South Australia - Colonial period: 1855 - 1900.
Telegraph lines in the Mount Pleasant - Strathalbyn - Wellington region.

After a short period to ensure the connections both south-east to Victoria and north-east to Gawler became fully operational - as well as to enable planning future strategies within an increasingly difficult Budget situation - considerable construction activity began in 1859-1860.

In the immediate vicinity of Adelaide, major initiatives were implemented to construct lines to the north and north-east and to the south-east to access population centres and to construct additional lines to Victoria.

The possible routes to reach the Murray were:

In this region to the east of Adelaide, four main lines were identified:

 

 

This map extends north to the Barossa.

  
This map extends south-west to Cape Jervis. This map extends south-east across the 90 mile desert to Border Town.

The start of this region

On Thursday 24 September 1857, a petition was presented requesting the Governor to place on the Estimates a sum sufficient for a telegraph line to Mount Barker - either direct from Adelaide or by connecting it with the Melbourne line by way of Strathalbyn. A telegraph line was rapidly constructed from Adelaide through Hahndorf and Mount Barker then on to both Strathalbyn and Nairne. Telegraph Offices were opened on 31 May 1860 at Mount Barker, 29 June 1860 at Strathalbyn and in 1860 at Nairne. Hahndorf did not have a Telegraph Station until 1864.

Much later - on 17 February 1886, Mr Knuckey started to peg out a second telegraph line to Nairne along the route followed by the railway line. It was anticipated that work would take about six months.

Lines to the north to Mount Pleasant.

After the first line to Mount Gambier and Nairne had been completed in 1860, a branch line was immediately constructed from Mount Barker north to Woodside (although no Telegraph Office was built - the Office just operated from the general store). Slowly the line went further north to Gumeracha (1862) with reports that the line of telegraph from Woodside to Gumeracha had been completed in mid May 1862. The tasks of stretching the line and checking it to be in working order still remained to be completed. Lobethal was incorporated on the line in 1864.

A second line was constructed to link from Adelaide east to Gumeracha via Tea Tree Gully - tenders being called in January 1862 for the provision of poles and wires. Gumeracha was at the centre of considerable gold-mining with frequent reports of good size nuggets being found. Indeed one prospector had claimed that he had sunk a 120 foot (36.56 m) shaft at Gumeracha. Yet another line was erected to Gumeracha in 1887.

In 1867, the line branched from Gumeracha to the east then north-east with Telegraph Offices opening at Blumberg and Mount Pleasant and at Mount Torrens (from Blumberg). In the 1866 Estimates, £1,200 had been allocated for "a branch line" to Mount Pleasant.

In July 1867 a very severe storm hit the area causing damage to roads and damage to works in progress to the telegraph line being constructed from Mount Torrens to Woodside. It also stopped all telegraphic communications between Mount Pleasant, Blumberg and Adelaide.

The line to Mannum.

The line to Mannum from Blumberg was completed on 17 December 1872. The Mannum link was important because the shipbuilding was a critical industry in Mannum. The South Australian Advertiser of 15 January 1873 described the final stages of construction in the following terms:

"The extension of the telegraph wire to Mannum will supply a desideratum which has long been felt at this Murray River port. The line has been erected in a very substantial manner and its utility to the public is only now impeded by the incompleteness of the telegraph station at Mannum. This building, however, is fast approaching completion and it is expected that telegraphic communication will be opened with Mannum this week or next as a special effort is being made to finish the operator's room at the earliest possible moment". (Ed: relative time references are not relevant in news articles delayed in publishing.)

The Mannum Telegraph Office was opened on 3 February 1873.

In later years, the importance of Mannum decreased because of the construction of the railway to Murray Bridge in the south and to Blanchetown in the north.

As the line to Mannum was finished in early 1873, the inhabitants of Palmer were eager to have communication by telegraph extended to their district as soon as possible. It was hoped that both connections would be completed by Christmas. Unfortunately the connection to the Telegraph Office in Palmer was not completed until February 1873.

