Balla Balla.

Located on the coast about midway between Karatha and Port Hedland and about 20 km (13 miles) north of Whim Creek. There is no town there now - but there is Balla Balla Station (which would be known to happy campers and those who like to fish.

A Post and Telegraph Office was opened on 21 October 1897 but it closed (probably) in 1903. About a year after the Office had opened, a cyclone hit the area and most of the buildings in the town - including the P&T Office were destroyed. In 1902 another storm hit the area damaging the port area and raising sea levels to about the level of the township.

The area was, of course, very rich in minerals and especially gold.

Bamboo Creek is close to Marble Bar.

The Telegraph Office opened on 19 April 1895. Some announcements of this event added the following comment:

"Our Post and Telegraph master has been provided with wretched accommodation, His only quarters for private and public use being an 8 x 10 tent, pitched in an exposed place with no shelter of any kind and, when the south-east winds blow (and they blow hard and often at this period of the year), it is impossible to keep a light burning or even to do a bit of writing after the light has faded except under great difficulties. It is to be hoped that the P.M.G, will soon alter this state of affairs and give Mr. Searey, the Officer in Charge, a more fitted place in which to conduct official business".

A month later - hopefully in response to the above criticism, the Northern Public Opinion of 18 May 1895 reported "The telegraph tent has been taken down and the wire extended to Coppin's Hotel, where a room has been lent to the department for the Postal and Telegraphic business. This is a change for the better, but a proper building is very much required for the service".

In the Legislative Assembly on 4 July 1895:

Mr. Keep, in accordance with notice, asked the Premier:

1. If he were aware that the business of the Post and Telegraph Department at Bamboo Creek was at present being transacted and carried on in the back room of an Hotel.

2. Was it proposed to erect a Post and Telegraph Office and Quarters at Bamboo Creek, at an early date.

The PREMIER (Hon. Sir J. Forrest) replied, as follows:

1. Yes; there is no other place available.

2. Yes; as soon as possible". 

At least the locals cared about the situation. The Northern Public Opinion of 20 July commented that "A much more convenient site for the new telegraph office has also been pointed out to the Post Master and, if the suggestion is not acted upon, it will cause some dissatisfaction locally".

On 1 March 1901, the Colonial Post & Telegraph Office was downgraded to a Commonwealth Allowance Office.

Personnel:

March 1895: Mr. W. Seery, who had been assisting at Roebourne, was transferred to Marble Bar there to await the completion of the extension of the line to Bamboo Creek and then take charge of the station to which he was promoted.

1. RO2 - P&TO.

Used in violet: 23 December 1898 and 27 January 1900.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

23 December 1898.

27 January 1900.

2. RO6 - TO.

Used in violet: 30 (?) July 1897.

Size: 28 × 44 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Boodarrie.

Boodarrie is just south-west of Port Hedland. Although there is now no township, Boodarrie Station is about 20 kms south-west of Port Hedland. The station is owned by BHP.

A Telegraph Office was opened 17 August 1892 - during Tom Traine's time when he used Boodarrie as his base to ferry supplies to help establish business in Port Hedland. On 9 November 1897, the office was moved to Causeway Camp. That Telegraph Office was in turn was renamed Port Hedland in November 1898.

No telegraph or postal marking is known from either of the first two offices.

Personnel:

1892: Mr. C. J. Efford was transferred to be Lineman at Boodarrie haviing been Assistant and Lineman at Fortescue.

Condon.

The Port of Condon was established at the southern end of 80 mile Beach. Although there are several suggestions, the origins of its name are shrouded. By the 1860s, two homesteads were operating nearby:

• the De Grey Homestead;
• the Pardoo Homestead - established in the 1860s at Cape Keraudren and where the rabbit-proof fence finished in 1907.

The Port of Condon flourished from the mid-1860s because of the pearlers. When the pearling operations moved to Broome in the 1880s, the importance of the town began to decrease. When the mangroves were cleared from Port Hedland and that bay was developed into a Port, Condon quickly ebbed in size and importance.

