Victoria:
Telegraph Offices in Gippsland from Dandenong to Sale.


 

The following Telegraph Offices are included on this page:

Berwick Brown Coal Buln Buln Bunyip Dandenong Drouin South
Glengarry Moe Morwell Nayook Noble Park Oakleigh
Pakenham Rosedale Sale Shady Creek Springvale The Ridge
Toongabbie Trafalgar. Trafalgar R.S Traralgon Walhalla Warragul
Warragul R.S. Waterloo Yarragon      

Telephone Offices in the region which also used T.O. date stamps but which were not Telegraph Offices include:

Taberabbera Yarragon South        
Berwick.

The Telegraph Office was opened in March 1873.

 
The office was issued with a circular rubber TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RC1-TO):

Used in violet: 23 August 1988 (only recorded date).

Size: 30.5 mm diameter.

Rated: RRRR.

Berwick 1988
23 August 1988.
(only recorded date).
Brown Coal Mine.

The Telegraph Office probably opened on 8 July 1918 at the same time as the Receiving Office was upgraded to a Post Office. The Receiving Office had opened on 3 September 1917.

The name Brown Coal Mine was changed to Yallourn North on 1 August 1917.

The office was destroyed by fire on 14 May 1934.

Brown Coal is about 5 km NE Yallourn.

A T.O. Brown Coal Mine date stamp was issued for use with telegraph business in two formats:
  1. with T.O before name;

Used: 25 February 1922, 13 November 1923, 12 February 1924 and 1 November 1930.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 4.


25 February 1922
(earliest recorded date).

1 November 1930
(latest recorded date).
  1. with T.O. removed (after the fire).

Used: 21 June 1934 to 28 April 1947.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: R.


30 May 1936.
 
Buln Buln (Brandy Creek near Whisky Creek).
West Gippsland.

Buln-buln is the aboriginal name for the Superb Lyrebird.

A Telegraph Office was opened in March 1877 at Brandy Creek - not too far from Whisky Creek.

As with most of the Gippsland region, Buln Buln was also the site of mining: "The Buln Buln Deep Lead Company still continues boring. The indications are considered favorable. Gold has been found in several places. The lowest depth they have yet attained is 52 feet but they have not yet succeeded in finding the deep lead which they expect to strike daily at a depth of 70 or 80 feet" (Ballarat Star, 17 October 1871).

The Argus of 5 January 1877 noted an important (and revealing) change in administrative arrangements:

"An application was made to the Treasurer yesterday by Mr. Mason, M.L.A., to appoint a receiver of revenue at Brandy Creek. He stated that land selectors and others were put to great inconvenience in consequence of having to pay their rents, etc, to the Receiver and paymaster at Melbourne. Sir James McCulloch promised to comply with the request as soon as telegraphic communication with Brandy Creek was established which will be in the course of two or three weeks".

The Warrugal Guardian of 4 October 1892 reported that:

"On and after Monday 10th inst., the Post, Telegraph, Money Order and Post-Office Savings Bank, formerly kept at Brandy Creek township, will be open for the general transaction of business, the same having been removed from Brandy Creek, where in future, or at least for a time, that township will be attended to by means of a loose-bag".

Mr. James Maginn, who has erected a commodious general store at Buln Buln, adjacent to the railway station, will, as in the past 17 years, act as Post and Telegraph Master, &c. The new position of those united offices is on all sides considered the most central and convenient to the inhabitants of the surrounding district. It is needless to state that Mr. James Maginn is one of the oldest inhabitants of Brandy Creek and Warragul district, and is therefore, much esteemed for his sterling good qualities. It is pleasing to note that the Buln Buln Post and Telegraph Office is now connected with the Warragul Office by wire and therefore with the outer world for the speedy transmission of messages".

  Buln 0ct 1898

Buln Buln.
24 October 1898.

Unframed date stamp
issued to the Post Office.

Bunyip.
West Gippsland.

Originally the settlement was called Buneep.

The Telegraph Office was opened at Bunyip as part of the Railway Circuit in November 1877. Renamed from Bunyip R.S. on 14 September 1903.

