The Post & Telegraph Offices on the Cross Country line are listed below together with examples of date stamps used on telegrams.
| Amhurst.
The Telegraph Office opened in October 1881. It was the main town of the Municipality from 1858 until replaced by Talbot.
No special date stamps were issued for telegraph use. |
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Avoca.
The Telegraph Office was opened in March 1859.
The Office was issued with a 2 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. |
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Clunes.
The Telegraph Office was opened in February 1861.
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.
A triple oval date stamp is known to have been used on
14 July 1915. It is the only known date - so is now rated RRRR. |
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| Creswick.
The Telegraph Office was opened in April 1859.
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. |
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| Daylesford.
The Telegraph Office was opened in August 1859.
A Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station about 1910 and this was re-classified as a Port Office about 1915. It was then re-classified as a Telegraph Office about 1940 before being closed about 1970.
The Daylesford Office was issued two types of date stamp for use with telegrams:
- a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp;
- a rubber double oval date stamp - know used only on 20 October 1982 (rated RRR).
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Daylesford Post & Telegraph Office.
The sign for the Telegraph Office is in the lower left window. |
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The Daylesford Office was issued with three types of date stamp for use with telegrams:
- a usual unframed postal canceller.
Like 80B in WWW but with a time code.
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28 February 1900.
Used on VC-DO-16B. |
- a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.
Used in black: 16 August 1883 to 7 February 1894.
Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).
Rated: RR.
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15 July 1891. |
16 August 1893 (earliest recorded date). |
Used in blue: 2 December 1890.
Size:
Rated:
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- a rubber double oval date stamp (RO2 - TO).
Used: 20 October 1982 - only recorded date.
Size: 31 × 54 mm (e = 0.67).
Rated: RRR.
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20 October 1982 - only known date. |
| Donald.
The first name for Donald was Richardson Bridge but that was changed when surveyed in 1866.
The Telegraph Office was opened in July 1879 - after the Post Office had been opened in 1 January 1870 - replacing that at Mount Jeffcoat. "The wooden building previously used at Stuartmill has been removed to and re-erected at Donald and a battery and store room added". (1879 Report).
A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Railway station on 4 June 1882 when the railway line had reached Donald.
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. |
Donald Post & Telegraph Office about 1905. |
Donald: 1 hole in black.
1889.
Provenance: Hugh Freeman.
38 × 27 mm.
13 February 1888 to 27 September 1892. |
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| Maryborough.
The Telegraph Office opened at Maryborough in April 1859.
A Belt & Buckle date stamp was used at Maryborough from 1893 to 1894. |
Maryborough P&T office about 1950. The Telegraph counter is through
the arches at the right. |
Maryborough: 1 hole in black.
28 February 18??.
Provenance: Hugh Freeman.
38 × 27 mm.
9 May 1893 to 1894.
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Maryborough "61" duplex.
28 November 1904.
Used on VC-DO-19. |
Maryborough 25 June 1901.
Diameter: 25 mm.
Used February 1897 - June 1901.
Framed date stamp used on
VI-DO-15C and VI-DO-16C. |
Maryborough 14 October 1922.
Date stamp has time and date.
Used on AE-DU-1B. |
| St. Arnaud.
The Telegraph Office was opened in January 1965.
The town was named after a French Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the East in the Crimean War.
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. It is recorded in use in 1885 only but a complete strike has not yet been seen.
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St Arnaud unframed date stamp.
27 March 1893. |
Framed St Arnaud date stamp plus straight line Office name.
1 April 1909.
Used on VI-DO-2B.
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| Talbot.
The Telegraph Office was opened in December 1860. It was known as Back Creek until about 1855 but was not officially named Talbot until October 1861. It finally replaced Amherst as the main town of the Municipality.
The Post Office had opened as Back Creek on 24 February 1854 and was renamed Talbot in 1862. |
Talbot Post & Telegraph Office about 1900.
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| The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp. It is recorded in use in 1883 only but a complete strike has not yet been seen. |
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