Victoria.
Lines in South Gippsland.

 

The discussion on the telegraph lines on South Gippsland is presented as follows:

1. The first line from Sale to Port Albert.

2. The line to Wilson's Promontory.

3. The south-western line through Leongatha.

 

1. Sale to Port Albert.


Map based on Appendix 1 in McGowan's Report for 1884.		 Port Albert was the administrative centre for Gippsland and a busy Port for transporting goods between Melbourne and Tasmania.

As was noted elsewhere, the line constructed to Sale and the telegraph Office opened in Sale in September 1864. That line was to be continued south to Port Albert - the length of the line from Melbourne to be 181 miles.

The first news about the line to the south was that, on 1 April 1864, "the telegraphic posts we learn, have been fixed for some miles on the road between Port Albert and Sale". Hence work on this section appears to have been going on simultaneously with the west-east line.

 

To Port Albert.

The line from Sale was constructed south through Longford, Stradbroke and Bruthen Creek (Carrajung) thence to Tarraville and Port Albert. There was no intention to open intermediate offices along the line at that time. That was a couple of years before gold was first found near Tarraville.

Although Port Albert was important, there were some who held views which questioned the locality:

"As I mentioned in a former communication, notwithstanding that the (Gippsland) district has been settled for nearly a quarter of a century, there is as yet no passable road to it. Bad as it has always been, it has lately been rendered ten times worse, and more dangerous, by the felling of timber in constructing a telegraph wire, which will be little used, and never be for more than two days at a time in an unbroken state.

At the present time, a stranger could hardly with safety go on horseback to Gipps Land. The mail-man generally gets through, but sometimes his horses are drowned and when the man also is drowned, another takes his place. The district is almost equally unfortunate in having no suitable port. Port Albert is merely a make-shift as a seaport. The locality is not yet finished. As a sailor would say, the land around the port is just between wind and water. High tides flow up the water-channels of the main street and altogether the place has a most unpromising aspect —especially on a rainy day".
(The Argus, 29 August 1864).

As usual, the lack of planning and judgement is shown in the implementation of plans:

The Electric Telegraph has been completed to Port Albert now some time, but as yet there is no appearance of the battery or apparatus for working it. We understand that it has been sent to Sale per Charles Edward, as being the nearest route to Port Albert from Melbourne. If such be the case, it is surely time that the officials at head quarters should be instructed in Colonial geography and be made acquainted with the locale of the different parts and towns etc of the colony".
(Gippsland Guardian 4 November 1864).

The Annual Report for 1864 indicates that the Telegraph Station at Port Albert opened on 1 December 1864.

A telegraph line with 36 miles of wire was opened from Foster to Port Albert in 1896.

 

To Alberton.

A telegraph line with 4 miles of wire was constructed from Port Albert to Alberton in 1896.

 

Stockyard Creek (Foster).

Stockyard Creek was the centre of a major gold area starting in about 1870. The gold was found along and near to the creek. It was about four miles inland from the landing place for boats. The Leader of 20 May 1871 described

"the gigantic task there is to be performed before it can even fairly be said that this new and promising piece of auriferous country is open to the employment of the pick and shovel of the miner ...

From where the digger disembarks to the township, a track is cut through the scrub wide enough to allow the passage of a bullock team. Stores and passengers are brought round from Port Albert by small craft. The cost of steamer passage to Port Albert is 20s without rations and a passage can be got round to the inlet for 5s ... It is, a wet tramp through the scrub track after quitting the vessel but the journey is a short one ...

The storekeepers retail grog at sixpence the nobbler and there is, of course, the usual amount of drunkenness that is to be found at any new rush but so far no criminal act has followed the unlicensed sale and consumption of drink. A medical man has arrived within the last few days and set up his tent or rather has invested £5 in a small recently erected one roomed hut ... Bread is eight pence a loaf and meat fourpence a pound and there is no lack of timber for fuel ...

From the discoveries already made, there is no doubt that a reef of amazing richness lies buried at no great distance from the prospectors' claim. The gold is found lying alongside thin quartz leaders and sometimes in such rich deposits that as much as 20, 30 and 40 ounces will represent a day's work. At the same time, it must be admitted that there are numerous instances in which the reward for much labor is represented by only a few pennyweights. Still, old diggers profess to have unlimited faith in the development of a gold of amazing richness here ...

To talk of the electric telegraph contractors clearing the way for the digger, as the Minister of Mines did lately, is simply absurd, for the surveyors have so far cut an opening through the supple-jack just wide enough to enable them to drag a chain through and the constructors of the line are not very likely to greatly enlarge the space".

At a public meeting on 22 September 1871, one of the discussion points was "To memorialise for the construction of the telegraph line between here (Stockyard Creek) and Port Albert, a survey for which was made some months ago". At least by the beginning of 1873, the road from Port Albert to Foster was being referred to as "the telegraph road".

