Bamboo Creek is close to Marble Bar.

The Telegraph Office opened on 20 April 1895. On 1 March 1901, the Colonial Post & Telegraph Office was downgraded to a Commonwealth Allowance Office.

Two formats for a date stamp for use with telegraphic work were issued:

1. RO2 - P&TO.

Used in violet: 23 December 1898 and 27 January 1900.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

23 December 1898.

27 January 1900.

2. RO6 - TO.

Used in violet: 30 (?) July 1897.

Size: 28 × 44 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Condon.

The Port of Condon was established at the southern end of 80 mile Beach. By that time two homesteads were operating nearby:

• the De Grey Homestead;
• the Pardoo Homestead - established in the 1860s at Cape Keraudren and where the rabbit-proof fence finished in 1907.

The Port of Condon flourished from 1872 to the early 1900s when it was replaced by a bigger port at Port Hedland to service the Pilbara.

The Condon Telegraph Office was opened on 9 April 1889 and it was closed in 1927.

Used: 30 August 1898.

Size: 27 × 43 mm (e = 0.78)

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1 (recorded June 2022).

No special date stamp was issued to the Office for use with Telegraphs. Instead the usual postal date stamps would be used and these were in two formats:

1. Unframed with two side arcs on either side:

Diameter:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 0.

2. Framed with separation dots:

Used: 12 September 1908 to 29 July 1911.

Diameter: 21 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

The Telegraph Office was opened at the Post Office on 17 November 1885 at 8:00 am.

The Post Office had been opened in August 1876.

The Telegraph Office was issued with two rubber oval date stamps:

1. a Telegraph Office (RO6-TO):
   Has separation stars between the upper and lower inscriptions.

Used in violet: 7 October 1898.

Size: 28 × 44 mm (e = 0,77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

2. a Post & Telegraph Office (RO6-P&TO):

Used in violet: 29 March 1902.

Size: 30 × 49 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Used in blue: 24 October 1908.

Size: 30 × 49 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Fortescue.

The Telegraph Office is listed as opening on 17 November 1885 at 8:00 am.

It merged to become a Post & Telegraph Office in 1904.

The first Telegraph Officer (Station Master) at Fortescue appears to have been Mr. J. J. Lawrence who had previously been at Eucla. He arrived at Bunbury on 17 October 1885 aboard the Franklin to spend time with friends before boarding the Otway to proceed north.

On 10 September 1885, the vote for the Postal and Department was taken into consideration by the House and the following amendments were made after a discussion between the Colonial Secretary and the Postmaster-General: "... the salaries for the assistant telegraphist at the Fortescue £60 (a linesman was deemed to be unnecessary at Fortescue) and that of the native assistant £30 were struck out; the assistant telegraphist at the Ashburton was put down for £70 instead of £60".

Various newspapers (e.g. Bunbury Southern Times 16 February 1895) reported that the general Fortescue area was struck with major rains in the first half of February 1895. Three telegraph poles and about 200 yards of wire washed away between Roebourne and Fortescue. The Perth Daily News (25 January 1895) reported that "heavy thunder storms occurred yesterday between Roebourne and Fortescue, and that at Lagrange Telegraph Station the lightening was so vivid the operator could not stop in the office last evening, having to keep his ground wire on".

The building was designed to house the Meterological recording Office also. As a letter to the Editor of The Western Australian describes the building as being totally unsuitable for the Telegraph Station on the Fortescue River.

In the Federal Election of March 1901, the Fortescue Telegraph Office was used as one of the Polling Places in the Swan Electorate.

1. Unframed (steel) with double separation arcs at the base (Gouldner type 2b);

Diameter: 28 mm;

Rated: RRR.

2. Framed date stamp (rubber) - Gouldner type 3b.
   Has index number 1 at the top.

Diameter: 22 mm.

Rated: RRR.

In August 1894, Mr. R. Biederman was appointed Post & Telegraph Master and was transferred from Narrogin.

