Tasmania.
Listing of Telegraph Offices to about 1885.


After the first Telegraph Offices were established on the Hobart Town to Launceston line in 1857, considerable efforts were made, as funds became available, to open other Offices along lines to areas of need for telegraphic communication.

By 30 April 1872, there were Telegraph Offices at Hobart, Launceston and Low Head and ten other Offices - Bothwell, Campbell Town, Kempton (Green Ponds), Longford, Melton Mowbray, Mount Nelson, Nine Mile Springs, Oatlands, Pontville and Ross.

On 14 April 1874, the Gazette notified "that the telegraph stations will be open on Sunday evenings from 9:00 to 9:30 for the convenience of persons having urgent business with the department".
The Government notice issued on 8 June 1875 detailing the Rules and Regulations for the guidance of the Officers of the Electric Telegraph Department is included elsewhere.

The earliest recorded use of a Tasmanian date stamp on a telegram is at Green Ponds on 3 October 1874.

A listing of Telegraph Offices in Tasmania is shown below. Hyperlinks lead to further details about that office or to an overview of the Tasmanian lines.

The tables can be copied into an Excel spreadsheet for further sorting and research. Highlight the cells required and follow the usual COPY steps (highlight table, press CTL-C then CTL-V in your spreadsheet).

First letter of Office name. A B C D E F G H
I J K L M N O P Q
R S T U V W X Y Z

 

A Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Abbottsham North West 1900  
  Alberton North East 1885 Closed in 1893. Reopened in 1898
  Alberton North East 1898  
  Antill Ponds Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Apslawn North East 1902 Cancellation on telegraph forms only known in mss from 23 January 1902 for several months.
First cds is 28 June 1927.
  Arthur River North West 1914 No cancellation known.
  Avoca North Eastst 1876

 

B Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Barrington North West 1899 nth of Sheffield prob Latrobe line
  Beaconsfield North East 1881
  Beltana South East 1896
  Bishopsbourne North West 1878
  Bismark South West 1897 CN to Collinsvale 1915
  Boat Harbour North West 1892
  Boobyalla North East 1882
  Bothwell Hob-Laun line by 1865
  Branxholm North East 1885
  Bream Creek South East ?? Before 1918!!
  Bridgewater Hob-Laun line  
  Bridport North East 1882 Closed in 1892
  Brighton Hob-Laun line 1870 PO opened 1 June 1832 and CN to Pontville 1895.
  Brighton Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Buckland South East 1876 CN from Prosser's Plains in 1884.
  Burnie North West 1876 CN from Emu Bay in 1840s

 

C Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Cambridge   1893 Combined with Railway TO
  Cambridge Hobart 1891
  Campania South East TMLR
  Campbell Town Hob-Laun line Jan 1861
  Campbell Town Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Cape Barren Island Flinders Island    
  Cape Portland     Only known as a telegraph Station and not a Post Office.
  Carlton South East 1898  
  Carrick North West 1878
  Chudleigh North West 1878
  Circular Head North West 1876 CN to Stanley in 1882.
  Cleveland Hob-Laun line 1876
  Colebrook(see Jerusalem) South East
  Comstock North West? 1891 near Queenstown??
  Coppington South East 1881
  Corinna North West 1883 CN from Royenrine 1882. Closed 1905.
  Corinna (Rovenrine) North West 1882
  Corners South East TMLR
  Cressy North West 1879
  Currie King Island  
  Cygnet South West 1885 CN from Port Cygnet in 1895 to Lovett; CN to Cygnet in 1915.

 

D Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Dee South West 1892
  Deloraine North West 1885
  Deloraine North West L&WR Had TO at station in 1871
  Devonport North West 1874
  Don (see Devonport) North West 1874
  Dora North West 1898 maybe ne of queenstown Closed same year 1898
  Dover (see Port Esperance) South West
  Duck River North West 1876 PO 1 November1873 and CN to Smithton in 1895.
  Dundas North West 1893 Combined with Railway TO. 5 k east of Zeehan, Closed 1894
  Dundas Junction 1891 Closed in ??; reopened 1895 but closed again in 1897.

 

E Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Eaglehawk Neck South East 1885 Tenders called January 1873. The first Eagle Hawk Neck Post & Telegraph Office opened from 1875-1877.
  East Strahan North West 1891
  Egg Lagoon King Island  
  Elderslie South West 1891
  Elizabeth Town North West  
  Ellendale South West 1897
  Ellesmere
(see Scottsdale)
North East
  Emita Flinders Island
  Emu Bay (see Burnie) North West
  Epping Hob-Laun line 1891
  Evandale Hob-Laun line   CN to Western Junction. 1885
  Evandale Hob-Laun line L&WR
  Evandale Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Exton North West L&WR

 

F Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Falmouth North East 1876
  Fentonbury South West 1897  
  Fingal North East 1876
  Flinders Island North East Wireless/Radio Listed under AWA Coastal Radio Stations.
  Forcett South East 1892  
  Forest South East 1896  
  Forth North West 1874
  Frankford North West 1897  
  Franklin South West 1878-1884

 

G Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Gean's Plains 1900
  Geeve's Town South West 1878 CN to Geeveston in 1888
  Geeveston
(see Geeve's Town)
South West
  George Town Hob-Laun line 1857
  George's Bay North East 1876 CN to St Helens in 1882
  Gladstone North East 1882
  Glengarry North West 1897  
  Glenlusk South West 1896 NW of Hobart to Bridg.
  Glenora South West 1885
  Glenorchy Hobart 1891 See Prestige 190 Lot 1477.
  Glenorchy Hob-Laun line 1885
  Glenorn   1893 Combined with Railway TO.
  Gormanston North West 1894  
  Gould's Country North East 1880 Originally Kunnarra
  Government House Hobart 1880  
  Grassy King Island    
  Green Ponds Hob-Laun line by 1865 PO renamed Kempton in 1895 but town name changed in 1838

 

H Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Hamilton South West 1872
  Hastings South West 1880
  Hayley North West L&WR
  Heazlewood south--west 1892 Closed 1897. Not sure of spelling
  Heemskirk (Remine) North West
  Henty 1890 Closed in 1892
  High Thorpe 1899
  Hillend 1899 closed 1900
  Hobart Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Hobart Town Hob-Laun line 1857
  Hobart West Suburban  

 

I Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Ida Bay South West 1891 Closed in 1893.
  Irish Town North West 1898  
  Iron Store 1900

 

J Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Jericho Hob-Laun line 1878-1884
  Jerusalem TMLR TMLR

 

K Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Kellevie South East 1896  
  Kellevie South East 1898  
  Kempton
(see Green Ponds)
South West
  King Island King Island 1902 References the various Offices on the island.
  Kingston South West 1878-1884
  Kingston Beach South West 1900  
  Koonya South East 1891

 

L Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Lady Bay South-west 1889 Closed in 1893.
  Latrobe North West 1874
  Launceston Hob-Laun line 1857
  Launceston Hob-Laun line L&WR
  Launceston Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Lefroy
North East CN from Nine Mile Springs in 1881.
  Leven North West 1874 CN to Ulverstone in ???
  Linda North West 1899 Near Queenstown Closed 1966
  Lisdillon South East 1883
  Loccota Flinders Island  
  Loira North West  
  Longford Hob-Laun line 1871?
  Longford Hob-Laun line L&WR
  Lottah
(see Lower Junction)
North Eastt Very complex naming - http://tps.org.au/bb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=256
  Lovett (see Cygnet) South West CN to Lovett in 1895 and then to Cygnet in 1915.
  Low Head Hob-Laun line 1857
  Low Head Station Hob-Laun line Sub. Teleg.
  Lower Barrington North West 1899 2 km south of Barrington.
  Lower Junction
(see Lottah)
North East 1884
  Lymington North East 1885 See NOTE below table.
  Lymwood King Island    
NOTE: Lymington is a difficult identification as there were two towns with the same name.

Lymington was 20 miles from Launceston in the north-east region. The PO here was opened on 17 September 1876.It changed its name to Nile on 16 September 1890 only to renamed Lymington North on 9 September 1891.Finally, on 6 February 1901, it was renamed Nile.

Lymington was also 4 miles from Cygnet in the south region. Its Post Office was opened on 1 Ovtober 1890.On 9 September 1891, it was renamed Lymington South but renamed Lymington on 1 January 1917.On 31 May 1968, the Lymington Post Office was closed.

 

M Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Macquarie Heads North West 1900  
  Macquarie Plains South West 10 Nov 1873.
  Mangana North East 1896  
  Melton Mowbray South West by 1865
  Millbrook South West 1891  
  Montagu North West 1876
  Montezuma North West 1897 Closed 1907?
  Moorina North East 1882
  Moriaty Road North West 1900 2 km east Latrobe
  Mount Farrell North West 1900 ne rosebury - new line to wynyard/penguin
  Mount Magnet North West 1900  
  Mount Nelson South West 1857
  Mount Reid North West 1898  
  Mount Seymour South East 1900  
  Mount Vernon Hob-Laun line    

 

N Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Nabeena South East 1891 10 k NE of Pt Arthur
  Naracoopa King Island    
  New Norfolk South West by 1865
  New Norfolk Road South West TMLR
  New Town South East  
  Nine Mile Springs North East 1870 CN to Lefroy in 1881
  Nook North West 1899  
  Norfolk Plains
(see Longford)
North East CN to Longford in 1856
  North Motton North West 1899  
  North Mt. Lyell North West 1899  
  Northdown North West 1900  
  Nubeena South East

 

O Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Oatlands Hob-Laun line Jan 1861
  Oatlands Hob-Laun line TMLR
  Oceana Junction     Telegraph Station only - no canceller.
  Orford South East 1894
  Orrville North West 1898 closed 1900
  Ouse South West 1876
  Oyster Cove South West 1878-1884

 

P Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Parattah South East 1883 CN to Oatlands Railway Station).
  Penghana
North West Closed and CN to Queenstown November 1896.
Both names were still used in 1900 Walch's Almanac.
  Penguin North West 1876
  Peppermint Bay South West 1878-1884 Now Woodbridge
  Perth L&WR L&WR
  Perth North West 1890
  Pieman North West 1898
  Pine Road North West 1899  
  Pine Road West North West 1899
  Pontville (see Brighton) Hob-Laun line 1870 PO opened 1 June 1832 and CN to Pontville 1895.
  Port Cygnet South West 1878-1884 CN to Lovett in 1895; CN to Cygnet in 1915.
  Port Esperance South West 1879 PO opened 6 February 1856 and CN to Dover in 1895
  Prosser's Plains     CN to Buckland 1884 although the name was still used for some years after.
  Pyngana North East 1899 In the Blue Tier

 

Q Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Queenstown North West 1896 CN from Penghana November 1896.

 

R Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Railton North West 1892
  Ranelagh Junction South West 1900  
  Regatta Point North West 1900  
  Remine (see Heemskirk) North West Remine closed 1896
  Riana North West 1899  
  Richmond South East 1876
  Ringarooma North Eastt CN from Tunnack in 1882.
  Rocky River South West 1900  
  Rosebery North West 1898  
  Ross South East by 1865 PO from 1832 but building completed in 1889 TO separate
  Ross South East TMLR
  Royenrine
(see Corinna)
North West CN to Corinna.
  Rumsey Huts 1897

 

S Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Salt Water River South East 1900
  Saltwater River South East 1900  
  Sassafras North West 1900  
  Scamander North East 1897  
  Scottsdale North East 1882 PO opened at Ellesmere on 29 November 1865 but CN to Scottsdale in 1893.
  Settlement Cove Flinders Island    
  Sheffield North West 1881
  Shipwright's Point Hobart 1878-1884
  Sisters Creek North West 1900  
  Smithton North West 1876 CN from Duck River in 1895.
  Somerset
(see Somerset River Cam)
North West
  Somerset River Cam North West 1876 Somerset River Cam PO opened 1864 and CN to Somerset in 1963
  Sorell South East 1876
  Southport South West 1879 A "murderous" office!!
  Spring Bay South East 1876 PO opened on 28 Feb 1832 and closed later in the year.  Reopened 1836 and renamed Triabunna in 1881
  Springfield north-east 1900  
  Springs 1891 TO 18 April 1891; PO 17 October 1912; TO 1 May 1929; closed 30 November 1942.
  St. Helens
North East CN from George's Bay in 1882.
  St. Marys North East 1876
  Stanley (see Circular Head) North West 1876 CN from Circular Head in 1882.
  Stirling 1899
  Stowport North West 1899  
  Strahan   1893 Combined with Railway TO
  Strahan North West 1893
  Strathblane South West 1890
  Swan Island North East Closed in 1893 lighthouse island off Boobyalla operating in 1889.
  Swansea
(see Waterloo Point)
South East 1876 Waterloo Point PO opened on 6 September 1832 and CN to Swansea about 1863

 

T Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Table Cape North West 1876 PO opened about 1856 and CN to Wynard in 1882
  Taranna South East 1885
  Tatana North West  
  Thirlstane North West 1900  
  Thomas Plains
(see Weldborough)
North East 1885
  Tonganah North East 1899  
  Torquay
(see Devonport)
North West
  Triabunna South East CN from Spring Bay in 1881.
  Tunbridge   1893 Combined with Railway TO
  Tunbridge Hob-Laun line 1876 Combined with Railway Office in 1893
  Tunnack South East 1883 CN to Ringarooma in 1882

 

U Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Ulverstone North West 1874 CN from Leven.

 

W Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Waratah North West 1882 P&T Office.
  Waterloo South West 1890 Closed 1895
  Waterloo Point
South East CN to Swansea about 1863.
  Weldborough
(see Thomas Plains)
North East 1884 Both names used in Walch's Almanac 1900
  Wesley Vale North West 1900  
  Westbury North West 1883
  Westbury L&WR 1871
  Whitefoord South East 1900  
  Whitemark Flinders Island 1902  
  Wihareja North West    
  Windmill Hill North East   A telegram is noted in Ingles (1975, p109, 117) with the only known date stamp.
  Winkleigh North West 1897  
  Wynard North West 1882 CN frpm Table Cape in 1882

 

Z Telegraph Office Region Opening year Notes
  Zeehan North West 1889 PO opened 1 Oct 1888 as Mount Zeehan and CN in 1890.
  Zeehan East North West 1899