A Telegraph Office was opened on 29 December 1859. On 4 January 1860, the Northern Times reported that, as of 30 December "The excitement occasioned in this town by the opening of the telegraph still continues. The telegraph office was crowded all day by persons sending messages and the promptness with which the replies were received has given great satisfaction".

It did not, however, combine with the Post Office until 13 November 1905. The Post Office had been opened on 1 March 1828 - one of the earliest in New South Wales. A very full account of the Post Office together with a picture from the right side was written by the Bathurst District Historical Society.

Tenders for the erection of the Post & Telegraph Office at Bathurst closed on 2 February 1875.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Bathurst Racecourse on 24 January 1914 and operated (on race days) only until 1966.

Two types of date stamp were used with telegrams:

1. a Bathurst (H&T type 2(i)) date stamp used mainly on telegrams.

Used: 1911 to 1921.

Diameter:

Rated: RRR (on a telegram).

2. a TELEGRAPHS BATHURST SC1-T date stamp.

Used: 3 October 1944 to 1965.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 4.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at Bathurst Railway Station from 14 September 1894 until it closed in 1971.

No date stamp for explicit use with telegraphic work was issued to Bathurst Railway.

The usual postal date stamp may have started as Type 1D (ii), as is suggested by Hopson & Tobin. Clearly revisions were made later but are undocumented.

Used: 12 July 1939.

Diameter:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

The Telegraph Office was opened at Bingera on 20 July 1875 and it merged with the Post Office on 10 August 1876.

The first Post Office was opened on 1 January 1853 but it was removed to and renamed Bingera Township on 8 July 1862. Upper Bingera opened on the original site on the same date.

The Brewarrina Telegraph Office was opened on 16 September 1873 and merged with the Post Office on 1 July 1876.

The Post Office had opened on 1 May 1866.

1. Has any complaint been received of the unsuitableness of the building used, or accommodation provided, for the Telegraph Office at Brewarrina?
2. Is it the intention of the Government to remove the grounds of complaint (if any) by the erection of a suitable building as a Telegraph Office in the township named?
3. Have the Government any objection to stating the substance of all correspondence on this subject between parties concerned and the Government?

No record of the reply can yet be located. However on 28 September 1874, the New England Advertiser reported that "A tremendous hurricane blew at Brewarrina on Sunday night. The front brickwork of the new telegraph office was blown down and several other buildings were unroofed. It will now take a considerably longer time than was anticipated to finish the telegraph office".

The Telegraph Office was opened on 1 October 1874. The Post Office had been opened on 1 January 1852 - well before the Office at Inverell had been opened.

In 1934, an example of a Bundarra Post Office date stamp of 1857 was discovered in a deceased estate. It had been made of brass.

The Telegraph Office opened on 5 June 1888 and merged with the Post Office 18 months later. The Post Office had first opened on 1 January 1867 but had been closed and reopened twice in the intervening period.

The Collarenebri East Railway Station had opened in 1908 but never had telegraph facilities before it closed on 1911.

Collarenebri is 744 km from Sydney.

The Telegraph Office was opened in 1878 and merged with the Post Office on 21 August 1878.

The Post Office had opened on 1 July 1858.

Condobolin is 467 km from Sydney.

A rubber circukar TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp was issued to Condobolin.
Has N.S.W. after the town's name at the base

Used: 4 January 1962 to 17 December 1964.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 4.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 1 May 1875 as a P&T office. The Post Office had opened on 1 January 1850.

The Coonamble Telegraph Office was opened on 20 July 1875 and merged with the Post Office on 1 September 1875. The Post Office had opened on 1 April 1859.

Tenders were called in April 1979 for the construction of a new Post & Telegraph Office. Clearly the Maitland Mercury (29 June 1879) considered there was a need for a new office:

"the premises used as a Post & Telegraph office are in a disgraceful state. The rain is coming through the roof everywhere. There is no sign yet of any intention to build new offices, although the present buildings are most uncomfortable for the officers and the public".

In February 1881, the Post & Telegraph Office moved into its new building "although no fence had yet been erected between the Post Office yard and the gaol".

In October 1885, Mr. W. H. Datson, the telegraph messenger at Girilambone, was appointed to be the telegraph operator at Coonamble.

Source: NSW State Records.

The new Coonamble P&T Office in 1884 - from the side.

Source: NSW State Records.

Used: 1935 to 1963.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 4.

Detail of the Coonamble Telegraphs date stamp
of 28 May 1936 from the cover below.

Cumnock.