  Bunyip
Dandenong.

The Telegraph Office was opened in June 1871. The Post Office had opened on 1 July 1848.

 

The South Bourke and Mornington Journal of 10 December 1879 announced:

"In about another week, the new Post and Telegraph office at Dandenong will be finished. When the building was commenced, we gave a full description of it and the design has been substantially carried out. It will be a neat compact building consisting of six rooms altogether. Its appearance would certainly have been improved had it had three or four feet more of a front elevation as it stands on the low side of the road. We understand that a petition has been forwarded to the Postmaster-General signed by the bulk of the inhabitants, in favour of the offce of Postmaster and Telegraph operator being conferred on Mr. O. Dobson and we have no doubt it will be favourably entertained".

 

 

 

A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Dandenong Post & Telegraph Office.

Used in black: 24 February 1893 to 23 December 1893.

Size: 27 × 38.5 (e = 0.71).

Rated: RRR.


24 February 1893 (earliest recorded date).

A rubber oval POST OFFICE date stamp was used for telegraphic work.

Used on a telegram: 11 July 1958.

Size: 30 × 47 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated on a telegram: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.


11 July 1958.
Used on AA-DO-13A.
A Telegraph Office was also opened nearby at the Dandenong Railway Station about 1910 which was reclassified as a Post Office about 1915.
Drouin (Brandy Creek).
West Gippsland.

The Gippsland Times of 29 January 1879 reported that the January Meeting of the Buln Buln Shire Council had received correspondence from the Deputy Postmaster General stating that the matter of a Telegraph Office at Drouin was under consideration. On 18 February 1879, the Geelong Advertiser notified that a Telegraph and Money Order Office had been opened at Drouin.

Clearly this announcement was related only to a communication connection without a permanent building. In September 1880, the South Bourke and Mornington Journal reported: "Mr. Mason called the attention of the Commissioner of Public Works to the petition presented by a deputation from Drouin respecting the construction of a new Post and Telegraph Office and asked if he had made provision on his estimates for such offices? Mr Langridge replied that no provision had been made on the estimates for the erection of a new Post and Telegraph Office at Drouin".

The Post and Telegraph Office opened on 1 September 1881. The establishment was closed on 31 August 1973.

Drouin was formerly called Brandy Creek.

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

  1. The office at Drouin South was issued with a circular T.O. steel date stamp. This format was the first of five formats.

Used: 26 October 1915 to 20 January 1930.

Diameter: 28.5 mm with 4 mm and 3.5 mm side arcs.

Rated: RR.

 
  1. The T. O. was removed and the date stamp used from 24 February 1934 to 20 June 1935.
Rated: RR.
Drouin 1st remov
Date cannot be determined.
  1. The T.O. then became apparent from 24 March 1946 to 25 September 1952.

Rated: RR.

Reappear
13 September 1949.
  1. The T.O. was removed again and the date stamp used from 8 August 1955 to 20 August 1959.

Rated: RR.

 
  1. The date was then changed to a short date line using the nylon wheels and the date stamp used from 11 September 1959 to 31 August 1973.

Rated: RR.

 
Glengarry.
East Gippsland.

Located about 8 km NNE of Traralgon. It was originally La Trobe Railway Station but renamed Glengarry on 1 December 1884.

A Telegraph Office was opened about 1909 and closed about 1911. A Telegraph Office was then opened at the Railway Station on 11 August 1911. It was reclassified as a Post Office about 1915 and closed about 1916.

The office was issued with a T.O. Glengarry date stamp.

Used: 29 October 1920 to 7 February 1929.

Diameter 27 mm.

Rated RR.

Number in the Census: 5.


29 October 1920 (earliest recorded date).
 
18 October 1921.

20 September 1926.
Moe.

The Telegraph Office was opened in January 1877 and another office at the Railway Station opened in July 1878. A Post Office hade been opened on 17 March 1862.