Before the demise of the Port however, the Condon Telegraph Office was opened on 9 April 1889. Unfortunately, as the population of Condon was less than 10, both the Telegraph Office and the Post Office were closed in 1927. Nevertheless, the locals had already organised their own entertainment and the Condon races were apparently well attended (relatively) when they could be held. The starting fields for the 21 June 1893 Race Meeting are provided elsewhere. The weights and other general information were published at the end of May while the results of all races were published in the Western Mail of 1 July.

In June 1895, the Condon Telegraph Station was appointed as a polling place.

Personnel:

March 1890: Mr. A. Grosvenor was appointed Assistant Telegraph Station Master.

Used: 30 August 1898.

Size: 27 × 43 mm (e = 0.78)

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1 (first recorded June 2022).

No other special date stamp was issued to the Office for use with Telegraphs. Instead the usual postal date stamps would be used and these were in two formats:

1. Unframed with two side arcs on either side:

Diameter:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 0.

2. Framed with separation dots:

Used: 12 September 1908 to 29 July 1911.

Diameter: 21 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

Cossack was the port for Roebourne. It was originally called Tien Tsin.

The Telegraph Office was opened at the Post Office on 17 November 1885 at 8:00 am.

Real events: "Consequent upon the telegraph operator here being laid up with measles communication has been interrupted, the department being unable to supply the deficiency" (Western Mail 19 June 1886).

The Post Office had been opened in August 1876.

A Correspondent in Cossack noted in the Daily News of 29 April 1889 that: "It is a pity some suitable arrangement cannot be arrived at by the Postal and Telegraph department which would ensure the prompt delivery of telegrams on arrival here. Under the present state of affairs, owing to there being no messengers, messages are unavoidably detained until, through the courteousness of either of the officials, they are brought round and delivered in their spare time. Mr. Furlong, our obliging Postmaster, has made every exertion to procure a suitable messenger, but owing to the insufficient remuneration offered by the Government he has been unsuccessful in obtaining one".

Cossack Post & Telegraph Office about 1900.
The black sign hanging from the railing on the balcony on the corner is "Post and Telegraph Office".
This building would have been the result of Mr. Venn's decisions - see below.

Personnel:

Mr. E. J. Ryan was appointed as Post and Telegraph Master.

March 1895: Mr. Murphy, who had been relieving at Onslow, returned to Cossack.

1. a Telegraph Office (RO6-TO):
   Has separation stars between the upper and lower inscriptions.

Used in violet: 7 October 1898.

Size: 28 × 44 mm (e = 0,77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

2. a Post & Telegraph Office (RO6-P&TO):
   No separation marks.

Used in violet: 29 March 1902.

Size: 30 × 49 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Used in blue (possibly): 24 October 1908.

Size: 30 × 49 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

 

The ink colour is significantly faded.
It could be blue or a very faded violet.

Just to add a slightly irrelevant news item from The Herald of 26 June 1886:

"In our telegraphic columns a few weeks ago, we published a paragraph stating that the Cossack lighthouse had been burned down. No particulars were given, only the bare fact was mentioned, and the cause of the fire was left to conjecture.

We now find that an aboriginal bearing the euphonious name of Rain Sammy was the incendiary and that he set the lighthouse on fire while in a state of inebriation. He was charged at the Cossack Police Court with drunkenness and with being the cause of the conflagration and was cautioned and discharged on the first information and fined £5 to pay the damage to the lighthouse on the second. The fine was paid".

Clearly the telegraph office (opened 7 months previously) would not be reporting shipping movements for sometime - except for those ships close to the shore.

Fortescue.

The Telegraph Office is listed as opening on 17 November 1885 at 8:00 am. On 8 August 1884:

"Mr. McRae asked the Director of Public Works if it is intended to have a telegraph station at the Fortescue River, on the Northampton and Roebourne Telegraph line? He had received a letter from the settlers of that locality requesting him, if possible, to endeavour to secure this facility for them.

The Director of Public Works said that no provision had been made for a station at the Fortescue, but, should it in the future be deemed advisable to have a station there, one would be established".

It merged to become a Post & Telegraph Office in 1904.

