Dakabin is about 26 miles north of Brisbane in the Moreton Bay region.

A Receiving Office opened in February 1902 and the Post Office was established on 1 July 1927. The Telegraph Office probably opened at the same time as the Post Office.

Used in violet: 1 August 1933 to 28 August 1935.

Size: 26 × 40 mm (e = 0.76).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5.

Why an old ETO oval date stamp was introduced so late is a puzzle.

Five examples of the Dakabin date stamp have been sighted. All were used in violet and all have a manuscript date cancellation.

The dates recorded are:

1. 1 August 1933 (on piece);
2. 29 May 1935 (on cover);
3. 19 August 1935 (on cover);
4. 23 August 1935 (on piece);
5. 28 August 1935 (on cover).
   
   

Fortitude Valley.

On 24 July 1886, "The lowest tenderer for the new Fortitude Valley Post and Telegraph Offices was W. Ferguson, the amount of his tender being £4377". The contract bonds were signed in mid-August 1886 and it was anticipated work would commence immediately. 

A circular steel date stamp of the early Commonwealth format was issued to the office. It incorporated filled circles for separation markers.

Used (on a telegram): 12 July 1910.

Diameter: 25 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Gatton.

Gatton is located in the Lockyer Valley between Ipswich and Toowoomba. It was allocated 55 in the Numeral Allocations.

The Post Office was opened on 28 April 1861 with Mr H. Challis in charge. It was only opened for line repairing purposes and was subsequently closed on 31 December 1862 and Mr. Challis was transferred to Drayton.

It appears that the Gratton Telegraph Office was opened in March or April 1865. The 1866 Report from the Superintendent for 1865 shows that in April 1965, only 9 messages were paid for with nothing before that date. There was, in addition, one paid OHMS message.

A steel oval Electric Telegraph Office was issued to Gatton. It was type BO7-ETO-3A.

Used in black: ??

Size: 26 × 44 mm
(e = 0.81).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Lutwyche.

The Telegraph of 21 February 1889 reported "For some time past Dr. Edgelow and other residents of Maida Hill, Lutwyche, have been agitating for a Post and Telegraph Office at the railway station. A letter has now been received from the department by the chief mover in the matter, intimating that a box will be erected at the station wherein letters, packets and newspapers may be posted and which will be cleared daily (except Sundays) at 10:30 am". No telegraph!

The Brisbane Courier of 8 March 1930 reported "Mr. G. H. Mackay, M.H.R. has received the following letter from the Acting Deputy Director Posts and Telegraphs (Mr. J. W. Sutton) - "With reference to your communication dated 19/2/30 on behalf of the Lutwyche and Days Park Progress Association (Mr. E. Tyacke, hon. secretary, 27 Brickfield Street, Windsor) who desire to know when the Lutwyche Post Office will be raised to official status, I have to advise that an excellent service is being provided by the non-official post-mistress and the conversion of the office to official status would not result in additional or improved facilities to the public. Indeed the only difference would be that the cost to the department would be very considerably increased and in view of the present acute financial position the incurring of additional expenditure without commensurate benefit cannot be under-taken".

A major £166,000 telephone exchange was installed at Lutwyche in June 1952.

No special date stamp for telegraph use was issued to Lutwyche - probably because it was a non-official office. Instead the usual circular postal date stamp was used.

Used: 26 June 1928 to 17 December 1934.

Diameter: 28 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RR.

Number on telgram in Census: 3.

Moreton Bay Pilot Station.

A Pilot Station was established in 1827 at Amity Point. It later moved to Cowan Cowan and then to Bulwer. In 1864, a telegraph line was extended from the Brisbane Telegraph Office to Moreton Island to the Pilot Station. In 1872, that line was extended to the southern end of Moreton Island.

A Telegraph Office was opened on 20 August 1874.

See also Pile Light.

Parliament House.

The Telegraph Office in Parliament House was opened on

The Proceedings in the House on 20 October record a debate on the removal of the Office to another place:

"Mr Buckland spoke adversely to the removal of the telegraph office from the Parliamentary Buildings to the Bellevue Hotel, and hoped that next session members would have the of schemes for sending of telegrams that they previously enjoyed. He also thought that it was a hardship that a person wishing to send a reply to a telegram from the other colonies could not send a collect message.

Mr Donaldson said that was also the rule in the Southern colonies. The location of the telegraph office in the room below the chamber was beset with many inconveniences and had to be conducted at a loss. He did not think it was any trouble to members to send their telegrams over the road by the messenger and one great arument in having the office in the hotel was that the public had the benefit of it as a branch office and that it was now paying.

Mr. Morehead did not see why members should have to go to an hotel to despatch their telegrams.

Mr. Rutledge considered the principle of having the office there was a bad one and totally indefensible He objected to the convenience of members being made subsidiary to that of persons staying in the hotel or the general public. Mr. Groom spoke in similar terms and suggested that when the new buildings were being erected, a Post and Telegraph office should be placed at the Alice Street corner, which would serve the public as well.

Mr Adams did not think that the priveleges of members had been infringed upon by the removal of the office.

Mr Donaldson agreed with Mr. Groom's suggestion as to the inclusion of a Post and Telegraph Office in the new Parliamentary buildings and it would have his consideration. He hoped to make arrangements by which next session members would be given Facilities for posting and receiving their letters at the House. (Hear, hear ).

The discussion continued for some time. The Figaro of 28 July 1888 also touched on this move noting "A large number of the Northern and other country Members of Parliament reside at the Belle Vue Hotel while in Brisbane, and this handy means of telegraphy will doubtless be found of great service to them. It will probably also furnish a rapid means of rounding up to a division any Members who may be only so far absent from the House when needed".