The Gippsland Times of 3 April 1878 reported:

Through the unfortunate affair which occurred here recently, we have been deprived of the services of an electoral registrar - the want is badly felt and I believe that measures are being taken to have one appointed without delay. I am informed that it is the intention of the postal department to appoint a post-master or post-mistress at Moe, independent of the stationmaster, Mr Hayes who has, since the opening of the line, conducted the joint offices of post, telegraph and stationmaster. The traffic, passenger and goods, of the Moe station has increased so much of late that Mr Hayes has found his hands quite full. Indeed I am greatly surprised that he has so long retained the several posts and so efficiently, considering their extent, discharged the duties. Many efforts have been made to bring about the reinstatement of the young lady who acted as telegraph mistress here before the removal of the office to the railway and I think there is a probability of her appointment at or near the station".

Moe was often referred to as Westbury as the two places are only about 3 miles apart (5 kms).


Moe Post & Telegraph Office about 1890.

The office was issued with a one hole Belt and Buckle date stamp:

Used in blue: 10 August 1891.

Size: 27 × ??

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1
Only one partial example is recorded so no details are available.


10 August 1891.

Provenance: Freeman, Johnstone.

 
Morwell.

in 1875, a Post Office was opened in the town of Morwell altough a Post Office had served the general area from 1870 to 1873. The railway station was erected about 3 miles from the town centre with the station opening about 1877. A Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station in August 1879 although the Report for 1879 also indicates that telegraphic communication was extended to Morwell in 1879. It is not known what premises were used as a telegraph Office. Nevertheless, the Morwell Post & Telegraph Office needed replacement by 1882 as reflected in the following printed in the 23 August 1882 Gippsland Times:

"The present premises used by the Postal Department for the Morwell Post and Telegraph Office are very inadequate for the amount of business transacted here. I believe the Government made a promise to have more suitable buildings built and, if such be the case, I think our representative in the House, Mr. Mason, ought to be requested to move in the matter and get the building erected before the summer sets in".

Very soon after, the Warragul Guardian of 6 August 1889 reported that:

"The Postmaster-General has decided to accept Mr. Jno. Kelleher's offer of a site for a Post and Telegraph office at Morwell. As is usual, when the erection of new public buildings is difficulty. It is to be hoped, however, that the selection will give general satisfaction".

The Narracan Shire Advocate of 8 August 1891 reported that "Mr. F. M. Bale was awarded the contract in the sum of £1,499 for the erection of a new post and telegraph office at Morwell".


Morwell Post & Telegraph Office about 1910. Maybe that built by Mr. Bale.

The office was issued with a 1 hole Belt and Buckle date stamp:

Used in black: 1891 to 1893.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 0.

 

Used in blue: 18 February 1891.

Size: ??

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.


18 February 1891.
Only example recorded.

Nayook.

Situated in the Baw Baw region of Gippsland about 30 km north of Warragul and about 86 kms north east from Melbourne.

  • A Receiving Office opened in 1902 and closed in August 1903.
  • A Telegraph Office opened in 1949 and closed on 11 November 1950.
  • A Post Office opened on 9 February 1953 and closed on 30 June 1976.
No special date stamp was issued to Nayook for use in the short Telegraph Office period . The ordinary Post Office date stamp was used instead.

Used: 14 October 1949 - during the very short T.O. period.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.


14 October 1949.

Noble Park.

Noble Park is immediately west of Dandenong.

The Telegraph Office


The Office was issued with a rubber circular TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RC1-TO):

Used in violet: 11 October 1988 (only recorded date).

Diameter: 38 mm.

Rated: RRR.


11 October 1988
(possibly last day of operation).

Oakleigh.

The Telegraph Office was opened in September 1875.

A TELEGRAPH date stamp RC1 - T was issued to the office - probably in the 1980s.

Used in black: 11 April 1983.

Diameter: 38 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.


11 April 1983.

Packenham.

The Telegraph Office was opened in August 1877.

 

 

Rosedale.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 15 March 1867 (see Annual Report for 1867). A Post Office had opened on 8 February 1859.

On 25 March 1865, the Gippsland Times reprinted the following letter:

"Electric Telegraph Department,
Melbourne, 16th March, 1865.