The Evening News of 6 May 1886 reported that "Arrangements are being made for holding public meetings in the Molong district to agitate for the extension of the railway to Cumnock and also for the erection of a telegraph line to that place".

A Post Office had been opened in Cumnock on 1 August 1879. Alas no telegraph station but a Telephone Service at the Post Office was established on 6 February 1891. It enabled telephone and telegraph services to be transacted.

For reasons now unknown - except possibly for the realisation of the greater importance of telegraphs - the Telephone Service was replaced with a Telegraph Office on 13 July 1899.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 12 November 1864 and merged with the Post Office on 1 September 1867. In July 1871, a petition was delivered to the Government asking for an assistant to be provided to the Telegraph Master with the duties to look after postal matters.

The Post Office had opened on 1 January 1848.

A ordinary postal type 2A (27 mm) date stamp was used on telegrams from 1915 to 1921.

A steel circular type 2C TELEGRAPHS DUBBO date stamp was issed to the Office:

Used: 1926 to 1965.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: C.

18 May 1937.

Used on AB-GCF-36A.

1 September 1951.

Used on AB-GCF-36A.

The only TELEGRAM slogan cancellation recorded as having been used at Dubbo is TELEGRAMS: SPEEDY, RELIABLE, EFFECTIVE.

The only recorded example of its use at Dubbo is on 15 May 1941.

Dungog.

A Telegraph Office opened on 7 July 1874 while a Post Office had opened on 1 January 1835. These two offices were combined on 15 September 1875.

The Dungog Post & Telegraph Office about 1910.

The Forbes Telegraph Office opened on 27 October 1862 and merged with the Post Office on 1 January 1870.

The Post Office had been opened on 1 December 1861 and given the name Black Ridge in response to the demand for postal services by those involved with the gold rush along the Lachlan River. That name was changed before opening although the first canceller did use the name Black Ridge for a few weeks.

The Forbes Railway Station also opened telegraph facilities on 14 September 1894 although these were closed on 22 October 1895.

The Telegraph Office opened on 8 August 1882 although unofficially operational from 4 August. The Sydney Evening News of Saturday 12 August 1882 reported:

"A correspondent at Gilgandra telegraphed  to-day as follows: Our Telegraph Office was opened here in charge of Mr. W. H. Golding on Tuesday last under very favourable circumstances. It will prove a great boon to our flourishing district. We are greatly indebted to our energetic members, Sir P. A. Jennings and Mr Cass, for the active and attentive manner taken by them in securing such a great benefit for the district and the public in general. It will always be considered by us a pleasing recollection of our worthy and attentive members".

"Our Gilgandra  correspondent telegraphs: As Mrs. E. Garling was going to the bathroom at her home she narrowly avoided treading on the tail of a brown snake, 5ft in length. She attempted to despatch the reptile with a rifle, but missed it. Later on Mrs Garling went to take a child's dress out of a basket in the wash-house, and was startled to find the snake snugly coiled up in the garment. The snake was eventually killed by Mrs Garling's husband".

(We don't keep stories of that calibre for over 100 years through text messages!! :-)

A Post & Telegraph Office was opened on 1 October 1886 when the name was changed from Anvil Creek. The Telegraph Office was closed on 30 May 1906.

In July 1874, several newspapers carried advertisements for a land auction at Greta in the following terms:

EXTENSIVE SALE OF DESIRABLY SITUATED ALLOTMENTS
IN THE RISING AND PROGRESSIVE VILLAGE OF GRETA.

Approximate to the present Railway Platform, and only a short distance from the site selected for the Post and Telegraph Offices, equidistant from the Anvil Creek and Greta Collieries.

UPON 99 YEARS LEASE.

BRUNKER &, SPARKE have received instructions from Chas Parnell, Esq, to Let by auction, on the Ground, near the Railway Platform, Greta, on Tuesday the 14th July, 1874, at Eleven o'clock, 67 ELIGIBLY -SITUATED ALLOTMENTS, in the village of Greta, containing one rood (more or less) each.

The growing importance of the Mining Township of Greta and the rapid progress made in the development of its vast mineral wealth, must convince parties seeking lucrative investments, or those desirous to procure an eligibly situated block of Land for building purposes, that the present sale offers a most favourable opportunity.

The situation is unequalled - within a few yards of the Railway Station, approximate to the proposed site for the Post and Telegraph Offices - combined with the fact that each lot fronts the principal streets in this flourishing Village, and has a right of way to permanent water, are undoubted advantages and, as the Terms and Conditions of the Lease are liberal, Investors, Tradesmen, and Small Capitalists are invited to inspect the Property, which has been judiciously allotted, a plan of which is on view at the office of the Auctioneers".