On 10 September 1885, the vote for the Postal and Department was taken into consideration by the House and the following amendments were made after a discussion between the Colonial Secretary and the Postmaster-General: "... the salaries for the assistant telegraphist at the Fortescue £60 (a linesman was deemed to be unnecessary at Fortescue) and that of the native assistant £30 were struck out; the assistant telegraphist at the Ashburton was put down for £70 instead of £60".

In January 1894, the annual dangerous weather struck the WA coast again. "The P. M. G. received a further telegram from Fortescue Station yesterday stating that the river again ran a banker on Wednesday night. It rose rapidly during the night, a tremendous body of water coming down, showing heavy rain inland. The telegraph operator was in a state of great anxiety, fearing the building wouId be washed away".

Various newspapers (e.g. Bunbury Southern Times 16 February 1895) reported that the general Fortescue area was again struck with major rains in the first half of February 1895. Three telegraph poles and about 200 yards of wire washed away between Roebourne and Fortescue. The Perth Daily News (25 January 1895) reported that "heavy thunder storms occurred yesterday between Roebourne and Fortescue, and that at Lagrange Telegraph Station the lightening was so vivid the operator could not stop in the office last evening, having to keep his ground wire on".

The building was designed to house the Meterological recording Office also. As a letter to the Editor of The Western Australian describes the building as being totally unsuitable for the Telegraph Station on the Fortescue River.

In the Federal Election of March 1901, the Fortescue Telegraph Office was used as one of the Polling Places in the Swan Electorate.

Personnel:

1885: Mr. J. J. Lawrence appears to have been the first Telegraph Officer (Station Master) at Fortescue. He had previously been at Eucla. He arrived at Bunbury on 17 October 1885 aboard the Franklin to spend time with friends before boarding the Otway to proceed north.

1892: Mr. E. J. Hackett, Telegraph Cadet, was appointed as Telegraph Assistant and Lineman at Fortescue;

May 1894: Mr. E. A. Gratwick was appointed as Telegraph Master.

1. Unframed (steel) with double separation arcs at the base (Gouldner type 2b);

Diameter: 28 mm;

Rated: RRR.

2. Framed date stamp (rubber) - Gouldner type 3b.
   Has index number 1 at the top.

Diameter: 22 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Mallina.

Located about 20 km (13 miles) SE of Whim Creek. A Telegraph Office was opened there on 16 July 1896. It closed on 9 March 1899.

In June 1894, the Gazette reported that the tender to erect a Post and Telegraph Office at Marble Bar had been accepted from Wm. Britnall for £599 18s.

On Saturday 25 August 1894, a temporary Telegraph Office opened at Marble Bar "under the management of Mr. Biederman".

When the telegraph line to Marble Bar opened, one of the first messages sent to the Perth press indicated progress: "Broome has at last got a new gaol in which to confine malefactors." It was not as good a prison as Long Bay or Pentridge, for the first five native prisoners lodged in it escaped "in spite of every precaution".

On 8 September 1894, the Nor'West Times printed the following (which is repeated as printed - despite the discomfort Mr. Biederman must have suffered):

"The new Post and Telegraph Master arrived by the mail (sic) and, to the great delight of those obliged to send telegrams, normal rates now prevail. No-one grudged the contractors a fair additional charge for messages sent over their line from here to Condon, but it became too stiff when they charged double Melbourne and Sydney rates for prepaid wires to and from those places. The result naturally was that, those who had to send such telegrams, sent them by road to Condon whenever practicable. The material has arrived for the new Post and Telegraph office and the erection is proceeding as fast as could be expected considering skilled labour is not just now available".

In describing Marble Bar in 1895, the West Australian said: "The township of Marble Bar, distant as I said, two and a half miles from the river, is bifurcated by a small creek which rigidly divides the goats from the sheep. I mean, not knowing which are the goats and which the sheep, the official from the non-official portions of the community.

On the one side the police, the Warden and the Mining Registrar camp in primitive tents sheltered by spinifex. Temporarily the Telegraph and Postmaster and assistant live, and have their office, on the other side of the creek but their residence there among the oi polloi is but temporary and they will erelong rejoin the Brahmins of officialdom".