"Sir, In reply to a petition signed by yourself and others, praying for the establishment of a telegraph station at Rosedale, I am directed by the Honourable the Chief Secretary to state that the prayer of the petition has been duly considered and that it has been decided to grant the request of the petioners by opening a station at Rosedale, the office to be placed under the charge of a line repairer capable of performing duty as telegraphist. When the amount required for the purpose may have been voted by the Legislature, steps will be taken to establish communication at Rosedale as early as possible.

I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant, S. W. McGOWAN".

Very soon after - on 9 June 1866 - the Gippsland Times reaffirmed the support of Rosedale's local community for the construction of the promised Telegraph Office especially considering "the instruments for Rosedale were reported to be ready (so) their speedy advent will be very welcome".

In a general summary of things in Rosedale in January 1867, the Gippsland Times concluded with "Crops are being still gathered in and look well. Bridge works progressing fast and the Telegraph Office still shut up". In another report, the same source reported "a rumour has spread that the Government do not intend to open (the Telegraph Office) at all. It is to be hoped that there is no foundation for such reports, as it would be a most flagrant violation of promise. We have, for the size and importance of our township, a right to receive the benefits of telegraphic communication with the rest of the colony. Many useless and vexatious journeys would be saved and which we looked forward to save by the beginning of the year. Still, the office is built, some of the implements are up and there is no sign. Our member can hardly be aware of this fact after the interest he has taken to get it established".

On 5 February 1867: ROSEDALE TELEGRAPH OFFICE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GIPPSLAND TIMES.

SIR,—Seeing the above question opened up, I take the liberty of writing a few lines about the same. Having made a good many enquiries. I find that, in May last, the Superintendent of Telegraphs paid a visit to Rosedale and put up at the Rosedale Hotel. Having described to the host and to the Postmaster the kind of building required, the one made an offer to do it for ten pounds a year rent and the other for fifty pounds a year. As the building was to be finished in six weeks, the sanguine gentleman commenced at once and wrote to the Superintendent to that effect but received no answer. A plan was sent, and a notification to the effect, that fourteen-inch walls were being built in lieu of nine-inch as first proposed, but still no answer came.

A gentleman holding a high position in Sale visited Rosedale and suggested the building should be double the size as one room would be required for the chemicals and stores and one for the office which would leave only one room vacant for the Telegraph Master to eat, drink and sleep in. Consequently another storey was added and the Superintendent again written to with the information that the building was just double the size first mentioned but the Government could have it at the same price - viz. fifty pounds per annum (two rooms of the building are now let at the rate of forty-five pounds ten shillings a year). The answer. furnished in ten days in May, was dated 6th September and to use the same words is: "In reply, I have to inform you that it has been decided to accept the offer of Mr. Cansick to provide the accommodation required, his terms being the most reasonable."

A building that cost over three hundred pounds for ten pounds a year rent may be considered reasonable by Mr. McGowan but a business man would say it was unreasonably low. For a man to go into such paying "specs" as that it would require something richer than Tubals, if that alone was the object But it seems the fifty pound man must not connect his building with a public-house but the ten pound a year man may erect his (most reasonable) building between his hotel stables. Of course this was objected to and two or more petitions sent in stating the injustice of connecting public offices with public houses. However, the answer to one petition was that Mr. McGowan says it is in no way connected with a public house, and allows the offices to be taken possession of and "the lease to be signed," according to "Traveller's" letter; and after it is too late to make any alteration, that gentleman will come and inspect the offices, so we may expect to see him in Gippsland no doubt by the Cup day".

The Gazette then announced on 5 April 1867 that "Mr. Samuel Baker to be line repairer in charge of Electric Telegraph and collector of imposts at Rosedale from the 9th March, 1867".