Pile Light.

Moreton Bay Pile Light was a light house atop piles at the mouth of the Brisbane River. It was established in 1884 and relocated in 1913 before being damaged by a barge in 1945 and destroyed by the British tanker Wave Protector in 1949.

The lighthouse first operated on 31 May 1884 but the telegraph line was not connected to Brisbane until 8 August. A replacement light was installed in 1913 at a slightly different location due to the cutting of a new channel.

Some relevant information about Pile Light and other lighthouses is included in the 1884 Annual Report of Harbours and Lighthouses. An excellent overview is given in Wikipedia including an excellent photograph of the second structure with its rooms for staff.

Used in black: date unknown.

Size:
Outer: 27 × 42 mm (e = 0.77).
Inner: 13 × 27 mm (e = 0.88).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Redbank.

A railway Telegraph Station was opened at Redbank in November 1884. A Receiving Office was opened about 1876 and a Post Office was opened in about 1900.

Red Hill.

In July 1899, tenders were accepted for a new Post and Telegraph Office and quarters at Red Hill, Brisbane from W. Herd at a cost of £543.

Roma Street Railway Station.

The Roma Street Railway Station about 1890.

The Telegraph Office was opened on 3 March 1871 in premises which are presently unknown. Until 1888, the only employee was the Operator although, by 1888, two messengers had also been employed.

The Post Office was built on land valued at the time at £800. The construction cost £2,025 and it opened to the public in May 1887. Mr . Charles Slaughter was the Postmaster with an annual salary of £40. In 1888, he had a staff of 3 (Telegraph Operator and two messengers - so no postal staff to begin with) and this number grew over the years to 13.

Sandgate had been surveyed in 1852 with the first land sold there in 1853. Cobb & Co coaches ran the Brisbane-Sandgate route meeting at the German Station (Nundah). The coaches were put up at the Sandgate Hotel facing the Upper Esplanade.

For details of early Sandgate, see Stevens (1956).

The Sandgate Post & Telegraph Office, unusually built from masonry, which opened in May 1887.

The building is now 4017 Bar and Grill. The owners respect their heritage and have a website recounting that heritage.

A Post Office was opened on 27 March 1876. There is a report that it closed in 1889 - but given the announcement below, that seems unlikely. A second office was opened when Melbourne Street Post Office changed name in about 1892. That office closed on 30 June 1990.

The Brisbane Courier of 24 October 1889 advised readers that "The formal opening of the new South Brisbane Post and Telegraph offices, situated at the Five Ways, Woolloongabba, will take place this morning at half-past 9 o'clock".

During the March 1890 floods in Brisbane, "A very plucky rescue from drowning took place. A messenger of the Telegraph Department was seated on the roof of the South Brisbane Telegraph Office looking at the flood, when he slipped and fell into about 6 ft of water. The lad would have been drowned had not Exton, the well known footballer, who had seen the mishap, jumped from the balcony of an adjoining hotel, a distance of some 20 ft., and brought him into shallow water. Exton was fully dressed and undertook the 20 ft. leap without the slightest hesitation".

The Office was not issued with any special date stamp for use with telegrams. The usual postal date stamps (SC1) was used.

Used (on a telegram): 30 March 1939.

Diameter: 27 mm.

Rated (on a telegram): RR.

Number in the Census: 1.

The Telegraph Office was opened on

A Post Office had been opened on 1 April 1875.

Used in black: date unknown.

Size:
Outer: 29 × 45 mm (e = 0.76).
Inner: 17.5 × 34 mm (e = 0.86).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

A usual Commonwealth date stamp was issued to the Office with telegraph matters.

Used on a telegram: 6 October 1944.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

Toowong postal date stamp.

Used on AW-DO-9G.

Woolloongabba.

The Telegraph Office was opened in 1877 in rented premises. The Post Office opened on 23 September 1889.

A new building was opened in November 1905 after the proposal had been agreed to in 1901. The site had been previously owned by the Wesleyan Methodist Church

This structure was one of only five masonry post offices constructed in Queensland between 1900 and 1910 - the others being at Ipswich (1900), Stanthorpe (1901), Cairns (1906) and Mount Morgan (1910).

The 1905 Wooloongabba Post & Telegraph Office.

This building was closed in 1994 although some parts continued to be used by Australia Post for some time.

It appears that no special date stamp was prepared either for Post Office or for the Telegraph Office of this famous cricket ground.

A rubber oval date stamp is however known for Woolloongabba which might have had priority for telegraph use:

Used in blue: 28 February 1903.

Size: 22 × 30 mm (e = 0.68).

Rated: RRRR.

Number in the Census: 1.

The format is very similar to that used for Mackay and the dates are close.

28 February 1903.
Used on block of 4 of the 1/- violet
possibly paying a 4/- telegram charge.

A Receiving Office opened about 1889 and the Post Office opened on 1 July 1927. It closed 25 July 1978.

The Telegraph Office

The name relates to the name of a local aboriginal person. On 5 October 1889, the Queenslander describes the change of name of the Lutwyche Railway Station to Wooloowin and the attendant considerations.

A 4/- franking of these two 1882 2/- blue Chalons would have paid for an 18 word message to Victoria. There is no date or form however to indicate when the date stamp was applied or why.
Provenance: Dave Elsmore.

A circular steel postal date stamp was used on telegrams at Wynnum:

Used on a telegram: February 1950.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated (used on a telegram): RR.

Number on a telegram in the Census: 2.