Avenel.

The Telegraph Office opened in November 1874 although a Railway Telegraph Office had opened in December 1872 - soon after the railway station had opened on 29 November. The Post Office had opened on 2 June 1858. Avenel was also on the Wood's Point line.

Avenel is where Ned Kelly was born and went to school. His brother and father are buried in the Avenel cemetery.

Tenders for a Telegraph Station at Beechworth closed on 3 November 1857. In the Legislative Assemble on 6 January 1858, "Mr Aspinall asked the Treasurer whether the Government intend to rent some place as a temporary Telegraph Office at Beechworth, as was done at Longwood, pending the erection of the permanent office - Beechworth at present deriving no benefit though the telegraph is completed to Albury. Mr Ebden said that rooms had been rented for the purpose alluded to and the office would probably be opened on Tuesday next (12 January)".

Contracts had been already accepted for the erection of a Telegraph Office.

The temporary Telegraph Office was opened on 12 January 1858 but the opening date for the permanent office is unclear. Alterations and repairs were made in 1873.

The Post & Telegraph Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 25 May 1889 to 24 April 1894.

Size: 27.5 × 39 mm (e = 0.71).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 4.

In February 1862, a severe storm hit the area. Part of the report on damage noted:

"A telegraph post near the Vine Tavern was also split downwards from the top by another flash, the eflects of which were strongly and alarmingly felt in the Beechworth Telegraph Office. The operators describe the shock as detonating, like the report of a gun, and in an instant a line of fire ran over the machines, burning up the paper tapes, fusing the wire coils and charring all the wood work. Though the shock was unpleasantly felt by all in the office at the time, no serious mischief was done. It seems that the electric current was carried off to the wire which discharges down the well and which two men from the gaol were then at work on effecting some repairs on the pump. One of these men, startled by the explosion, laid hold of the discharging wire and was at once thrown on his back, more frightened than hurt, however, as it turned out".

The Telegraph Office in Benalla opened May 1858 with a Rail Circuit connected in August 1873.

The Telegraph Office was issued with five formats of date stamps for use with the telegraphs.

1. a 1 hole Belt and Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 22 August 1890 and 24 May 1893.

Size: 27.5 × 38 mm (e = 0.69).

Rated: RRR.

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

Used in violet: 17 September 1957 (only recorded date).

Size: 31.5 × 50 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

3. a rubber rectangular horizontal TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RRH1-TO).

Used in violet: 18 May 1966 (only recorded date).

Size: 26 × 45 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

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

Used in violet: 7 March 1968 (only recorded date).

Size: 29 × 50 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

5. a rubber circular TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RC1 -TO ).

Used in black: 21 January 1981 (only recorded date).

Diameter: 31 mm, 1 mm side arcs.

Rated: common.

The Telegraph Office opened on 28 March 1861.

Telegraph Offices were also opened at:

• the Chiltern Railway Station in December 1873. This office was converted to a Post Office about 1915 and closed the following year;
• Chiltern South - opening on 10 April 1941 and closing on 30 May 1962.

The only telegraph date stamp issued to Chiltern was the
1 hole Belt & Buckle format.

1. Used in black: 1 February 1889 to 1 January 1894.
   

Size: 28 × 38½ mm (0.69).

Rated: RRR.

2. Used in black: in 1889 and in 1892.

The Telegraph Office opened in August 1876.

It was burnt down in 1889 and moved into temporary accommodation pending the erection of another building.

Euroa was also on the Wood's Point line.

1. Used in black: 1 June 1888 and 3 July 1893;

Size: 27.5 × 39 mm (e = 0.71).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 7.

2. Used in blue: 25 January 1890 to 8 June 1891.

Size: 27.5 × 39 mm (e = 0.71).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 4.

The Telegraph Office opened in October 1859.

Homewood.

The Post Office was originally established when Doogalook was renamed Homewood on 8 October 1894.

The Office closed on 10 October 1975.

It appears that the Office was issued with a T.O. date stamp.

Used: 20 April???.

The Telegraph Office opened in October 1857.

On 14 February 1860, Mr Bailey noted in the House that

"given the want of a post office building at Kilmore, it was proposed, as approved by the Estimates of the current year, to amalgamate the Post Office and Telegraph.  The  telegraph station was erected on Government ground, situate about half-a-mile from the centre of the place, and the question yet under consideration was whether the present  telegraph  station should be abandoned, and a new building for both postal and telegraphic purposes erected in the township, or whether the present building should be continued for both departments".

(Argus, 15 February 1860, p.5)

A Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Telegraph Office.

Used:

Size:

Rated: RRR.

Used on a postcard to Melbourne.
Prestige Philately September 2006 Lot 475.

The Telegraph Office opened in December 1880 at the Railway Station.

Puckapunyal Mil. P.O.

A rectangular TELEGRAPH date stamp (RRH1-T) was issued to the office at the Military Camp:

Used: 10 May and 6 December 1967.

Size: 26 × 38 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2
(maybe 3 if a second example
with the later date can be confirmed).

Reedy Creek.

The Telegraph Office was opened in October 1882.

The Office was issued with a Belt & Buckle date stamp which was used in black from 1 November 1888 to November 1893.

The Telegraph Office was opened in June 1865.

Seymour was a linkage office being also on other lines including the Wood's Point line.

Three formats of date stamp were issued to the Office for use with telegraphic matters:

1. a 2-hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 1890 and 8 August 1892.

Size: RRR.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

2. a rectangular rubber TELEGRAPH SECTION date stamp (RRH1-TS).

Used in violet: 8 December 1981 (only date and
seen on two examples).

Size: 30 × 39 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

3. an oval date stamp inscribed TELEGRAPH (RO2-T).