The Gippsland Times of 12 December 1868 noted "A report is current that it is contemplated at an early date to close the Telegraph Office at Rosedale, the cause assigned being that the office is not sufficiently remunerative and the necessity that exists for economising in the various departments of the civil service. Public convenience in Post and Telegraphic matters has generally been held paramount to any money consideration even where the loss in working has been somewhat large. The whole expense of the Rosedale office cannot be a very great deal more than would be paid to any country postmaster otherwise engaged in business at a place where there were a large number of cross mails to be attended to and made up. We would hope that the rumour may be incorrect but, should it be otherwise, it is a fine example of that system of government which drains all the resources of Gippsland to the advantage of other sections of the Victorian community and, by an uncalled for economy in a matter pertaining to the public good, causes a retrogression in the welfare of a township which it may take years to get over. The Rosedale people are not likely, however, to remain inert or Mr F. L. Smyth untroubled should this report prove true".

McGowan's Annual Report for the year ending December 1868 showed that Revenue in 1867 had been £111 3s 3d and for 1868 £88 10s 5d a decrease of about 20%.

Certainly things improved - in 1880, the Rosedale Office transmitted 2,049 messages with an increase in revenue to £84 4s 2d.

No Belt & Buckle date stamp nor a Telegraph Office-type date stamp was ever issued to the Rosedale Telegraph Office.

An extraordinary survivor: an ad hoc transmission form (probably created at Green Ponds given its companion forms when acquired) for a pre-paid message sent to Rosedale, Gippsland, Victoria.
There is unfortunately no date but it may have been sent about 1880.

Sale.

The first line to Sale was completed before any consideration had been given to the construction of a Telegraph Office. The Gippsland Times of 2 September 1864 reported that "For the remainder of this year (1864) we believe that the business of the Telegraph and Post Offices will be conducted in the new building just finished and intended for offices of various branches of the Government service, as there was no money placed on the estimates of last year for the purpose of erecting a Telegraph or Post Office. That omission, however, will be rectified at the first meeting of Parliament for fiscal business, and the building proceed with immediately after". So easy to forget the small details - like the Office!!!!

A Telegraph Office at Sale opened on 22 September 1864.

Cash Revenue from telegrams at Sale was about £527 (in 1867) and £410 (in 1868 during the Depression) which was the greatest amount in each year after the Revenue for the CTO, Ballarat, Geelong and Sandhurst.

Personnel:

1864, Mr. Collier was the Postmaster and Manager of the Sale Telegraph Office.

July 1886: Mr. J. Coverdale, who had occupied the position of Post and Telegraph Master at Sale for the past 17 years, received instructions to proceed to the Castlemaine office.

Mr Thwaites, the Post Master at Belfast succeeded Mr. Coverdale.

Sale

The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. The existence of this Belt & Buckle date stamp was only established in 2017.

Use: 2 December 1887.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1 (only recorded example).


2 December (18)87.
Shady Creek.
West Gippsland.

The Telegraph Office opened in January 1871.

Fro 21 January 1871, Mr Samuel Hodder (formerly of Sale) was gazetted manager of Electric Telegraphs, Collector of Imposts and Post-master at Shady Creek.

The Ballarat Star of 23 January 1871 announced the opening as follows: "A telegraph-office is now open for business at Shady Creek, Gipps Land. Messages are to be received only on condition that they are to be called for at the telegraph office, Shady Creek".

The Geelong Advertiser of 3 February followed up that announcement with "A rather novel notice appears in last the Government Gazette in reference to a place bearing the euphonious and romantic name of Shady Creek. It appears that a telegraph station has been established there which "will be available to the public for the despatch and receipt of telegraphic messages when the line repairer in charge is not engaged upon out-door duties". The only creek we know called "Shady" is an auriferous one in the very wildest part of Gipps Land where it flows into the Tambo River about twenty-five miles above Sarsfield and we feel inclined to think that the line-repairer in charge will have plenty of time on his hands for out-door exercise".

During the first year of operation, 442 messages were transmitted with revenue of £24 12s 10d - reflecting why the Government sought guarantees for the smaller offices. In 1876, 781 messages were transmitted for a revenue of £35 13s - an increase of 17s over that for 1875.

The Office closed in March 1877.

Springvale.

The Office was renamed from Springvale Railway Station Post Office on 20 October 1902. That Office had in turn been established on 1 February 1887.

A Telegraph Office was also established at the Railway Station about 1910 but it was closed as a separate office in February 1916.