Further trials and tribulations were encountered by the Marble Bar(bear)ians early in their Telegraph Office days:

"The temporary Post and Telegraph Offices are delayed for want of screws and nails, which have been three times ordered, and have at last arrived at Cossack by the ill-fated Eddystone. The plans for the new offices — Warden's court, Registrar's and police quarters, cells and Post and Telegraph Offices, all under one roof - have arrived here at last and are of an elaborate description".

The Marble Offices.
Scanned from Souvenir of the Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone Departments of Western Australia, GPO Perth Christmas 1898.

Personnel:

August 1894: Mr. R. Biederman was appointed the first Post and Telegraph Master at Marble Bar having been transferred from Narrogin.

August 1894: R. J. Hardy was appointed as Telegraph Linesman at Marble Bar.

August 1894: Mr. L. N. Lane was appointed as Assistant.
Unfortunately, the Daily News reported on 29 October 1894:
"The Postmaster-General received information this morning of the death of Mr. Lane, the telegraph operator at Marble Bar, from fever. The description of the fever was not stated. Mr. Lane was only quite recently sent up to Marble Bar to take charge of the new telegraph office there. He had just come from Sydney".

June 1895: Mr. W. E. Edwrads was appointed Post and Telegraph Master.

July 1896: "Owing to the great increase of business, the Telegraph Department (at Marble Bar) has found it necessary to reinforce the staff on this field by the appointment of two operators — Mr. Geo. Ackland, who was intended for Bamboo Creek but who, for the present, has taken charge of Talga Talga which office was re-opened at 7 p.m. on the 1st inst, having been closed from May 26, consequent on the secretary's illness — and Mr. E. C. Elliott for the Bar". (Northern Public Opinion, 25 July 1896).

Used: 19 January 1900 and 6 February 1900.

Size: 30 × 49 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 3 separate pieces.

19 January 1900.

Block of 20.
19 January 1900.

Detail from columns 1 to 3.

Detail from columns 8 to 10.

Used: 12 Nov 1898 to 6 Nov 1899.

Size: 25 × 38 mm (e = 0.75).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

Newman is one of the main settlements in the Pilbara region. It was established by a BHP subsidiary in 1966.

The privately owned Mount Newman Railway carried iron ore to Port Hedland. On 21 June 2001, a train 7.353 km (4.569 mi) long, comprising 682 ore cars and eight locomotives made the Newman—Port Hedland trip. It is listed as the world's longest ever train. The usual ore trains are over 2 km long.

The Telegraph Office in Newman was a section of the Post Office which was opened on 1 February 1968.

Nullagine.

The Telegraph Office at Nullagine opened on 8 February 1897. The name comes from an old aboriginal name Ngullagine which was a nearbu river. The meaning of the name has been lost. That spelling was common in the newspapers in the 1890s.

It was "another isolated telegraph station. Nullagine was one of the golden camps of the early '90's and was described as having "gold all over the area".

Personnel:

January 1897: "Mr. C. McLarty, who has been a telegraph operator in the Roebourne office for nearly two years, left per the mail coach on Thursday for the Nullagine where be will act as Post and Telegraph Master. Mr. McLarty made many friends during his stay in Roebourne"
(Western Mail 28 January 1897).

1. a rubber oval TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO6 - TO).
   1 mm side arcs.

Used: 4 August 1897 - 10 September 1900.

Size: 27 × 43 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5 and 4 partial strikes.

2. a rubber oval POST & TELEGRAPH date stamp
   (RO6 - P&TO);

Used: 16 April 1899.

Size: 29 × 49 mm (e = 0.81).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.
Only recorded example.

Onslow (Ashburton).

A Post & Telegraph Office was opened in 26 October 1885 when Ashburton was renamed.

A Post Office had been established at Ashburton on August 1884 and reclassified as a Post & Telegraph Office on 28 July 1885 after the telegraph line had been completed to that stage.

The Office soon handled telegrams for places further north. The Daily Mail of 13 August 1885 "reminds our readers of the notice posted at the Telegraph Office to the effect that telegrams for Cossack and Roebourne, to be forwarded by horse-express from the Ashburton extension, will be received up till eight o'clock this (Thursday) evening".

