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RO1-P&TO)
   (not recorded by WWW).

Used: 17 March 1948 and 2 April 1948.

Size: 28 × 47 mm (0.80).

Rated: RRRR

Number recorded: 2
(the two examples shown here are the only ones recorded).
Provenance: Brian Sampson.

17 March 1948.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Railway Station about 1910. It was then reclassified as a Post Office about 1915 but reverted to a Telegraph Office about 1940. The Office was closed about 1966.

A circular date stamp (RC2-VR) with the letters V.R. at the base was issued to the office.

Used: 1 February 1955.

Diameter: 31 mm.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1 (only known example)

Located about half way between Omeo and Bairnsdale.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 10 September 1936. It closed on 31 August 1961.
No Post Office is recorded.

Briagolong.

Briagolong is about 20 miles north of Maffra. A Post Office was opened there on 1 May 1871 and a railway Branch was opened from Maffra in 1879.

The Maffra Spectator of 3 June 1890 reported that "The Postmaster-General has given his consent for a Post and Telegraph office at Briagolong in one building in place of existing arrangements".

The Report for 1890 confirmed the outcome.

Bruthen on the Tambo, North Gipps Land.

Magnificent engraving from a pen and pencil drawing printed in
The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil, 2 August 1879, p. 77.

The descriptive and insightful comment provided on page 72 is reproduced:

"The romantically-situated township of Bruthen stands on a lofty eminence overlooking the River Tambo, some 14 miles from the Gipps Land Lakes. The district around is devoted to pasture and agriculture and most of it is very mountainous and heavily timbered. Access to Bruthen is by horseback from Bairnsdale and the distance to Melbourne by road, steamer and railway is 246 miles. The population of the isolated little town numbers about 300 persons".

The Telegraph Office was opened on 29 May 1880 - perhaps two years after the engraving included above.

Image and details by courtesy of Brian Sampson of Bairnsdale.

Bruthen Post & Telegraph Office about 1920.

Compared to the previous image, the door in the middle of the building has been closed in with a window and a porch
has been added at the right following the original roof line. This work was probably completed well before 1903.

Bruthen Post & Telegraph Office - recent photo taken in 1968.

"We once had a postmaster, we now have a postmistress. Why is this thus? If over there was a country office that demanded the attention of a man, surely Bruthen is that office. I have no word but of praise for the lady who attends to our post and telegraph office, for she is attentive and obliging. But is it fair, is it in accord with the fitness of things, is it in obedience to that chivalry and shielding from harm that we profess towards frail women, that up to 10 o'clock and after on cold and stormy nights, and at five o'clock on bleak and stormy mornings, a woman should be expected to receive and deliver mails?

I should like the official in charge of the P.O. appointments to send a lady friend of his own this way, and I'll answer for her speedy removal to a more congenial atmosphere than a Bruthen fog at 10:30 p.m. or a Bruthen frost at 5 a.m".

Used in black: 3 April 1893 (only recorded date).

Size: Not seen complete.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

A Telegraph Office was opened in May 1885.

The Morgan family established a homestead near the Cann River in about 1879 after cutting their own 96 km track from Marlo to that locality. A Post Office was established at the Morgan homestead on 1 July 1890 as a number of settlers moved in the area. The Telegraph Office at Cann River was the second most easterly office behind Mallacoota East. It was established

Around 1900, a number of settlers began to establish themselves at a place about 9 km to the north and opened a store, a church and a school there. A Receiving Office was opened at the Cann River Settlement about 1902 and that service was upgraded to a Post Office on 1 July 1912 - soon after tenders were called in the Gazette of 4 May 1912 for the erection of a telephone line between Orbost and Cann River Settlement. The Office was renamed Noorinbee Post Office on 1 September 1913. It changed status to a Telegraph/Telephone Office on 19 February 1964 but closed on 22 December 1964.