An oval Telegraph Section (RO-TS2) was issued to the office.

Used: 16 February 1976.

Size: 31 × 49 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Although the words are indistinct, the inscription SECTION not OFFICE has been used because of the later inscription below and because the word following TELEGRAPH appears to be longer than 6 letters.

No reference to this date stamp can be found elsewhere.


16 February 1976.
Used on AA-DO-13D.

A circular date stamp inscribed TELEGRAPH SECTION was issued to the Office during the 1980s.

Format: RC1-TS.
Diameter: 38mm.

The Postal Section of the Office had a similar date stamp (43 mm in diameter) with the top inscription being POST OFFICE.

The Ridge.

Located south-west of Bairnsdale.

A Telegraph Office opened at The Ridge in April 1923 when the Post Office, which had been opened on 7 November 1919, was changed in status.

The Office closed on 31 May 1958.

No special date stamp for use with telegrams was issued to the Office - the usual postal date stamp being used:

PM
Detail of the date stamp on the cover at the right during the T.O. period.

Used: 2 July 1951 (same date on covers).

Size: 29 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

Cover

Toongabbie.

The Telegraph line was extended to Toongabbie in May 1878.

In 1880, 596 messages were transmitted and in 1882, 966 messages were transmitted. It appears as if the Telegraph Office was transferred to the Railway Station in 1893. In the Report for the Year 1884, it is recorded that the Railway Office at Toongabbie transmitted 626 messages - as well as the closing of the Telegraph Office at Toongabbie. The Railway Station is still listed in the Report for 1887 with 1,543 transmitted and 1,30 received. Looks like the Office lived to fight another day!!! Maybe not for much longer becaise the 1890 Report shows 50 messages transmitted and 32 received with telegraphic revenue totalling £1 11s 1d.

   
Trafalgar.
West Gippsland.

Little is known of this Telegraph Office except it was opened in October 1883 (reported in the Kilmore Free Press (p. 2) of 18 October 1883).

A Post Office had been opened on 2 June 1879. It operated until 1 June 1994 when it became a Licensed Post Office.


Main Street in Trafalgar in 1934.

John Hanley (of Trafalgar) has kindly provided copies of Australia Post records showing the Trafalgar office transmitted telegrams from 1883 to 1891.

In the records, there are also two telegrams sent from Trafalgar to Melbourne on 9 June 1910 and on 26 June 1924.

Year No transmitted
1883 101
1884 383
1885 522
1886 704
1887 765
1888 764
1889 609
1890 605

1891

594

As no special date stamp was issued to Trafalgar for use with telegraph work, the usual postal date stamp (SC1-T) was used on telegrams.

Used (on a telegram): 28 May 1957.

Diameter: 31 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RR.

Number on the Census: 1.


28 May 1957.
Used on AW-GS-54A.

Trafalgar Railway Station.

A Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway station about 1910. It was closed about 1916.

Traralgon.

A new Telegraph Office was opened at Traralgon in May 1875 - it is not known where.

On 27 July 1882, "a deputation of Traralgon residents met the Postmaster-General and requested that a post and telegraph office should be erected at Traralgon. Mr. Bolton replied that as this year's estimates had now been placed before Parliament he could not accede to the request, so far as regards this year, but he would consider it favourably, and, if possible, place a vote for the post and telegraph office on next year's estimates." The Argus.


Traralgon Post and Telegraph Office - from a postcard.

A subsequent deputation in April 1884 met with Mr. Berry, in his capacity of Postmaster-General

"and again urged the claims of Traralgon for a Post and Telegraph office. Mr. Berry recognised the claims, and gave a definite promise that a building, to cost from £1200 to £1500, would be erected".

In April 1885:

From Mr. F. C. Mason, MLA, forwarding a communication received by him from the Post Office and Telegraph Department, in reference to the erection of a post and telegraph office and court-house at Traralgon, stating that steps had been taken to have a post and telegraph office only erected with the least possible delay, at a cost of £1500.