The line to Murray Bridge:

From Nairne, the basis for two lines to the east of Adelaide was established - one line would proceed to Murray Bridge and the other line would proceed to Wellington. Although the distance between these places is relatively short (about 20 miles of 32 kms), they each enabled a number of developing areas along the busy Murray River to be served by telegraph.

In the mid-1860s, the line from Mount Barker to Kanmantoo and Callington was estimated to cost £1,100. On 1 August 1867, petitions were presented for this extension line to Kanmantoo and Callington to be constructed. There were copper deposits at both places. Mining had started at Kanmantoo in January 1846 and was continuing (after copper prices increased). The Callington mines were exhausted by the mid 1870s. In the Legislative Council on 26 June 1872 - and on 4 October and again in 1873 - questions were yet again raised about the possibility of constructing a telegraph line between Nairne and Callington. The Treasurer committed to having a report on the cost before the 1873 Estimates were considered.

There was just one problem with this design - the line did pass through Kanmantoo but it did not connect with a Telegraph Office!! Hence the South Australian Advertiser of 31 July 1874 reported that "The people of Kanmantoo are anxious to have a telegraph station. It would be a great convenience and it is said it would involve little cost as the wires now pass the Post Office and the expense connected with management would be only trifling".

On 28 September 1878, the South Australian Chronicle reported that "At a meeting held at the Meadows on Thursday, September 19, it was resolved to memorialise the Government to continue the telegraph line to the Meadows from Clarendon, Echunga or Macclesfield. Messrs. C.H. T. Connor, W. Hall, G. Dunn, and J. Thorpe, with the members for the district, were appointed a deputation to wait on the Minister of Education and present the memorial". Other suggestions called for the telegraph line to Meadows to be constructed from Strathalbyn.

On 9 October 1878, the Deputation presented the Chief Secretary with the memorial

"showing that the Meadows was 10 miles from Clarendon where it was proposed to construct a line, six miles from Echunga and four miles from Macclesfield where stations existed. Hence there were no difficulties in the way nor would the cost be very great. It was urged that the Meadows was the centre of a large district, that it possessed two saw-mills, a flour mill and other industries which gave it a fair claim to the consideration of the Government. It was also pointed out that in all probability, a line to the Meadows would form the first installment of a direct line to Goolwa. The Chief Secretary promised to obtain a full report from Mr. Todd and to bring the matter under the consideration of his colleagues".

On 3 October 1884, the Mount Barker Courier carried a report of a serious accident to a number of workers in a railway cutting near Rocky Gully (outside Murray Bridge). Doctors were called from Callington and Murray Bridge by telegraph. "The circumstances attending this accident afford additional evidence of the necessity for providing telegraphic communication between Callington and the Murray Bridge, where for the next two years heavy earthworks will be in course of construction. As there is no medical man nearer than Mount Barker, it is important that facilities should be given for speedily requisitioning his services in cases of emergency like the present".

Lines were extended beyond Murray Bridge while the Railway was being constructed. The first main destination was Tailem Bend. Although a normal telegraph line was not constructed to Tailem Bend, pressure was exerted on the Government from about 1910 to extend telegraphic communication east to Pinnaroo on the border with Victoria as well as to the north-east to Paringa and Renmark. No Telegraph Office was opened at Pinnaroo except that at the Railway Station. However, in March 1911, the Telegraph Office at the Railway Station was relocated to the Post Office.

On 30 May 1885, the South Australian Chronicle reported that "The telegraph department have laid a wire up to the township and we expect as soon as the temporary offices are erected to have the long-promised telegraphic facilities".

The line to Wellington.

The South Australian Register of 24 September 1858 reported that £ 5,000 had been allocated in the Estimates for the construction of a telegraph line from Adelaide to Goolwa through Mount Barker, Macclesfield and Strathalbyn. The estimate cost of the work was £90 per mile. The objective of going from Strathalbyn to Goolwa was twofold:

  1. the probabilities of a tramway being carried from Goolwa to Strathalbyn; and
  2. the great ease with which that line could be constructed from Mount Barker to form a section of an alternative circuit to the No. 1 line to Victoria.