Soon after his appointment, Mr. Venn (Commissioner of Railways) made a 57 day tour around Australia inspecting facilities. At Oslow, he inspected the Government buildings: "Mr. Venn fixed on a suitable site for the new police quarters and decided that the telegraph qnarters were very unfit for residence and that it was necessary to have operators' quarters built" (Western Mail 27 August 1892).

Onslow (submarine base) and Port Hedland were bombed by the Japanese forces during World War 2. It was also the service depot for the British atomic tests on Montebello Islands in the 1950s.

Personnel:

October 1885: Mr. J. Sinclair, Telegraph Station Master was transferred to Esperance to replace Mr. Carige.

March 1895: Mr. W. E. Oliver, was transferred from Hall's Creek to be Operator in Charge of Onslow. The previous incumbent had been Mr. J. Murphy who was relieved by Mr. W. Rigg. Mr. Murphy then returned to Cossack.

Port Hedland is one of the main settlements in the Pilbara region. The original Telegraph Office was opened about 10 miles (15 km) south east as Boodarie (Station) on 17 August 1892. The Gazette of 15 July 1892 noted Mr C. J. Efford had been appointed as a linesman at Boodarie.

In July 1897, it was proposed that the telegraph station at Boodarie be removed to Port Hedland. That office was first moved to Causeway Bay on 9 November 1897 - possibly as a temporary measure. Tenders were invited by the Works Department for the construction of a Post and Telegraph Office at Port Hedland in June 1898. That tender for the Post and Telegraph Office at Port Hedland was accepted in July 1898. The combined office opened on 28 November 1898.

The improvement was expected to be more convenient in view of the increasing importance of Port Hedland and the construction of a jetty at a cost of about £10,000.

Port Hedland is now the base for FMG operations. Boodarie Station is owned by BHP.

Four date stamps have been recorded as having been issued to Port Hedland for use with telegraphs. The first two issued had the rare TELEGRAPH STATION inscription.

1. Oval rubber date stamp (RO2 - TS) for P(or)T HEDLAND .
   The TELEGRAPH STATION inscription is itself rare -
   only one other oval Office date stamp incorporating these words (Laverton).

Used in violet: for about 8 months from 20 May 1899 and 11 December 1899.

Size: 25 × 41 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 8.
Other known dates are 23 May 1899, 7 August 1899, 28 August (all 50%), 27 November 1899 (Abacus April 2019),

2. A rubber oval date stamp (RO4 - TS). for Port Headland - but misspelling of the name by incorporating the letter "a".

Used in violet: 27 September 1904.

Size: 28 × 42 (e = 0.75).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in Census: 1
(only example known).

3. A rubber oval date stamp RO4 - TS. It has Hedland - Telegraph Station at the base.

Used in violet: 27 September 1904.

Size:

Rated: RRRRR.

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

4. A rubber oval date stamp with a Post & Telegraph Office inscription (RO2 - P&TO).

Used: about 1959.

Size:

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: ?

Postal date stamps were also used for telegraphic purposes.

The date stamp at the right might be considered to have been used to pay transmission charges although that use is almost certainly impossible for telegrams as the 1893 Post and Telegraph act allowed revenue stamps and postal stamps to be interchangeable only to an amount of 1/-.
That interchange ceased on 25 January 1901.

Roebourne was the first townsite in the Pilbara region to be gazetted - in 1866.

The Post Office opened on 1 August 1878 and it was upgraded to a combined Post & Telegraph Office on 1 October 1885 - it appears in only temporary premises.

The Western Australian of 27 October 1885 reported that "The line reached Roebourne on the 1st inst., and was opened for business the same day, under difficulties, as the operator had to send messages from under a verandah with the sun occasionally shining on him. He is now, however, working with the field instrument in a portion of the Post Office. No move has been made for the erection of a telegraph office".

On 9 January 1886, the Western Mail noted the implications of the on-going problem with accommodation for the Roebourne Telegraph Office: "The Quarter Sessions will be held on the 6th January -I don't know where - as the room hitherto used for the purpose is now occupied by the telegraph department. There are, at present, four cases for trial - two for manslaughter, and two for larceny".