The Rutherglen Sun of 4 May 1918 contained an article with observations from a traveller who had spent time in and around "Cann River - 120 miles from Bairnsdale, the land of maize, pigs and pumpkins ...The journey (to Bairnsdale) would take about two weeks until recently and now the railway extension to Orbost reduces the journey by 55 miles ... The speaker also spoke of the social conditions of the people living 120 miles from the nearest railway. 60 miles from the nearest telegraph and 60 miles from the nearest doctor who absolutely refused to go to the people and patients had to be brought in - sometimes with dire results. Yet the people were happy. Seldom seeing a stranger, the children were so shy that they would scatter like rabbits at the approach of any person not known to them.

The people were loyal to the church. On account of the mud in winter, it was impossible to walk many yards and the women would come to church on horseback carrying their babies on the front of the saddle. At one place he visited they had only had a minister three times in 100 years. At another place, when holding a service there, he was told on no account to take up a collection as there would be a free will offering; that was 80 miles from his home - 160 miles to hold the service; the free-will offering was 1s 6d.

At that place there were old men who had never seen a city, never seen a train and, although the sea was only 60 miles away, had never seen it. The manner of living was bad in the extreme".

The Cann River Office was issued with a T. O. date stamp. As changes were made to the date stamp, five formats were created.

1. the date line was often unclear.

Used: 22 October 1913 to 20 January 1922.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Cemsus: 4.

2. the first wheel of the date line was inverted.

Used: 26 September 1922 to 21 November 1922.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 0.

3. Date line corrected.

Used: 22 July 1924 to 10 April 1931.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5.

10 April 1931.

4. T. O. partially removed.

Used: 21 August 1933 to 2 January 1935.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

5. T.O. completely removed.

Used: 28 October 1935 to 3 October 1938.

Rated: R.

Number in the Census: 4.

Cann River with T.O. removed - on cover to Mount Albert.
1 February 1938.

Provenance: Gary Watson, James Johnstone.

The Post Office opened on 20 October 1890. The Office was reclassified as a Telegraph Office about 1936. The Office was closed on 31 August 1958 but the building was destroyed by fire in August 1959.

Glen Wills is about 29 km north west of Omeo.

No special date stamp for use with telegrams was issued to Glen Wills - the usual postal date stamp being used for telegram work. Indeed there are no known examples of a telegram bearing a Glen Wills date stamp.

The postal date stamp had VIC at the base
and 5 mm side arcs:

Used: October 1916 to 5 February 1937 (which is slightly into the Telegraph Office period).

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RR

 

Used: 8 February 1947 to 22 July 1957.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

Located NW of Omeo about 11 km before Harrietville.

Previous details show the office was opened only as a Telegraph Office from 1 September 1926 to about 1970. Given the first date stamp below, the office may have been opened as a Receiving Office - or the official date is incorrect.

No date stamp was issued expressly for telegrams but there are two formats for the postal date stamp used also on telegrams:

1. VIC. (with stop) at the base and with 5 mm side arcs:

Used: 23 May 1925 (in black).
Another example has been referenced (with no details) and claimed to be about 1930.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

2. VIC AUST at base and with 3 mm side arcs:

Used in violet: 12 July 1941.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

12 July 1941 - complete cover.

Lake Tyers opened as a Receiving Office in 1902 and was reclassified to a Post Office on 1 July 1927. It closed on 26 February 1971.

Lake Tyers is along the coast and north east of Lakes Entrance.

The Receiving Office was issued with a TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp.

Diameter: 27 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 5.

1. During the first years, the date was incomplete and only the year is visible.

Used in black: October 1915 to 1916.

Prestige July 2009 Lot 488.
Mossgreen July 2016 Lot 736.

2. Date now incorporates month but not day.

Used in black: December 1917.

3. Date complete in two lines, month first.

Used in black: ?? to 28 July 1926.

The Telegraph Office was opened as Cunninghame in October 1879. The Post Office had opened in February 1870.

