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.

The Telegraph Office was opened in March 1859. In the following year, there was considerable public and political discussion about the desirability of merging the Telegraph Office with the Post Office.

Used in black: 1 April 1892 to 6 September 1892.

Size: 28 × 42 mm (0.75).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

Bealiba.

The Telegraph opened at the Railway Station in September 1878.

Bet Bet.

The Telegraph Office is south of Dunolly on the line to Maryborough.

1. complete with T.O.

Used: 8 February 1912 and 21 June 1935.

Diameter: 27 mm.

Rated S.

2. T.O. removed.

Used: 7 August 1935 to 15 May 1971.

Rated S.

Bowenvale.

The Telegraph Office opened in January 1884.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 8 February 1861.

The Ballarat Star of 12 February 1861 noted, in reference to the Clunes Post & Telegraph Office:

"I am directly informed that our post-office will not be in operation until the 1st of March next. The telegraph branch of this amalgamated department was available for public use on Saturday last. So far good. We have been looking for the accommodation nearly two months after all appeared to have been completed".

Clunes Post & Telegraph Office.

Used: 1 April 1880 to 18 October 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RR.

Used in blue: 15 January 1914, 14 July 1915 and 2 February 1916.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2 plus 2 partial strikes.

Prestige Philately December 2010 Lot 469
(used on a Post Office form for the payment of old age pensions).

Diameter: 30.5 mm.
Used on AW-DO-10A (59).

The Post Office opened on 15 September 1873 and closed on 31 October 1975.

Telegraph facilities were made available to the public at the Railway Station from 14 February 1882. A Telegraph Office opened at the Railway Station about 1914, was reclassified as a Post Office in 1916 and closed in 1916.

Delegations had been meeting the Minister as early as 1879 to extend the railway line by 38 miles from Lubeck via Cope Cope to East Charlton off the Horsham line. On 26 January 1882, a railway line for grain traffic was opened from St Arnaud to Cope Cope.

The Office was issued with a T. O. date stamp.

Used: February 1914 to 2 October 1916.

Diameter: 30 mm. 3 mm side arcs.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 4.

The Telegraph Office was opened in April 1859.

Used in black: 7 March 1889 to 15 August 1892.
There is possibly a third example of a clear Belt & Buckle date stamp from Creswick - used on 6 July 1891. Some other date stamps are known but the date of use cannot be determined.

Size: 26 × 38 mm (0.73).

Rated: RRRR.

Provenance: Freeman, Johnstone.

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.

1. a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 16 August 1883 to 7 July 1893.

Size: 27 × 38.5 mm (e = 0.71).

Rated RRR.

Used in blue: 2 December 1890.

2. a rubber double oval TELEGRAPH OFFICE (RO2-TO) date stamp.

Used: 20 October 1982 - only known date.

Size: 31 × 54 mm (e = 0.67).

Rated RRRR.

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.

Elaine.

The Telegraph Office opened in April 1875.

In 1877, the name of the office was changed to Mount Doran while the name of the Elaine Railway Station was changed to Elaine. At the same time, the Post Office at the Railway Station was transferred to the State school.

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

Emu.

Homebush.

Homebush is about 6 km ENE of Avoca. It had good gold deposits and a race course.

The Post Office opened on 1 October 1863 and closed on 5 April 1944.

Telegraph Offices also operated between 1914 and 1919 both at Williams (still known as Homebush) and at the Railway Station.

A Post Office opened in 1 February 1880 but was downgraded to a Receiving Office on
21 January 1919. On 1 July 1927, its status as a Post Office was restored until the Office closed
on 14 October 1960.

Leonard's Hill.

A Post Office was opened at Leonard's Hill on 1 November 1868. It closed on 30 October 1871.

There is no record of a Telegraph Office being opened.

It is highly probable that telegraph facilities were provided at some time at Leonard's Hill. If so, a T.O. Leonards Hill date stamp could have been provided.

The image shown has a gap in the markings where T.O. could have been before removing it as was te case with many date stamps.

Used in black: 6 February 1957..

Dianeter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

Majorca

On 12 April 1870, Mr. James, the Inspector of Post and Telegraph offices, installed Miss Gearing into her new office as Post and Telegraph Mistress. The occasion was afterwards celebrated by a luncheon provided by the Borough council.

The Office of the General Superintendent of Telegraphs issued a notice on 29 April 1859 to announce "the opening of telegraphic communication has this day been opened with Maryborough. The office at this place is now open to the public".

A Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Maryborough Post & Telegraph Office:

1. Used in black: 9 May 1883 to 14 April 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (0.70).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 8.

2. Used in blue: 20 September 1888.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70)

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Used on VC-DO-19.

Framed date stamp used on
VI-DO-15C and VI-DO-16C.

Date stamp has time and date.
Used on AE-DU-1B.

Meredith.

The Telegraph Office opened in April 1875.

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

The Office was only ever classified as a Telegraph Office.

Opened: 15 October 1929.

Closed: 30 September 1963.

Used: 17 June 1938 and 25 May 1958.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2 (only two strikes are known).

17 June 1938 (earliest recorded date).

Provenance: Gary Watson, Johnstone.

Redbank.

The Telegraph Office was opened in January 1965. In early 1878, tenders were called for the construction of a Railway Line and Telegraph Line from Dunnolly to St Arnaud.

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.

The only recorded example is for 7 August 1888 on a 1d Astley green in use in 1888 only but a complete strike has not yet been seen.

7 August 1888.

Prestige Philately 24 October 2009 Lot 424.

St Arnaud unframed postal date stamp but also used on telegrams.
27 March 1893.

Used on VI-DO-2B.

Used on VI-DO-3E.

Telegraph wires were being stretched through Back Creek in mid-February 1860 although the Telegraph Office was not opened until 21 December 1860. The settlement was known as Back Creek until about 1855 and it was not officially named Talbot until October 1861 (or 14 February 1862 for the Post Office). It finally replaced Amherst as the main town of the Municipality.

The Post Office had opened as Back Creek on 24 February 1854.

Used: Only in 1893.

ERD: 12 May 1893.

Size: Not seen complete.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.