But then - progress!! The Daily News of 11 February 1887 reported as follows:

"We have seen the plans of the projected Roebourne Post and Telegraph Office and officers quarters, tenders for the erection of which have been invited by the Government. The building will evidently be both substantial in construction and attractive in appearance. It will be surrounded with a verandah eight feet in width, while precautions have been taken to ensure the roof being strongly battened down in sections, so as to withstand the force of any 'willy-willy' that may occur. In most places people experience a difficulty in raising the wind to get a roof over their heads; but Roebourne is a popular illustration to the contrary, as there the great trouble the inhabitants have to cope with is to keep the roofs from being raised by the wind".

In August 1894, a Chess Club was formed in Roebourne.

The Coolgardie Miner of 22 January 1896 reported that "Resentment against the Public Service Departments is not confined to the Southern fields. Complaint is made from Roebourne that mails arriving from Cossack by train are detained at the terminus - which is half a mile from the Post Office - owing to the fact that there is no contractor for the conveyance from the terminus to the Post Office but instead, the postal authorities depend upon the prison authorities for the use of the horse and cart - which is known as the water cart - and, at this time of the year, is always busily engaged conveying water to the Government employees. Hence it is not compulsory for the said cart to be in waiting. Recently the mails were detained at the terminus for one hour and twenty five minutes".

On 26 January 1914, a Coastal Radio Wireless Station was established at Roebourne.

Roebourne Post & Telegraph Office about 1940.

Personnel:

October 1885: Mr. E. G. Carige was appointed as Telegraph Station Master and Postmaster at Roebourne on his transfer from being Telegraph Station Master at Esperance Bay.

Miss McRae was appointed as Postal and Telegraph Assistant.

Mr J. Stewart was appointed as Telegraph Linesman.

January 1891: Mr. W. Stewart (maybe W or J as his initial) was transferred as Linesman at Roebourne to be Linesman at Bunbury.

February 1894: Mr. F. Charles Harvey, Telegraph Operator at Roebourne died of Marsh Fever or Influenza at age 23.

March 1895: "The local post office is at present working short handed:

• Mr. R. Biederman was transferred to Hall's Creek.
• Mr. Rigg was transferred to Roebourne to replace Mr. Biederman.
• Mr. W. Seery, who had been assisting at Roebourne, was transferred to Marble Bar there to await the completion of the extension of the line to Bamboo Creek and then take charge of the station to which he was promoted.

One assistant has gone to Bamboo Creek in view of telegraphic communication to that place being opened shortly. Another assistant left by the s. Albany to take charge of the station at Hall's Creek. Consequently only the postmaster and one assistant are left to do the work at Roebourne" (Daily News 4 April 1895).

July 1895: A temporary alteration was made to the staff of the Roebourne telegraph office. Mr. S. Scott, assistant was transferred to the Fitzroy Station, West Kimberley, to relieve Mr. A. F. Cheek , Officer in Charge, and who assumed Mr. Scott's position at Roebourne.

January 1897: "Mr. C. McLarty, who has been a telegraph operator in the Roebourne office for nearly two years, left per the mail coach on Thursday for the Nullagine, where he will act as Post and Telegraph master. Mr. McLarty made many friends during his stay in Roebourne"
(West Australian, 29 January 1897).

Date stamps.

Two formats for date stamps issued to Roebourne for use with telegraphs may have been recorded:

1. An oval rubber POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO2 - P&TO).

Used in violet: 5 October 1898 - 1 August 1899.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 6.

1. (B) An oval rubber POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO2 - P&TO).

Used in blue: about 1898.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

2. An oval rubber date stamp (RO2 - P&TO).
   Unsure if the same as above as no details are available.

Used about 1910.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Roebourne.
16 March 1885 - just before upgrade.
Strike recorded during a 12 month period only.

Prestige Philately July 2009 Lot 633.

Located about 30 kms north of Marble Bar. The field was discovered in 1894.