On 17 July 1884, the Bairnsdale Advertiser displayed its disappointment at one staff member:

"If the telegraph station at the Lakes' Entrance is to be of any practical benefit and service to the shipping and commercial community, the speediest and most reliable news should be obtained from it. That the operator stationed there has been very neglectful respecting the manner in which he has discharged his duties has been apparent for a very long time, as complaints regarding his lapses have been made to us so frequently as to be perfectly nauseous. So proverbial have been his delinquencies of late that we have seldom taken the trouble to inspect the blackboard at the post-office for shipping information, but have in place thereof interviewed the captains of the steamers arriving froth the Entrance, from whom we have gathered later and more reliable intelligence than that transmitted by the operator. It is always a delicate matter to adversely criticise the conduct of a Government official, but when these serious complaints are so frequent, and no attempt is made by the officer to amend his ways, it becomes imperatively necessary that steps should be taken to bring the matter directly under the notice of the authorities, in order that that they will take the requisite course to have the existing unsatisfactory state of affairs rectified. That the operator may be disinclined to remain at such a secluded station as the one at the Entrance, may possibly be one explanation for his remissness, but are business people to be inconvenienced because the official is apathetic, or becomes negligent in order to court removal? We are certainly inclined to give a positive and emphatic negative to such an interrogation, holding an opinion that if an officer will not faithfully discharge his duties in one position he will be equally remiss if removed to another. At any rate the operator's sins of omission have become so unbearably frequent, that we feel it necessary to call upon the authorities to either compel him to be more attentive in the future, or else to replace him by an officer who will so discharge his duties as will enable trading circles to reap the advantages of telegraph communication with the Lakes' Entrance".

The region is now called Lakes Entrance after a name change in January 1915.

"The ex-Post and Telegraph master at Cunninghame, McGrath, who has been arrested on a charge of embezzlement, was brought before the Palmerston court on Thursday and remanded to appear at Bairnsdale next Tuesday. The accused is charged with appropriating 23s which should have been paid to Mr. F. Langston, storekeeper, of Bairnsdale" (Bairnsdale Advertiser 21 January 1886).

Used:??

Size: 31 × 51 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Lakes Entrance postal date stamp.

Used on a telegram: ??.

Diameter: 28 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

6 July 1922.

On 9d Kangaroo on Map on telegram piece.

Lakes Entrance:
Short date line, mm side arcs

Used on a telegram: 30 November 1962.

Diameter: 28 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RR.

Number in the Census: 1.

30 November 1962.
Used on AA-DO-13B

The Telegraph Office was opened on 26 July 1875. It was under the charge of Mrs. Macarthur.

The eastern most Telegraph Station in Victoria.

Established on 1 March 1928 when the Post Office at Mallacoota changed name. In the following year, the Post Office at Mallacoota East was reclassified as a Telegraph Office and it operated until closed on 31 January 1940.

Marlo is SE of Orbost. It is the place where the Snowy River flows into Bass Strait - having flowed past Orbost.

It was founded by James Stirling in 1875. A place of interesting development.

The Bairnsdale Advertiser of 28 June 1888 reported that "the Post and Telegraph department agreed that a telegraph office will be opened at Marlo provided a resident will provide an office and take charge, and a guarantee of £75 per annum be given by 3 or 5 persons". The same paper noted on 25 October 1888 that, at a meeting of the Tambo Shire Council on the 10th of that month "that guarantors in respect of the Marlo telegraph could not be obtained for so large an amount as £875. Cr Besley moved, Cr Cameron seconded, that consideration be postponed for one month". Significant change to the agreement amount.

The telephone line reached Marlo in 1923 and the first connection was in James Stirling's Marlo Hotel.

The post office opened as a Receiving Office in 1902 and was upgraded to a Post Office on 1 July 1927.

A TEL. OFFICE date stamp was used at Marlo.

Used: 2 July 1909 to 15 September 1922
(during the Receiving Office period) .

Diameter: 25.0 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 4.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 16 February 1953 and closed on 19 November 1966.

The Office was located 16 km NNE of Orbost.

Martin's Creek Postal date stamp.
7 July 1965 - used during the Telegraph Office period.

Diameter: 31 mm.
Rated RRR.

Gold was discovered at Omeo in 1854.

The Telegraph Office in Omeo opened in November 1879.

The magnificent DELAYED handstamp used at Omeo for a number of years is shown elsewhere.

Omeo Post & Telegraph Office about 1900.

Omeo in snow circa 1910.

1. Used in black: 22 October 1891 to 18 June 1894.

Size: 27 × 39 mm (e = 0.72).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 9.

