There is no record of a Telegraph Office opening. A Receiving Office was opened on 1 January 1908. The ability to send a telegram seems to be intimated in many newspaper articles over a considerable period of time - and in the photograph below.

A detailed review of newspaper stories does not reveal many details but at least confirms the existence - at some time - of an Arno Bay P&TO.

Arno Bay Post & Telegraph Office about 1930.

Bramfield.

In the House on 26 November 1878, Mr. Coglin asked "Is it the intention of the Government to form a telegraph station at the township of Bramfield West?"

The Treasure replied "Provision is made on the Estimates for 1878-79 for a Telegraph Station at Bramfield".

On 1 November 1879, the Adelaide Observer printed the following:

THE WANTS OF BRAMFIELD.
TO THE EDITOR.

Sir - The people in Bramfield and the surrounding district are becoming greatly annoyed at the Government for the want of those most necessary buildings — Post and Telegraph Offices — is greatly felt. A short time ago the people in this locality had some hopes of their being erected at once but apparently it is the same thing again — Government does not or will not assist the people in this locality and for what reason we cannot tell. Is it because the land is of a poor quality or is it because there are not inhabitants enough? If the members of the Government were living in this part and felt the want of the Telegraph Station as much as we poor farmers do (and other tradespeople) it then would immediately be erected. But no, we must be a people of little consequence or otherwise it would be erected without delay. A jetty also is greatly wanted at Waterloo Bay. But no. Government won't assist the people here. Had it been on Yorke's Peninsula it would have been erected long ago. The people at Wool Bay, (Yorke Peninsula) are getting a jetty there - a distance of six miles from Stansbury and we here, a distance of 120 miles from any jetty whatever, cannot get one.
The thing seems ridiculous.
I am, Sir, &c., ELLISION.

The Post Office had opened on 15 August 1862. A Telegraph and Telephone service was opened at Bramfield on 14 August 1924 (46 years after the House undertaking!!).

No Telegraph Office was ever opened at Ceduna. Ceduna was, however, a base for the Royal Flying Doctor during the 1950s from which to serve South Australia Radio Telegraph offices and many outlying Radio Telegraph stations.

The area was surveyed in the late 1890s and proclaimed as Murat Bay where a Post Office was opened in April 1898. The name of the town was changed to Ceduna in 1901 although the name of the Post Office did not change until 1 January 1922.

Ceduna is about 726 km from Adelaide and the RFDS estimates it is about 200 nautical miles by air to Port Augusta. It had been associated with the whaling station on St. Peter Island in the 1850s.

Cowell.

The Telegraph Office opened in 2 June 1885 - about nine months after the Post Office. It is on the Franklin Harbour and used to be sometimes referred to by that name.

The Telegraph Office was located in the hotel in the room that had been used for bagatelle (billiards) and which was generously provided by the proprietors of the hotel. Alfred Howley was the telegraphist and Alfred Cole was his assistant.

Deputations had been made to the Minister as early as May 1882 on the grounds that

"the residents here cannot afford the time to cross the (Spencer) Gulf or to travel to Port - 100 miles - to send a message when the very wire passes our doors. The expense in providing the desired communication would be almost nil while that at present incurred by repairing parties who travel from both ends — either Port Lincoln or Port Augusta — must be great. Under these circumstances the advantages of a middle station would repay the expense of its erection and maintenance and would also tend to populate this part of the colony".

Tenders were let for the construction of a Post & Telegraph Office in January 1888 for £398.

A branch line connected Cowell to the main Port Augusta-Port Lincoln line and that line was completed by Mr. Knuckey, of Adelaide, in about three weeks. The telegraph was seen to be a great benefit to the district.

About 277 km from Adelaide.

The Telegraph Office opened in May 1877 - about 12 years after the Post Office.

The first Postmaster was Mr. E.N.B. Catchlove, who rejoiced in the full name of Edward Napoleon Bonaparte Catchlove.

Fowlers Bay about 1902.
Source: National Library of Australia B54057-7.

A story in The Chronicle of 11 January 1940 reports observations of Michael Allen who had arrived in Fowlers Bay in 1887. The report begins: "There was only a telegraph office and a police station at Fowler's then. The latter was in charge of M.C. 'Jimmie' Dowling. The remainder of the population was chiefly blacks. Outback there were many whites hunting kangaroos. The skins were a great price".

Franklin Harbour.

On 26 August, 1867, a Post Office was opened at a location called Franklin Harbour located west of Cowell. On 1 November 1880, the Post Office changed locations to 3 km south of Cowell - but retained the name. It was located on the southern part of the entrance to Franklin Harbour.

Walker (2004, p. 120) says that the Office in the first location changed its name to Wangaraleedenie on 1 November 1880. On 1 September 1881, Wangaraleedenie changed name to Cleve.

The Franklin Harbour Post Office in the second location closed on 28 June 1886.

The residents of this district - like those in many other districts - were angry they were unable to have a Telegraph Office opened there - despite the fact that the telegraph line to Western Australia passed within four miles of the Harbour.

Port Elliston.