Used in magenta: 22 June 1983.

Size: 26 × 37 mm (e = 0.71).

Rated: RRR.

Seymour Railway Station.

A special steel date stamp was also issued to the Telegraph Office at the Seymour Railway Station.

It was a double ring circular format (SC2-T).

Used in black: 3 February 1955.

Size: 35 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 10 November 1884 when a branch line was extended from Wodonga.

The (undated) message on the reverse of the post card at the right says:

"This was taken before we came so Uncle Will is not there".

The Wodonga Express of 14 October 1921 reported: "Master William Fisher, telegraph messenger at Tallangatta for about two and a half years, has been transferred to Myrtleford. On Friday night, at the Athenaeum Hall, 'Billy' was presented with a fountain pen as a souvenir of public esteem. Dr. Salts made the presentation. Subsequently Master Fisher, was entertained at the Victoria Hotel, where he was presented with a suitably inscribed silver-mounted wallet. Master Fisher left Tallangatta on Monday. We wish him every success."

In September 1908, "Miss Peterkin, who has been in charge of the local post office for the past three months, has been relieved by Miss Mangan, who will be now in charge of the Tallangatta Post and Telegraph office. Miss Peterkin will be seeking fresh fields and pastures new and all with whom she came in contact wish her success in her new sphere" (Wodonga Express, 18 September).

On 18 December 1913, the Border Morning Mail carried the story that "The new post and telegraph offices at Tallangatta have been taken over, and the staff is now installed in the new quarters. The building is of brick, and is a handsome and commodious structure, fitted with the most up-to-date requirements".

More information of the Tallangatta Telegraph Office and the extension of the line to Cooryong and Bethanga is provided elsewhere.

Used in violet: 1 May 1981.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (slightly smaller than the earlier version below).

Rated: RR.

Size: 28 × 44 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

A Telegraph Office was also opened for some time at the Tallangatta Railway Station.

The station was issued with a rubber circular date stamp with the inscription VR - size: 31 mm.

The area can be dangerous if one is a Telegraph Line repairer. The Border Morning Mail of 30 September 1910 carried the following story:

"Mr. Sheppard, telegraph line repairer had a sensational experience near Tallangatta on Tuesday night. He was returning from Berringama in a buggy drawn by a pair of horses driven by Mr. Jas. Madden, employed by Crawford and Co. at the local livery stables. The evening was very dark and, when entering Newtown, the driver mistook the road, and drove over a bank about 8 feet deep. The buggy was overturned and both men were pinned underneath. The noise was heard by Mr. Jas. Grant, who lives close by. Mr. Grant hurried to the assistance of the unfortunate travellers and quickly released them from their dangerous position. Mr. Sheppard escaped unhurt but the driver was badly bruised and shaken. The buggy was damaged but, on the whole, things might have been much worse, and the occupants are to be congratulated on their escape from which could easily have been a very serious accident".

The Post Office in the town (2 kms from the Station) opened on 1 April. The railway line was opened on 22 April 1872 and a Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station in May 1872. Postal facilities were added 1 October 1873. The Office was later renamed Wallan Wallan East and it was closed in 1992.

Two date stamp formats were used:

• Wallan Wallan RY Vic (24 mm diameter) between 8 February 1881 and 25 July 1892 in black and in violet on the first day also;
• Wallan Wallan RLY STN Vic (23 mm diameter) between 21 March 1899 and 16 November 1908 in black. Also known used in blue on 8 November 1901 and in violet 30 September 1905.
  

Wallan Wallan RLY STN.
10 January 1905.
Used in black 21 March 1899 to
16 November 1908.

Premier Postal Auctions January 2014 Lot 2640 plus the information about the date stamps.

The Telegraph Office was opened in July 1858.

New premises were occupied in early 1874.

Wangaratta Post & Telegraph Office about 1930.

The office was one of the first to be issued with a Belt & Buckle date stamp. The date stamp had one hole but it has not been recorded complete.

Used in black: 1881 to 1892;
Used in blue: 1885 to 1892.

Size: (not seen complete).

Rated: RRR.

1 May 1889.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Wangaratta Railway Station at some time. This Office was also issued with a rare format of a date stamp (RO3-SMO) which was used with telegraphic activities.

Used in violet: 7 February 1955.

Size: 32 × 51 mm (e = 0.78).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Miscellaneous postal date stamp were also used for telegraphic activities.

Unframed date stamp.
29 January 1900.

Used on form VC-DO-16B.

Framed date stamp used on a
2½d (2/6) 1897 Charity stamp.
6 January 1912.

Diameter: 29 mm.

Framed date stamp.
30 April 1913.

Used on VI-DO-3Db.

Diameter: 29 mm.

The Telegraph Office opened in January 1858.

The Office was issued with three date stamps for use with telegraphs:

1. a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 17 November 1890 to 18 October 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (0.70).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census:

Provenance: Elsmore, Johnstone.

Used in blue: 7 March 1891.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (0.70).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

2. a horizontal rectangular (RRH1-TO)
   TELEGRAPH OFFICE/WODONGA date stamp.

Used: 13 November 1953 (only recorded date).

Size: 23 × 30 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

3. a horizontal rectangular (RRH1 - TO)
   TELEGRAPH OFFICE/WODONGA
   date stamp.

Used in magenta: 4 September 1984 (only recorded date).

Size: 27 × 48 mm.

Rated: RRRR.

At least two examples are recorded. Another has a
significantly incomplete frame on the lower half.

The Telegraph Office opened in July 1879.

Yea Post Office.
Part of the front of a postcard sent from Melbourne on 17 December 1905.