The Gascoyne region of Western Australia centers on Carnavon. The region begins just below Hamelin Pool and extends up the coast to between Exmouth and Onslow (which is in the Pilbara). It then extends inland.
The region to the east feeding the Gascoyne, Worramel and Murchison Rivers is very arid desert.
Carvarvon is situated at the mouth of the Gascoyne River and is between Shark Bay and the Ningaloo Reef. It served as a shipping point for the wool produced in the pastoral district. The town was founded in 1881 as Gascoyne but was renamed on 15 August 1884. The town site was officially gazetted on 4 June 1891. The Telegraph Office opened in August 1884. By the mid 1890s, there was still no Post Office but there were two hotels and two stores for the population of 200 plus a school house, a church, a library, a hospital and a gaol. A Lighthouse operated at Carvarvon from 1897 to about 1972. |
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Only one date stamp was issued to Carnarvon for use with telegraphs:
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The usual postal date stamp was also used for telegraphic business. | 8 September 1910. WESTERN AUSTRALIA at base. Commonwealth period Type A. |
Hamelin Pool.
The Telegraph Office was opened on 21 April 1884. It was originally named the Flint Cliff Telegraph Station. For more information about the Telegraph Station and the tours now available, see elsewhere. Despite Adgee's best efforts, the Telegraph Office at Hamelin Pool was never issued with a date stamp for telegraph purposes. |
Adgee had to cross a flooded river to repair a line and left his clothes on the other side. A better view than of the building itself :) |
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