The Telegraph Office opened on 19 January 1872.

During the twelve months to May 1872, the Gulgong Post Office had received £290 17s. 6d in revenue while the Telegraph Office had received £252 14s. 3d. since opening.

Tenders called for "additions to the Telegraph Station at Gulgong" closed on 26 August 1873.

The Telegraph Office opened on 7 June 1869.

It was not long before there was drama for, in June 1870, the Telegraph Office was broken into and robbed. An attempt was then made to burn the building down.

Hartley.

In response to a question in the Legislative Assembly on 10 April 1860, the Postmaster-General reported that the Teleraph Office would be opened "once the stationmaster (who was on his way to that place to take charge of the station) arrived there".

The Telegraph Office was opened on 21 August 1871 and it merged with the Post Office on 1 July 1875. The Post Office had opened in 1 August 1869.

A tender to construct the Telegraph Office was let to Mr. John Frey on 9 September 1872. Funds for the two separate offices were placed on the Estimates in 1873 but work could not be commenced because the Government had not reserved a suitable site in the township for either Office (nor for the Court House) .

Mining activity continued at Hill End for many years and it had many events. For example, it was reported that on 25 March 1891, "A sensation was caused at Hill End today by a Chinaman, who burnt the Green Valley Bridge, destroyed a telegraph line and then attacked the police with a big knife. A plucky arrest was effected by two constables".

H&T Type 1D (i).
Diameter: 24 mm.

Used on 9d Commonwealth issue
which could be used to pay the cost
of a 16 word ordinary rate telegram
to a destination within NSW.

The Telegraph Office opened on 23 July 1868 and merged with the Post Office on 1 April 1869. The Post Office had first opened on 15 September 1859 when the Post Office responsibility was transferred from Byron (opened 1 January 1855) which was located 11 km away.

Tenders for a new building were called in the Gazette of 5 July 1873 after £1,500 had been placed on the Estimates.

Usual postal date stamp with
long arcs and dot after W.

Typical of the news contained in telegrams sent from Inverell telling about the excellent times to be had in this lovely country town.
Some even much younger guys were known to follow suit in the old days :)!!

See similar telegraph humour on postcards elsewhere.

The Telegraph Office opened in 1881. A Receiving Office had been opened at the Railway Station on 1 February 1879 and upgraded to a Post Office on 16 August 1880. The combined Post & Telegraph Office was opened on 19 May 1885 and removed from the Railway Station on 16 August 1885.

The Office was issued with a rare steel circular T. O. date stamp - one of only two Offices to use such a format.

Used: 13 June 1953.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 14 April 1890.

The Office was issued with an rubber oval LINDEN/N.S.W. date stamp (RO2) for use with telegrams after Federation.

Used in violet: 22 June 1904.

Size: 24 × 39 mm (e = 0.79).

The Telegraph Office was opened 27 February 1877.

The Office was issued with a circular rubber TELEGRAPHS SECTION date stamp (RC1 - TS).

Used: 19 September 1975 to 28 March 1977.

Diameter: 33 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Molong.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 29 March 1876 and it merged with the Post Office on 1 August 1877.

On 22 June 1879, papers were laid on the Table of the Legislative Assembly concerning the site for a Post and Telegraph office at Molong.

Telegraphic communication with Moree was established on 10 August 1877 and the Moree Telegraph Office was opened on 13 August 1877. The Maitland Mercury and the Hunter River General Advertiser reported this news and added that " the weather was fine and rain was needed badly".

The Post Office had opened on 1 May 1853 and it merged with the Telegraph Office on 21 January 1878. The joint offices were in Frome Street next to the Court House and they are still in that location today.

The same newspaper published the following article "by an itinerant Ped" on 17 May 1879:

"The present telegraph office is situated in Heber Street, in a building belonging to Mr. McCabe. As far as the position is concerned, it could not be more central, but the approach to it in wet weather could not be worse. It is no exagération to say that you would be up to your middle in mud and water, and those who have business to transact generally secure the service of a horse.

The building requires no patent ventilators - daylight appears from all quarters, and the rooms are not big enough to whip a cat in. The gentleman in charge is Mr. John Munro, who has gained the respect,confidence and good wishes of all by his urbanity, affability and his obliging manner at all times. A great many mails arrive by night, so he is up at all kinds of unseasonable hours. No one envies his position at the present time, as it has been very cold, and in his domicile it must be particularly so.

The new office has been a bone of contention for some months past between the inhabitants of the west and those of north and south. Each party petitioned the Postmaster-General to have it in their locality, without any consideration as to which was most suitable. Their only wish being that it would enhance the value of their property or business.