On 18 November 1885:

The Public Works Department invites tenders for the erection of public offices at Traralgon, including post and telegraph office, a court house and a receipt and pay office.

The Traralgon Record of 6 November 1891 noted that

"the Public Works department had advised that the drawings and specifications were being prepared for the clock for the tower of the post and telegraph office, Traralgon, and it was anticipated tenders will be invited in two or three weeks".

For a report on a Telegraphic Money Order fraud see elsewhere.

A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was used at Traralgon;

Used in black: 26 October 1887 to 23 December 1893.

Size: 28 × 38.5 mm (e = 0.69).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5.


13 September 1889.

10 September 1893.
The 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp for Traralgon used in conjunction with a unframed TRARALGON/326 duplex.
Franking is a 2d mauve vertical pair and a 6d ultraarine..
The cover was sent to England - one of eight Belt & Buckle date stamps on cover sent to an international destination.
Provenance: Dubois Collection, Corinphila Sale 332, June 2024, Lot 40377.


The 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp used in black on a wrapper on
8 December 1893 from Traralgon to Melbourne.

Walhalla.

A Post Office was opened at Stringer's Creek on 22 August 1864. It was renamed Walhalla on 25 March 1868.

The Telegraph Office opened in November 1870.

Tenders were called at the end of January 1885 for the erection of a new Post and Telegraph Office.

The Telegraph Office was a guaranteed office and details of the bond are given in the McGowan Report for 1867 (p. 5).

Walhalla town
Walhalla township about 1916.
A 2 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Office.
Regarded as being one of the rarest Belt & Buckle datestamps.

Used in black: 11 July 1888, 26 June 1889 and
on 29 May 1893.

Size: Not known complete.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.


11 July 1888.

26 June 1889.
  Walhalla 1893
29 May 1893.
 
Warragul.
West Gippsland.

The Telegraph Office opened in June 1881.

The Advocate of 15 July 1893 reported that "At the Warragul police court on Tuesday, Charles McShane, lately a telegraph operator in the local office, was charged with embezzling the sum of £11 15s. on 24th December last, this amount having been handed to him by a young woman named Rachel Carmody to place in the Post Office Savings Bank. The bench committed accused for trial at the next Court of General Sessions to be held in Warragul on 9th August. Bail was allowed in £100, and one approved surety in £100".


The Warragul Post and Telegraph Office - maybe be taken just before the telegraph was connected.

The earliest evidence of the operation of the Warragul Telegraph Office is a
telegram transmission form (VC-TO-7B) used at Richmond Telegraph Office for a message
sent to Warragul on 6 September 1882.


VC-TO-7C: Transmission form used for a telegram to be sent from Richmond to Warrigul - 6 September 1882.

Date stamps:

The Office was only issued with one format of date stamp for use with telegraph work -
a 1 hole Belt and Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 26 July 1889 to 8 April 1893.

Size: 28 × 39 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 9.



10 April 1890 (on a letter card).
Note: day and month are reversed.
Only recorded example.


16 October 1889.

8 April 1893.


Complete wrapper sent to Professor Hollows in London. England on 26 July 1889.
This is one of eight covers with a Belt & Buckle date stamp sent to an international destination.



26 July 1889 (earliest recorded date).

Compete wrapper sent to Gordon & Gotch in Melbourne with the Warragul Belt & Buckle date stamp of 26 July 1889 (detail at left).

Warragul 1893
13 January 1893 (latest recorded date).

Compete wrapper sent to Gordon & Gotch in Melbourne with the Warragul Belt & Buckle date stamp of 13 January 1893
(detail at left).
  1. Used in blue: 9 July 1890 to 9 February 1892.

    Size: 27 ½ × 38 mm (e = 0.69).

    Rated: RR.

    Number in the Census: 1.

    Rated: RRRRR.


9 July 1890.

Warragul blue cover
9 July 1890.
Stamps have been torn from the upper part of this cover.
It has a blue rectangular REGISTERED hand stamp and
an UNCLAIMED AT YINNAR in black.

Railway Station.

A Telegraph Office had been opened at the Warragul Railway Station in March 1878.
Premier Auctions notes it opened in 1910 and closed in 1970.