Mr. Milne noted in the House that he did not see any propriety in going to the Goolwa from Strathalbyn and Mount Barker. They already had a line to the Goolwa.

On 29 June 1859, the Government intimated in the House that they did not at present intend to accommodate Macclesfield and Echunga with telegraphic communication.

Starting at the branch in the railway line between Mount Barker and Nairne, the telegraph line was immediately constructed in a longer run to Strathalbyn. The Telegraph Office at Strathalbyn was opened on 29 June 1860 - only about a month after the Telegraph Office had opened at Mount Barker on 31 May 1860 (so quick construction). In 1863, the line was extended to Wellington with two intermediate Telegraph Stations opening in 1866:

The line via Strathalbyn was also part of Todd's master plan for the telegraphic network to ensure there were back-up lines to support the main routes. Todd noted, in the 1866 Public Works Annual Report, tabled in September 1867: "I have also recommended a cross-country line from Goolwa to Strathalbyn, and the erection of an additional wire to Auburn. The object of the cross-country line from Goolwa and Strathalbyn is, as I have before explained, to enable me to give two wires for intercolonial business when required without stopping local messages. We have now eight branch offices communicating through Mount Barker and three through Strathalbyn, or, with those two offices, thirteen stations; and if the Callington and Eden Valley extensions are carried out, there will be a greater number, the business of which will require one of the two wires between Adelaide and Strathalbyn".

The Southern Argus of 30 April 1885 reported that "A boy named Wigzell was fined £5 or in default two month's imprisonment at Mount Barker last week for breaking the insulators of the telegraph line between Nairne and Mount Barker". That punishment can be assessed against another story in the same article which noted " A boy named Harry Chapman was found guilty at Mount Barker last week of putting stones on the railway. The lad received a whipping from his father in the presence of the police".

On 25 July 1887, the telegraph line outside Mount Barker was removed from the west to the east side of the road adjoining pound paddock and six ratepayers requested Council to take steps to have the line re-erected in its previous position. It is not known if the move was motivated by Wigzell's actions.

Echunga was the site of a number of small gold finds from 1852 although these did not last long until a richer find at Jupiter Creek in 1868. There were a number of press reports in the early 1870s about gold finds around Echunga. It was also an important staging post where horses were changed on the coach route to the east - especially leading to the Bendigo goldfields.

On 6 May 1871, the Adelaide Observer reported on the deputation on behalf of 54 residents in and around Echunga to the Postmaster-General requesting him to take the necessary steps to cause Echunga to have telegraphic communication with the rest of the Colony:

"In support of their petition the memorialists advanced the following reasons:

  • Echunga is the centre of a large agricultural population being equidistant from Meadows,
    Mount Barker, Macclesfield and Hahndorf;
  • is also the chief place of business for the neighbouring diggings of Echunga and Jupiter Creek.
  • Echunga is the first important township from Adelaide on the greatest line of road for traffic in the colony;
  • frequent enquiries are made for a Telegraph Office by travellers, sheep and cattle drovers, and others not resident in the district;
  • there being no medical man resident in the township, it is a great desideratum to be in telegraphic communication with a neighbouring township where there is one. This would be especially beneficial to the Friendly Societies, &c.
  • from the large number of letters &c., passing through our local Post-Office, we are led to believe that the Telegraph Office would more than pay expenses;
  • two wires already pass through the township, these may probably be utilized for the proposed local office, thereby reducing expense to a minimum.

For these and other reasons your memorialists would urge the expediency of placing the inhabitants of Echunga in the same position as that enjoyed by the residents of Macclesfield and other townships, many of which are not nearly so important as Echunga and its neighbourhood are.