At last the Frome Street residences came off victorious, and it was decided to have it alongside the Court House. When the Court House was first commenced (now nearly two years), the ground upon which it is being built, and that adjacent, was apparently sound enough, and would have remained so if one of the officers of the Government had not caused a drain to be made through the allotment for the purpose of drawing the water from the street. That drain is now a gully some twenty feet, with various branches, that tend ultimately not only to swallow the Telegraph Office, but also the Court House. In fact it is within eight or ten feet of the foundations of the office, and about one hundred from the court-house.

The ground is of that nature that in dry weather it opens into large fissures that seem to be bottomless; and in wet weather lumps weighing some tons are carried away. And if the winter is wet, which is anticipated, the chances are the Court House will be a thing of the past if this dyke is not filled up or otherwise made secure.

The last inspector who was here to pass the foundation of the office stopped all work and, it is reported, recommended the site in Heber Street selected by the West-enders. Now this is generally considered by those who have no interest, except that of seeing it in the driest and most central place, to be jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire. The Heber Street site is situated in a perfect marsh. It is a natural watercourse and a perfect stream in wet weather. It is doubted whether they will get anything like a sound bottom in it for a foundation. And if it is built there, they will have hard work to keep a officer in it for any length of time. Dear knows, the present office is a miserable thing to house any man in, but the new one in Heber Street would be a thousand times worse.

The officer of inspection could not have troubled himself much, as there are many sites far more suitable than either, and perfectly dry and sound. Again, would it not be better to carry it on in the present position, and kill two birds with the one stone, by fixing the drain in such a manner that it and the court-house would be secure, and not wait until a telegram is received stating the Court House is undermined; for as sure as eggs are eggs, that will be the case if we have rain like the last.

One gentleman connected with the Government, on being shown the site in Heber Street, remarked that " no one would be ass enough to place it in that bog". He was a stranger. It is to be hoped that Mr. Danger (Ed: the local Member for Gwydir) will stir himself a little, and not let it be another school or Court House two or three years in course of erection. The residents are beginning to think they are left very much out in the cold".

No special date stamp was issued to Moree for use with Telegraphs.

Moree Railway Station.

The Moree Railway Station opened telegraphic facilities on 19 October 1898 and these were closed on 31 October 1961.

The only type recorded to date is a steel circular type 2C date stamp with side arcs and a full stop after the W.

Used: 2 February 1940.

Diameter: 28 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

On 10 December 1861, the Legislative Assembly was informed that tenders had been called for the construction of a Telegraph Office in Mudgee.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 16 May 1862 (H&T say 1861) and combined with the Post Office on 1 January 1870. The Ofices were separated on 26 June 1871 but recombined on 1 April 1893.

The Post Office had opened on 1 January 1840.

A notable event was reported in the Illawarra Mercury of 6 March 1942 - "a boy telegram messenger could not be obtained and so the postmaster appointed, a girl". Not really that long ago.

A Telegraph Office was opened at Mudgee Railway Station on 14 September 1894 and it closed in 1915. It was reopened at a date unrecorded but closed again on 31 December 1955.

The Mungindi Telegraph Office was opened on 28 November 1881 and merged with the Post Office on 1 February 1882.

The Post Office had opened on 1 April 1867.

Mungindi is 780 km from Sydney.

The Narrabri Telegraph Office was opened 8 June 1869 with Mr. R. D. Arnott as the Station Master.

It merged with the Post Office on 15 July 1872 - the Post Office having been opened on 1 June 1861.

The Maitland Mercury of 2 September 1869 commented:

"The telegraph is in full operation and is quite a boon to the people now that our mails depart at such awkward times. We get our Sydney and Maitland letters on Monday and Thursday mornings and the return mail starts out again in a couple of hours which oftentimes makes it awkward to reply by return - hence the use of the telegraph".

Narrabri Post and Telegraph Office in the 1910 floods (picture taken 17 January).

"A public meeting was held in the Court House on the 20th instant, with the view of remonstrating with the Government against the proposed amalgamation of the office of Postmaster with that of the Telegraph Station master at Narrabri".

For those with a keen interest in this region, the report printed in the Maitland Mercury of 29 October 1869 makes very interesting reading.

Two points relevant to this description are:

• the Postmaster was paid £25 per year;
• the Post Office was very centrally situated, close to the Court House, the bank and the police station and, in fact, in the centre of the Business part of the town whilst the Telegraph Office was, as it were, out of the town - being almost the last house in that direction".