24 October 1893.
On 9d apple green (1892 (printing).

The following story was reported in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser of 1 January 1884 (p. 2):

"Arrest of a Postmaster.

E. McDonald, late Post and Telegraph master at Omeo, was arrested under warrant on Thursday by Senior-Constable Mullane, and lodged in the lock-up. On Friday morning, before Messrs Easton and Rodgera, J.P.'s, he was charged with having, about November last; feloniously stolen and taken away £64, the property of the Postmaster-General of Victoria. Detective Lomax, reports the " Argus," asked for and obtained a remand until Friday, but did not oppose bail, which was allowed, the prisoner in his own surety of £100 and two others of £75 each".

On 16 October 1886, the Bairnsdale Advertiser reported "Efforts have been made from time to time to induce the Telegraph Department to extend telegraph communication to Orbost, and it is satisfactory to learn that there is every reason to anticipate an early compliance with this request. The members for the district, Messrs. A. McLean and A. Harris, have been communicated with and these gentlemen at once interested themselves in the matter with the result that the department have intimated the request has been favorably entertained and the necessary arrangements are at present in progress. The rapid development of the Snowy River district and the extensive settlement which has taken place there within the past two years, demand that there should be speedier communication between that locality and the centres and market places. Telegraphic communication to that place is an absolute necessity and we confidently predict that once the wires are stretched to that point, the result will prove that the expense was thoroughly warranted".

Gold was discovered on the McKenzie River near Orbost in 1889.

The telegraph line into Orbost was opened on 10 September 1888.

On 29 April 1893, the Snowy River Mail reported "From the Deputy Postmaster-General, through Mr H. Foster, M.L.A., with reference to a request that provision should be made on the estimates for a new Post and Telegraph office at Orbost, stating that in view of the policy of retrenchment the Postmaster-General regrets that he cannot provide for a new office on the estimates for the ensuing year".

The Snowy River Mail of 7 July 1910 noted the Gazette announcement that "Mr B. K. Lawrey, telegraph messenger at Orbost, has received notice of his appointment to the position of telegraph messenger at Heidelberg".

At a meeting of the Orbost Progress Association on 6 October 1891, amongst the correspondence received was "A letter from the Inspector of Nuisances, re the alleged insanitary condition of the town, asking the Association to furnish the names of persons offending as he had failed to discover any nuisances existing. — Received".

Paynesville.
East Gippsland.

Toonalook, an aboriginal name for place of many fish was the original name of Paynesville. Toonalook was renamed Paynesville in 1886. The Telegraph Office opened on 1 May 1885 as Toonalook and, along with the Post Office, changed name to Paynesville in 1886.

The Post Office had opened on 8 November 1879.

EXTENSION OF THE TELEGRAPH TO PAYNESVILLE.

A little over a week ago a public meeting was held at Paynesville to consider the advisability of taking steps to secure an extension of the telegraph line to the "fishing village." It was then decided that a deputation should visit Melbourne to wait upon the Postmaster-General. Accordingly, on last Thursday, a deputation of the fishermen of Paynesville and the fish salesmen of Melbourne, introduced by Mr. A. Harris, M.L.A., waited on the Acting Deputy Postmaster-General, in the absence of Mr. Berry, to ask that telegraphic communication be established between Paynesville and Bairnsdale, a distance of about 8 miles. It was pointed out by Mr. Harris that the want of telegraphic communication at Paynesville had seriously injured the interests of the fishermen there as also other residents of that place. It was impossible now to regulate the supplies of fish to the Melbourne markets - the result being that shipments sent there were frequently a total loss which was preventable if the department provided the accommodation asked for. To the fish-dealers in the city, the numerous visitors to Paynesville and to business people there and elsewhere, the want of telegraphic communication had been seriously felt. The construction of the line named would cost very little, while the office could be conducted at a small cost to the department. Mr. McGowan said he was very favorably impressed with the representations made to him. He would lay the petition presented and the views expressed before the Hon. the Postmaster General and inform Mr. Harris early".