The deputation having supported the request of the memorial, Mr. Todd said the request for a Telegraph Office at Echunga had been made to him on several occasions. No doubt from there being two wires passing through the township, it would be easy to connect an office with one. But they being the main wires connecting Melbourne and Adelaide, he could not possibly connect one with what would be a branch station, possibly in charge of a store keeper. Although the present Postmaster was stated to be willing to take the office of Telegraph Clerk for a small salary, yet it might be objected that he was a storekeeper and was not altogether the proper person for the position.

In opening a Telegraph Station he might amalgamate with it the Post-Office, remove the present Postmaster and appoint another at a higher salary in consequence. He thought of recommending the extension of a third wire to Mount Barker and its being continued to Macclesfield so as to make a third wire to Strathalbyn connecting the intermediate townships as it would be useful on the arrival of the English mail when the two Melbourne ones are occupied for several hours in the transmission of mail news.

As the matter involved expenditure, it was of course impossible for him to give a positive answer. The matter entirely rested with the Government and he would bring it under their notice for favourable consideration".

Strathalbyn had zinc, gold and copper mines at about this time. It was also connected to Goolwa and Victor Harbor by a broad gauge horse tram in 1869 which was extended to Mount Barker in 1884. The former connection facilitated the construction of a telegraph line which provided a second route back to Adelaide to complement the line through Willunga. The announcement of the linking of Echunga to the Mount Barker-Strathalbyn line, as reported in the South Australian Advertiser of 11 July 1873, is a reflection of the mechanisms of Government at the time:

"The Township and District of Echunga now enjoy the advantages of telegraphic communication and, on Thursday, 10th July, when the new wire was opened, several congratulatory messages ... were transmitted to and from the city. It is mainly owing to the efforts of Mr. West-Erskine, one of the members for Mount Barker, that this new extension was obtained. On two occasions last session that gentleman endeavored to secure a vote for this work. On the first occasion, he was defeated; but on the second — the day before the prorogation—he carried an address for £149, and on the authority of that vote, together with the fact that the recent gold discoveries at Echunga have made rapid means of communication a necessity, the Government have given to the people of Echunga the benefits of telegraphic communication". The several congratulatory messages which passed over the line were also published".

By the mid 1860s, this eastern region of South Australia was reasonably served with telegraphic facilities.

The basis for additional inter-colonial lines was now established and centered on Wellington which was about 75 miles from Adelaide depending on which route was taken. Later the Nairne-Callington line would also be important.

Details of the extensions to Victoria are described in the SE border crossings page.

Launceston Examiner 11 Oct 1873:

Mr Todd intends erecting the new telegraph line via Swanport, thence inland to Kincraig and Penola, connecting with the Victorian lines over the border at Casterton, thus avoiding the great disadvantage of the coast line, and enabling this colony to telegraph direct with Victoria instead of via Mount Gambier.

The Clarendon line.

EXTENSION OF LINE TO CLARENDON
South Australian Register 29 April 1876.

"In April, 1876, a deputation met the Minister of Education to suggest that the Post-Office at Clarendon might be used as a Telegraph Station and that the telegraph line might be extended from the South Road at Tapley's Hill to Clarendon or Kangarilla. It was stated that the point the branch off on the South Road was about six miles from Clarendon, and that the nearest station was at Noarlunga, a distance of 10 miles across rough country or 18 miles by the road. It would be as convenient almost to come to Adelaide to telegraph as to go to Noarlunga. There was a population of 1,800 within a radius of five or six miles of Clarendon, to whom the establishment of a telegraph would be a great boon, while in summer time there was a large increase in the number of residents owing to many commercial gentlemen and others from the city going there with their families to live. The expense it was felt would be trifling, and it was stated that a local operator might work the line.

Mr. Everard. in replying, said it was the desire of the Government to afford postal and telegraphic facilities to all parts of the colony but the deputation must be aware these public works were a considerable cost to the colony and did not, by many thousands a year, pay their expenses. The Government, therefore, with the heavy debit on these items, must place a limit upon the multiplication of Post and Offices.