When the telegraph line to Marble Bar was opened in July, 1894, one of the first messages sent to the Perth press indicated progress: "Broome has at last got a new gaol in which to confine malefactors." It was not as good a prison as Long Bay, for the first five native prisoners lodged in it escaped "in spite of every precaution".

Used: 19 January 1900 and 6 February 1900.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

19 January 1900.

Used: 12 Nov 1898 to 6 Nov 1899.

Size: 25 × 38 mm (e = 0.75).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 3.

Newman is one of the main settlements in the Pilbara region. It was established by a BHP subsidiary in 1966.

The privately owned Mount Newman Railway carried iron ore to Port Hedland. On 21 June 2001, a train 7.353 km (4.569 mi) long, comprising 682 ore cars and eight locomotives made the Newman—Port Hedland trip. It is listed as the world's longest ever train. The usual ore trains are over 2 km long.

The Telegraph Office in Newman was a section of the Post Office which was opened on 1 February 1968.

Nullagine.

The Telegraph Office at Nullagine opened on 8 February 1897.

It was "another isolated telegraph station. Nullagine was one of the golden camps of the early '90's and was described as having "gold all over the area".

Two date stamps are recorded as having been issued to Nullagine for use with telegraphs.

1. a rubber oval TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO6 - TO).
   1 mm side arcs.

Used: 4 August 1897 - 10 September 1900.

Size: 27 × 43 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5 and 4 partial strikes.

2. a rubber oval POST & TELEGRAPH date stamp
   (RO6 - P&TO);

Used: 16 April 1899.

Size: 29 × 49 mm (e = 0.81).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.
Only recorded example.

Onslow.

A Post & Telegraph Office was opened in 26 October 1885 when Ashburton was renamed.

A Post Office had been established at Ashburton on August 1884 and reclassified as a Post & Telegraph Office on 28 July 1885 after the telegraph line had been completed to that stage .

The Office soon handled telegrams for places further north. The Daily Mail of 13 August 1885 "reminds our readers of the notice posted at the Telegraph Office to the effect that telegrams for Cossack and Roebourne, to be forwarded by horse-express from the Ashburton extension, will be received up till eight o'clock this (Thursday) evening".

Port Hedland is one of the main settlements in the Pilbara region. The original Telegraph Office was opened as Boodarrie on 17 August 1892. The Gazette of 15 July 1892 noted Mr C. J. Efford had been appointed as a linesman at Boodarrie.

In July 1897, it was proposed that the telegraph station at Boodarrie (located inland) be removed to Port Hedland. That office was moved to Causeway Bay on 9 November 1897 - possibly as a temporary measure. Tenders were also let for a new Post & Telegraph building at Port Hedland in July 1898. The combined office opened on 28 November 1898.

The improvement was expected to be more convenient in view of the increasing importance of Port Hedland and the construction of a jetty at a cost of about £10,000.

Port Hedland is now the base for FMG operations.

Four date stamps have been recorded as having been issued to Port Hedland for use with telegraphs. The first two issued had the rare TELEGRAPH STATION inscription.

1. Oval rubber date stamp (RO2 - TS) for P(or)T HEDLAND .
   The TELEGRAPH STATION inscription is itself rare -
   only one other oval Office date stamp incorporating these words (Laverton).

Used in violet: for about 8 months from 20 May 1899 and 11 December 1899.

Size: 25 × 41 mm (e = 0.79).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 8.
Other known dates are 23 May 1899, 7 August 1899, 28 August (all 50%), 27 November 1899 (Abacus April 2019),

2. A rubber oval date stamp (RO4 - TS). for Port Headland - but misspelling of the name by incorporating the letter "a".

Used in violet: 27 September 1904.

Size: 28 × 42 (e = 0.75).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in Census: 1
(only example known).

3. A rubber oval date stamp RO4 - TS. It has Hedland - Telegraph Station at the base.

Used in violet: 27 September 1904.

Size:

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in Census: 1
(only one example recorded).

4. A rubber oval date stamp with a Post & Telegraph Office inscription (RO2 - P&TO).

Used: about 1959.