At a community meeting on 12 September 1884, four citizens guaranteed a bond of £100 for five years. Also agreed was that "the site of both the Post and Telegraph Offices should be at the pier, that being the most suitable position for both. At the pier the general public and travellers would be equally well served and, in fact, the revenue from telegraph communication would mainly depend upon that site being selected, inasmuch as it would offer the greatest facilities for the receipt and despatch of messages".

On 21 March 1885, the Bairnsdale Advertiser reported "The residents of Paynesville and the travelling public are reasonably anxious to know when the telegraph wire between Bairnsdale and Paynesville will be utlised. It has been reported that an attempt has been made to shift the site of the Post and Telegraph office from the wharf to an allotment some distance away but a large petition against such alteration has been sent in. There can be no doubt that the wharf is the place for the office as it will best suit public convenience and that site will be most advantageous to the department from a point of revenue".

On 16 April 1885, the Bairnsdale Advertiser: "The following advertisement, which appears in the Melbourne papers, speaks for itself: " Wanted, about 1st May, a female telegraph operator for the department at Paynesville; one who can produce testimonials as to skill in telegraphy; reside and board on the premises. Apply by letter, stating terms, etc., to Mrs. M. E. W. Prosser, postmistress, Paynesville, Gippsland".

Stratford.

A Post Office was opened at Stratford on 1 May 1858. In 1871-72, the community argued for a Telegraph Office - on the one hand with the Postmaster-General and on the other between two town factions especially over where the office should be located. A critical issue was that most thought it inappropriate for the Telegraph Office to be conducted by a private business person.

On 7 November 1872, the Gippsland Times reported on yet another well-attended community meeting but one that was critical in resolving various issues. After long conversations:

1. The first resolution, proposed by Mr Frankenberg and seconded by Mr Lloyd, simply affirmed the desirability of a Post and Telegraph Office being established in Stratford, under the charge of an officer of the department, which was unanimously carried. In seconding this motion, Mr. Lloyd produced some correspondence which had taken place between himself and the Post-Office Secretary with reference to an offer made to erect suitable premises. The latter pointed out that the acceptance of this offer involved the withdrawal of the Post Office from its present position and asked whether Mr. Lloyd attached any condition with regard to the office of Postmaster which he now holds. His reply, under date May, 1871, was to the effect that he was quite willing to give up the office in the public interest without attaching any condition whatever.
2. A discussion then followed about location and it was thought that could be left to the Department to make but that would prolong the already drawn-out saga. Hence the proposal "that the southwest corner of Tyers and Dixon Streets, opposite Curran's Hotel be the most suitable and central position for the office". This motion was carried by an overwhelming majority of over 2 to 1".

On 13 February 1873, the Gippsland Times reported that "The building for the Post and Telegraph Offices in course of erection at Stratford is now nearly completed and adds an improved appearance to the part of the town in which it is situated. It is expected that the offices will be fit for use in about six weeks time. When in full working order, the telegraph will prove a great boon to the residents of Stratford and its neighbourhood".

The Telegraph Office was opened on 26 May 1873 under the charge of Mrs. Hodgson.

By November 1880, new deputations were asking the Minister for the erection of a (new) Post and Telegraph Office at Stratford, the present building being unfit for the requirements of the district".

A Telegraph Office at the Railway Station operated between about 1910 to about 1916.

About 40 kms NW from Bairnsdale.

A Post Office opened on 1 August 1885 and closed in September 1917. A Telephone Office opened on 31 August 1938 and closed on 31 August 1966.

Use: 31 August 1966.

Size: 31 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

The Post Office opened on 1 July 1927 and was reclassified to a Telegraph Office on 8 July 1945. It is just to the west of Cann River and east of Club Terrace.

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

1. T.O. Tonghi Creek.

Used in black: May 1913 to 28 August 1935.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RR.

2. T.O. Tonghi Creek.

Used in violet: 31 July 1934 to 3 January 1935.

Rated: RR.

3. T.O. removed.

Used in black: 30 July 1936 to 6 January 1968.

Rated: RR.

4. T.O. removed.

Used in violet: 6 January 1968.

Rated: RRRR.

 

South-east of Omeo.