Conversations were being had about the need for a Telegraph Office at (Port) Elliston in the late 1870s. Waterloo Bay was the only place in that region offering shipping facilities and it adjoined Elliston. As was usual, there was discussion about whether that place or another not far distant would be the better location:

"A Voice from a Man Unknown" is raised against the agitation on the part of the people of Waterloo Bay for the erection of a postal and telegraph station there. Our correspondent considers that, if the building was erected at Bramfield, it would cost less as the line runs through that township and would be much more central than at Waterloo Bay. He also draws attention to the state of the buiilding at Bramfield in which the trooper lives for "he can lay in his bed at night and count the stars till further orders."
Adelaide Observer 12 July 1879.

The Adelaide Observer of 30 April 1880 reported as follows:

"The walls of our Telegraph and Post Offices are now about eight feet high yet persons coming into the township are puzzled to find the location of the building. On being told that it is back in a hollow under the sandhills which stretch along the beach they express unfeigned surprise and ask 'Who chose the site'? The selection of the site shows a want of judgment and taste. Were it likely that a hostile army would land here, then our Telegraph Office might be in a safe place for they would doubtless pass through the township without noticing it and they would not think of looking in such a place for any public building.

It is back from the main thoroughfare and in a part of the township where no traffic will ever pass. Were this building placed in a conspicuous position, it would be an ornament to the township as the front is off cut freestone (obtained in the district) and presents a handsome appearance. It is a pity a building which might and should have been a splendid addition to the architecture and a great improvement to the appearance of the place, is being erected in such an out-of-the-way place".

The Telegraph Office opened in August 1881 as Port Elliston and changed name to Elliston almost immediately. The Post Office opened in September after being relocated and had a name change from Waterloo Bay.

About 472 km from Adelaide.

The Post Office had been opened in June 1839 after being transferred from Nepean Bay (later Kingscote) on Kangaroo Island. It was one of only six post offices which had been opened prior to 1841.

The Telegraph Office opened in March 1876 in a temporary location when the telegraph line to Eucla was being constructed. Soon after, on 4 August 1877, the Minister of Agriculture stated in the House that "nothing would be gained by amalgamating the Post and Telegraph offices at Port Lincoln ... (however) the Post Office would be transferred directly the Telegraph Station was built".

On 17 October 1899, the South Australian Register reported "The new post and telegraph office recently erected by the Government is quite an ornament to the south-east end of Tasman's Terrace and, as the office is of large dimensions and has a new battery room, there will now be ample room for conducting the business. Our genial post master, Mr. J. Skinner, will now feel much more comfortable than formerly".

In 1910, discussions were being held relating to the Post Office being too small and the desirability of the Telegraph Office being moved closer to the railway station.

Port Lincoln about 1910.

Port Lincoln framed date stamp.
10 October 1879.
Date in two lines with S.A. at base.

Used on 2d orange de La Rue.

In 1879, the date stamp could have been used on a delivery form but not with a stamp on a transmission form.

10 October 1879.

22 August 1941.
S.A. at base.
5 mm side arcs.
Diameter: 30 mm.

Used on Birthday Greetings form AB-GB-39A.

Used on the reverse side of an envelope of type AB-EO-6B.

Also see AB-DU-4Ba with one line date, S.A. at base and large side arcs.

14 July 1954.
STH AUSTRALIA at base.
1 mm side arcs.
Diameter: 28 mm.

Used on AW-DO-10BB (50)

Smoky Bay.

Located about half way between Ceduna and Streaky Bay - about 37 km SE of Ceduna.

A Post Office was opened in 1863 but closed in June 1868. It reopened in January 1897 and became an Official Office in September 1911 with Money Order facilities.

The telegraph facilities at Smoky Bay were established about the end of 1876 but only as a Repeating Station.

The reverse side of the postcard:

Dear Ellien

Many thanks for Xmas Greetings which arrived safely today. This is the Repeating Station Line. The central building is the PG engine room etc. The right is the residence and the one on the left is out domicile. The two rooms to the left are our bedrooms & living room. The lobby which you see at this end divides the house.

We have 20 feet of ?? at the other end of the house with a partition either end for our kitchen. Twins love the PG end and the dining room on the other side of the house. We are just now over terrible weather. Wednesday 112°, Thursday 110° and Friday 114°. Today a lovely cool change saved our lives. Reice joins in sending the best of wishes for a prosperous New Year.

Love from Muriel.

The Telegraph Office was opened in November 1876 when the line to Eucla was being constructed. This date was about 14 years after the Post Office had been opened.

About 600 km from Adelaide.

Tarcoola Goldfields.

The Telegraph Office opened on 6 October 1917, changed to a Receiving Office on 15 June 1922, then to a Post Office on 1 July 1927 before closing on 15 November 1927.

Yardea.

There was a critical need for a Post & Telegraph Office to be opened at Yardea in conjunction with the construction of the 1896 duplicate West-East telegraph line. Yardea was 143 miles west of Post Augusta. The tender submitted by Charles Geddes & CO of £418 was accepted with the Government carting the materials from Port Augusta West.

The Office was opened in May 1897. Automatic quadruplex instruments were installed in the new Yardea office in 1898.

The Express of 8 June 1898 reported that "telegraphic results from the scrutiny of the Phillips Ponds and Yardea boxes in conjunction with the referendum (for the Colonies to vote for the Commonwealth of Australia) had been received. At the former place, five voted "YES" and at Yardea six voted the same way".