A circular TELEGRAPH V.R. date stamp (RC2-T VR) was issued to the Office:

Used: 1 February 1955.

Diameter: 35 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.



Warragul RS
1 February 1955.
Yarragon (formerly Waterloo).
West Gippsland.

There is a complication here - there are two towns with telegraph offices in Victoria named Waterloo:

  • one on the Horsham line near Beaufort and south east of Ararat;
  • another in Gippsland east of Warragul along the northern side of the Strzlecki Ranges.

A Post Office was opened at Waterloo (Gippsland) in October 1878 and a Telegraph Office opened in January 1880. The Office then changed name on 20 December 1883 to Yarragon. The Report for 1887 lists a Telegraph Office opening in conjunction with the Post Office at Waterloo - this office would then be the one near Beaufort.

John Hanley of Trafalgar has copies of Australia Post records showing telegraph usage from 1879 (624) to 1891 (1152). Further research is needed.

A Telegram Office at the Yarragon Railway Station may have opened in 1889 - 30 telegrams were transmitted in 1889 with 72 transmitted and 47 received in 1890.

telegrams reported as being transmitted from Waterloo: 622 telegs sent in 1881, 792 in 1882, 343 sent and 323 received in 1887, 461 sent in 1889, 524 sent in 1890.

From Yarragon: 603 were transmitted in 1884, 1682 in 1887, 1658 in 1889 and 1808 in 1890.

 

Yarragon South (telephone office).

This office was located about 5-6 km south of Yarragon.

A Telephone Office was opened on 22 December 1953 and it closed on 18 April 1966.

John Hanley of Trafalgar (who has intimate knowledge of the situation)confirmss that the Yarragon South Office only operated as a telephone exchange and was never a Telegraph Office.

A date stamp with the letters T.O. in the upper inscription is known and shown to the right. It is dated six months before the telephone office opened and must therefore be a proof of the date stamp. It is included here as an example that the letters T.O. are ambiguous especially when they have later dates (see also Tabberabbera above).

Use (in relation to telephones): 29 June 1953.

Diameter: 31 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Yarragon Sth
29 June 1953.

Comments on Gippsland and the structures which are built must always be placed in the context of the dreadful bush fires which continually ravage the region. Year after year, dreadful stories emerge - even the fires of 7 February 2009 which were the worst in Australia's history:

It was the eighth deadliest bushfire/wildfire event in recorded history.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on 5 February 1898 about the fires which were burning then:

"The bush fires now raging in Victoria have reached a record of destruction unprecedented in the history of that colony. The heat on Tuesday attained a point without parallel and from all parts of the forest country, but particularly from Gippsland come thrilling accounts of the ravages of the fires. The settlers outside the towns in these districts have been in most cases hopelessly burnt out, and we got on all sides descriptions of fire-blasted tracts of country and forests ablaze in all directions.

The towns themselves are threatened and in some cases partially destroyed. Drouin, for instance, is beleagured by a circle of flame, South Warragul is surrounded, the labour colony at Leongatha has been devastated, and at Korumburra, Traralgon and other places, hundreds of men assisted by their women-folk have been hard at work fighting back the flames from taking complete possession of these centres of settlement. The vast scale and destructiveness of these fires we have already described but the most thrilling part of the story is that which relates to the perils of men, women and children, and the hardy heroism of the fire-fighters who have thus been suddenly called upon to defend themselves and their possessions against an enemy more destructive and pitiless than war itself.

We have accustomed ourselves to think of the older settled colonies as having progressed beyond the stage of those pioneer perils and difficulties associated with the early struggles of Australian colonisation of which "Black Thursday" is the historic typo. But "Black Thursday" itself has been eclipsed by the havoc now going on and it is well within the truth to say that at no time since Australia has been the home of white men has the story of settlement been illustrated by more stirring incidents of peril, of struggle and of disaster.

The one relieving feature of the situation as it is disclosed by the accounts which have reached us is suggested by the manly qualities of self-sacrificing courage and mutual help which these extraordinary circumstances have called forth".


web counter