The Northern Public Opinion of 2 November 1895 published that "at a public meeting held at Talga Talga, it was resolved to ask the Minister of Post and Telegraphs to place an operator there immediately and also to arrange for the Bamboo-Condon mail to call there regularly".

Official records indicate that a Telegraph Office was opened at Talga Talga on 27 April 1896. But wait - there's more!!!!!

"On Wednesday (29 April) a telegram was received in the city notifying the discovery of a rich specimen weighing 30 ozs., and containing fully 25 ozs. of gold, by Messrs. Lloyd and Bell in the Day Dawn and Monte Christo Gully, about half a mile from the Post Office at Talga Talga. This is the third rich nugget which has been found at this spot within the last month" (Western Mail 1 May 1896). So at least two of these nuggest were found in the period leading to the opening of the office.

The Office was closed on 11 November 1897. Little remains there today.

Personnel:

July 1896: Mr. Geo Ackland was placed in charge of the Talga Talga Office on a temporary assignment instead of taking up his assignment to Marble Bar. The Office had been closed from May 26 to 7 p.m. on 1 July "consequent on the secretary's illness".

It is one of the rarest of all Western Australian rubber oval date stamps.
It has not been recorded complete.

Used in violet: ??.

Size: ??.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Tambourah.

Tambourah is south of Port Hedland. It replaced Talga Talga.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 6 December 1897. It was, according to official records, reclassified as a Post & Telegraph Office on 1 July 1901 and was closed on 31 December 1903.

The date stamps here show that it was a Post & Telegraph Office by 6 September 1899.

Used in violet: 6 September 1899 -
19 April 1900..

Size: 26 × 42 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Used in blue: 6 February to 19 April 1900.

Claims are made that this datestamp was used in blue between 6 and 13 September 1899 only. Clearly these three examples are outside that range.

Size: 26 × 42 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

6 February 1900.

Complete strike in blue on reverse side of the cover shown below.

British & Foreign Marine Ins Co Limd envelope from London to "Tambourrah, NW, West Australia" on 8 December 1899.

Has a 2½d violet/blue franking, and a 'ROEBOURNE/JA27/00/W.A' transit date stamp. The exceptionally fine Tambourah oval P&TO oval date stampm in ble is the only recorded comp;ete strike.

Provenance:

Cecil Walkley.
Abacus Auction 254 Lot 3375.
Johnstone Collection.

Warrawoona.

Charles Kopeke (sometimes spelt Kopecke) is credited for discovering the gold reef in 1897 which ran for miles over the hills. He pegged a claim called Reward. Early reports described the whole region from Marble Bar to Nullagine as The Salgash Belt.

Salgash is a long forgotten goldfield about 20 kilometres south south-east of Marble Bar. The general impression is that the initial gold discoveries made on and near the surface were incredibly rich, but they didn't extend at depth to any great extent.

Salgash was also a town. A writer in 1899 stated it had two hotels, a bush telegraph office and little else - although one hundred men were working the surrounding goldfield at that time. In 1898, . Mining in the Salgash continues in the present through the exploration company Calidus.

A Telegraph Office had opened at Salgash on 1 August 1898. It was renamed on 22 September 1898 after the inhabitants of Salgash insisted the town's name be changed to the indigenous Warrawoona. On 10 August 1902, the office was downgraded to an Allowance Office.

Warrawoona is now the home of the Calidius Resources gold mining company. Calidius is an ASX listed company (CAI) with a market capitalisation (at the end of 2023) of about $125 million.

Used in violet: 23 September 1899.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.
Only recorded examples.

Western Shaw.

The Pilbara Goldfield News of 1 October 1897 reported :

"Our Tambourrah correspondent, writing on the 22nd ult., says: Today the material necessary to the erection of a Telegraph Station at Western Shaw arrived and, as the post holes have been completed for some time, it should not be long before we are in telegraphic touch with the rest of the world".

In November 1897, £500 was allocated in the Estimates for the Telegraph Office and quarters.

The Telegraph Office opened on 15 January 1898 - but closed after six months on 25 July 1898. Not surprising, no telegraph or post mark is known from the office. If only ....

Whim Creek.

A copper mine began operation at Whim Creek in 1872.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 15 October 1897.