Size:

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: ?

Postal date stamps were also used for telegraphic purposes.

The date stamp at the right might be considered to have been used to pay transmission charges although that use is almost certainly impossible for telegrams as the 1893 Post and Telegraph act allowed revenue stamps and postal stamps to be interchangeable only to an amount of 1/-.
That interchange ceased on 25 January 1901.

The Post Office opened on 1 August 1878 and it was upgraded to a combined Post & Telegraph Office on 1 October 1885.

The Western Australian of 27 October 1885 reported that "The line reached Roebourne on the 1st inst., and was opened for business the same day, under difficulties, as the operator had to send messages from under a verandah with the sun occasionally shining on him. He is now, however, working with the field instrument in a portion of the Post Office. No move has been made for the erection of a telegraph office".

"Mr. C. McLarty, who has been a telegraph operator in the Roebourne office for nearly two years, left per the mail coach on Thursday for the Nullagine, where he will act as Post and Telegraph master. Mr. McLarty made many friends during his stay in Roebourne"
(West Australian, 29 January 1897).

1. An oval rubber POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO2 - P&TO).

Used in violet: 5 October 1898 - 1 August 1899.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 6.

1. (B) An oval rubber POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO2 - P&TO).

Used in blue: about 1898.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRR.

2. An oval rubber date stamp (RO2 - P&TO).
   Unsure if the same as above as no details are available.

Used about 1910.

Size:

Rated: RRRR.

Roebourne.
16 March 1885 - just before upgrade.
Strike recorded during a 12 month period only.

Prestige Philately July 2009 Lot 633.

A Telegraph Office was opened at Talga Talga (above Marble Bar) on 27 April 1896.

The Office was closed on 11 November 1897.

It is one of the rarest of all Western Australian rubber oval date stamps.
It has not been recorded complete.

Used in violet: ??.

Size: ??.

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Tambourah.

Tambourah is south of Port Hedland. It replaced Talga Talga.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 6 December 1897. It was, according to official records, reclassified as a Post & Telegraph Office on 1 July 1901 and was closed on 31 December 1903.

The date stamps here show that it was a Post & Telegraph Office by 6 September 1899.

Used in violet: 6 September 1899 -
19 April 1900..

Size: 26 × 40 mm (e = 0.76).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Used in blue: 19 April 1900.

Claims are made that this datestamp was used in blue between 6 and 13 September 1899 only. Clearly these two examples are outside that range.

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 2.

Warrawoona.

Salgash is a long forgotten goldfield about 20 kilometres south south-east of Marble Bar. The general impression is that the initial gold discoveries made on and near the surface were incredibly rich, but they didn't extend at depth to any great extent.

Charles Kopeke (sometimes spelt Kopecke) is credited for discovering the gold reef in 1897 which ran for miles over the hills. He pegged a claim called Reward. Early reports described the whole region from Marble Bar to Nullagine as The Salgash Belt.

Salgash was also a town, although a writer in 1899 states it had two hotels, a bush telegraph office and little else, although one hundred men were working the surrounding goldfield at this time. In 1898, the inhabitants of Salgash insisted the town's name be changed to the indigenous Warrawoona. (mindat.org). Mining in the Salgash continues in 2022 through the exploration company Calidus.

A Telegraph Office had opened at Salgash on 1 August 1898. It was renamed Warrawoona on 22 September 1898. On 10 August 1902, the office was downgraded to an Allowance Office.

Used in violet: 23 September 1899.

Size: 26 × 41 mm (e = 0.77).

Rated: RRRRR.

Number in the Census: 3.
Only recorded examples.

Western Shaw.

The Pilbara Goldfield News of 1 October 1897 reported :

"Our Tambourrah correspondent, writing on the 22nd ult., says: Today the material necessary to the erection of a Telegraph Station at Western Shaw arrived and, as the post holes have been completed for some time, it should not be long before we are in telegraphic touch with the rest of the world".

The Telegraph Office opened on 15 January 1898.

It closed on 25 July 1898.