Mr. Todd, who was present, he had no doubt would tell them that it was not carrying the line simply six miles. It would be necessary to have a distinct line from Adelaide so that, with the poling, it would be a very expensive line. Similar requests would be made to the Government by other districts, who could urge what the deputation could not, namely, that they had not a daily mail and good roads by which they could reach the city in two or three hours. Mr. Todd, however, would report on the whole matter and, if the Government saw that the work could be done at a reasonable cost, probably the request of the deputation would be acceded to.

Mr. Colton pointed out, in reference to the large debit upon the postal and telegraph account, that that was only to be expected in the settlement of a new country. He had no doubt that, in a few years, they would become reasonably remunerative. Mr. Everard did not wish it understood that he thought that the Government expected that either should pay for the establishment. The Government only wished the debit balance on that account as low as possible. The deputation thought it would not be necessary to provide posts all the way to Clarendon if a separate line was provided. The present posts might be used as far as Tapley's Hill or, if the South Road could not be used, the new line might take a shorter route through Coromandel Valley and Cherry Gardens".

In mid-1870, some of the local community were starting to ask questions about having a line of telegraph to Bull's Creek (south of Meadows).

After the telegraph line to Clarendon had been approved, there was still discussion about the route. On 25 May 1877, a deputation from the Coromandel Valley, consisting of the local member, the Chairman of the District Council and several businessmen, met with the Minister of Education and Mr. Todd. Their discussion highlights a number of issues. The member stated that "a direct line of telegraph was to be erected to Clarendon; and if so, he thought it would be easy to make a branch line to Mitcham and Coromandel Valley.

The large business done by Mr. Murray alone would enable him to employ the telegraph line to a great extent. Mr. Connor also would no doubt have a great deal for the line to do in connection with his business. Then the rising importance of Mitcham, which was about to be connected with the city by tramway, would afford a further argument in favor of constructing a line to that township. Mr. Murray spoke of the importance such a line would be to the business of Coromandel Valley, especially to his own establishment. He was in the habit of constant communication with the other colonies by telegraph, but at present had to send his messages many miles round. His manufacture of biscuits and jams in Coromandel Valley amounted to £20,000 a year, and was increasing every year. Mr. A. MacGeorge alluded to the growing importance of the district of Mitcham, and the great benefit which telegraphic communication would be to the residents. He believed that, if a telegraph line were constructed, it would receive a large amount of business. Mr. Shipley said from his experience after a 30 years residence in Coromandel Valley, during which time he had been Postmaster there for 20 years, he felt sure there would be a considerable amount of business done if a telegraph were established. He had erected two good rooms which would be suitable for an office.

The Minister replied that he was never disposed to take an illiberal view in reference to telegraphic extension, but the Government were bound to have some regard to the probable returns from any new station. There was an objection to appointing storekeepers as telegraph masters, especially when there were two storekeepers in the same township. Mitcham was within four miles of the city and he scarcely thought the population was sufficient to support a telegraph. Possibly Coromandel Valley might have a better claim. The Superintendent of Telegraphs was present and would furnish a report on the two places and, if it appeared that there was sufficient prospect of a return for the expense incurred in establishing telegraph offices there, he would support their application". South Australian Chronicle 2 June 1877.

Coromandel Valley was selected while Mitcham had to wait until 1883 before being given approval for the Telegraph Office. The line to Clarendon had been surveyed and pegged by mid-September 1878.

Within months of the Clarendon office being opened (in June 1879), a major problem occurred. The South Australian Chronicle of 15 November 1879 reported that :

"Yesterday, about 4 p.m., we were visited by one of the severest storms of the season. There were sheets of rain and hail, accompanied by a tremendous hurricane of wind. ... It has been raining heavily at times during to-day. If the rain continues it will seriously injure the hay harvest. The North Adelaide Cricket Club sent a team here on Monday to try conclusions with some of our local knights of the willow; but the storm interfered with the game, which terminated abruptly. As far as it went, our men had not a ghost of a chance of winning. — The telegraph line was broken and blown down by the force of the gale and, at the time of writing communication is interrupted between here and Adelaide".