A steel circular type 2C TELEGRAPHS NARRABRI date stamp (SC1-T) was issued to the Office.

Used on a telegram: 21 October 1942.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated used on a telegram: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1

The Post & Telegraph Office was opened on 1 December 1881.

No special date stamp was issued for use with telegraphs.

The Nyngan Telegraph Office opened on 11 July 1883 and merged with the Post Office two months later.

The Nyngan Post Office had opened in 16 September 1880.

Nyngan is 577 km from Sydney.

Telegraph facilities were also opened at the Nyngan Railway Station on 8 June 1883. They closed at an unrecorded date only to reopen on 14 September 1894 - but closed again at another unrecorded date (sometime before 1940).

The Telegraph Office opened on 21 December 1860 and combined with the Post Office on 1 January 1870.

Orange Post Office opened on 1 January 1849 at a time when the Western Road was served by mail services four times a week. This frequency increased in 1862 when Cobb & Co became responsible for the mail service. From 1870, the mail service was mainly operated by the railways and Orange was nominated as the terminus in 1877. The new building was designed to reflect that status and to be able to handle the significant demands.

Tenders were called for the erection of a Telegraph and Post Office, Orange in July 1862 and awarded to William Hale the following month.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at Orange Railway Station on 14 September 1894. It closed on 30 December 1970. A date stamp is recorded in 1955.

A steel circular TELEGRAPHS ORANGE type 2C date stamp was used at Orange with two formats. The Hopson & Tobin entry is therefore revised.

1. a TELEGRAPHS date stamp with a long date line:

Used: 8 March 1939.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5.

8 March 1939.
Used on Congratulations delivery form AB-GCF-34Ab.

2. a TELEGRAPHS date stamp with a short date line (nylon wheels):

Used: 13 November 1963.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

13 November 1963.
Used on AA-DO-13B.

Diameter: 24 mm.

Type 1D (i) date stamp.
Used on NI-DO-1.

Parkes.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 17 March 1875 and was upgraded to a Post & Telegraph Office on 1 April 1875.

Parkes Post Office opened as Bushman's Lead on 1 August 1872 and changed name to Parkes on 1 December 1873.

It had been established in response to the demand for postal facilities from those searching for gold in the surrounding area. Mail had originally come from Forbes but when Cobb and Co took over the mail coach run in 1882, Parkes was in contact with both Forbes and Orange.

The Post & Telegraph Office opened on 31 July 1890.

Pilgoori.

Located about 25 km from Tamworth. Also spelt Pilgoorie.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 7 December 1926. A Telephone Exchange was added on 29 August 1934. The Offices closed on 30 April 1968.

Hopson and Tobin record a type 2A date stamp for the office used only in 1959.

4 September 1947.

Rated: RRR.
Type 2A - no stop after W

The Quirindi Telegraph Office opened on 13 August 1877 and merged with the Post Office 3 June 1878.

The Quirindi Post Office had opened on 1 January 1858.

Quirindi is 383 km from Sydney.

The Sofala Telegraph Office opened on 15 May 1861 and merged with the Post Office on 6 July 1870.

The Sofala Post Office had opened in 16 August 1851. The Illustrated London News article accompanying the sketch shown to the right described the Post Office as"This rude 'public-office' is built with timber uprights and window bars and is roofed with sheets of bark".

Sofala is 244 km from Sydney.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 22 September 1873. It merged with the Post Office on 1 November 1874.

The Post Office had opened on 1 July 1851.

The Warialda Telegraph Office opened in a merger with the Post Office on 1 July 1877.

The Warialda Post Office had opened on 1 January 1848.

A tender was accepted in January 1879 for the erection of a Post & Telegraph office in Warialda.

H&T Type 1D (i).
Diameter: 24 mm.

Used on 9d Commonwealth issue
which could be used to pay the cost
of a 16 word ordinary rate telegram
to a destination within NSW -
so possibly a 25 word intra-state telegram
or a 22 word inter-state telegram.

The Telegraph Office opened on 26 October 1876 and merged with the Post Office (unsure of date as Hopson confused).

The Wee Waa Telegraph Office opened in 1872 and merged with the Post Office 16 July 1882.

The Wee Waa Post Office had opened on 1 January 1849.

Wee Waa is about 600 km from Sydney.

The Telegraph Office opened on 12 September 1862 and it merged with the Post Office in 1869.

The Post Office had been established on 1 April 1838 at which time the town was served by a four horse mail coach from Bathurst via Molong. 'More recently', from September 1862, the service was operated by Cobb & Co. After public representations, an official post office was established in 1869. In 1904, the building shown at right was opened. It included a residence.