On 27 February 1873, The Argus noted : "We (at Stockyard Creek) are looking daily for the opening of telegraphic communication. The poles have been erected for a week or more and the sooner the wire comes along the better as it is much wanted". The telegraph line was completed in May 1873 so that, "we can now communicate with the outer world at a moment's notice, instead of having to depend entirely upon a very tedious and roundabout postal service with a despatch and arrival twice or at most thrice a week". Unfortunately, the usual delay in obtaining a building was encountered. On 29 April 1873, The Argus reported that "Yesterday Mr. Mason, M.L.A., presented a petition to the Deputy Postmaster-General, in the absence of the Postmaster-General, from the residents of Stockyard Creek, praying for the erection of a Post and Telegraph office at that township. Mr. Turner promised that the matter should have immediate attention and that an officiai reply would, in a few days, be sent to Mr. Mason on the subject".

Yarram.

On 3 October 1887, the Alberton Shire Council tabled a letter from the Post and Telegraph Office informing the Council that instructions had been given for the telegraph poles to be removed to the kerb line on the footpath at Yarram - presumably from the road.

In the Railway Bill of June 1890, it was proposed to run the line from Welshpool to Yinnar and then on to Yarram and Alberton.

At the Alberton Shire Council meeting of 16 September 1891, the proposal was put by the Yarram Progress Association for the Council to push for a line of telegraph to connect Yarram through Carrajung to Traralgon.

 

General comments.

In 1871, a member of the Temperance Society travelled through the region and shared his observations with the Ballarat Courier of 31 March 1871. Excerpts relating to this area of South Gippsland include:

It is interesting to observe that, even in those days, companies and advertisers were using some of the techniques we see today. In 1862, the coach service between the Royal Exchange in Melbourne and Port Albert was called "The Telegraph Line"!! The Gippsland Times applauded this development in transportation describing the coach as being "both commodious and roomy and of the same construction as those used by Watson and Hewitt who ran this conveyance on the Dandenong road for about two months. The coach can conveniently carry eighteen passengers. We understand a new opposition coach will also be at Sale within a few weeks and, as opposition is the life of trade, we should be glad to see that opposition in coach travelling produce some little improvement here - and then we should almost be inclined to join in the highwayman's song: " Hurrah for the road".

 

2. The long trek to Wilson's Promontory.

The need for a line through to Wilson's Promontory was recognised early by McGowan. He raised the need and possible funding in his Superintendent's Report to December 1867 - see especially the first and second pages, Appendix B and the included Map after Appendix B.

The Adelaide Observer of 30 April 1870 noted that "The Chamber of Commerce are again urging the Government to construct a telegraph line to Wilson's Promontory". The arguments for a telegraph line were very strongly put forward in a number of sources. There were countless instances of ships being uncontactable and in danger in the general area of the promontory. Nevertheless, the words "the telegraph line to Wilson's Promontory would be further considered" were used frequently by the Governments in response to pleas over a number of years from all kinds of groups - including the Ship Owners Association, the Chamber of Commerce and various Maritime Agencies - for the construction of a telegraph line. A common response was to the effect that "Great regret was expressed at the apathy exhibited by the Government in respect to the proposed line of telegraph to Wilson's Promontory". The Bendigo Advertiser of 1 September 1870 even unleashed the Dogs of War:

"You will no doubt remember that sundry attempts have been made to procure an extension of telegraph communication to Wilson's Promontory, hitherto without effect; but it seems that another attempt is to be made, armed with the additional ground that, in the event of war's alarms, the promontory would be a valuable point of "vantage ground" from whence to decry the approach of any hostile fleet or ships, and thus give early information to the colonists to prepare to meet the foe; there is certainly something in this besides the value to maritime interests generally which may yet lead to the desired concession".

On 2 November 1870, the Age reported amazing news: " The subject of the extension of the telegraph wires to Wilson's Promontory was again considered, and the secretary was instructed to write to the Hon. the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, urging on the Government the necessity of making provision for the work in question on the estimates now in course of preparation". Decision making at its finest!!

In the House of 23 November 1870, the urgency of the line for the Government was emphasised:

"Mr. Francis stated that no provision had been made for telegraphic communication to Wilson's Promontory because, if this had been done, other extensions both remunerative and desirable would have thereby been prevented. He admitted the desirability of establishing telegraphic communication to Wilson's Promontory and as soon as the public revenue was in a more satisfactory condition, a sum of money would be placed on the Estimates for the purpose".

On 19 December 1870, "The second supplementary estimates for 1870 were laid last evening before the Assembly by the Treasurer ... There were also some additional estimates for 1871 amounting to £14,082 10s, which includes the sum of £2,750 for extension of the telegraph to Wilson's Promontory, £1000 for raising the wreck of the Eliza and £300 for topographical and geological surveys of the gold fields". An interesting insight is also obtained from an Argus report on the allocation of the funds.

In January 1871, tenders for surveying and marking the 70 mile extension of the line from Port Albert via Foster and around to the the lighthouse at Wilson's Promontory. were invited by the Crown Lands department. Many hoped that the work would proceed while the season was still favourable. In late February, the tender submitted by Mr. G. Hastings was accepted.

This extension had been discussed for several years. A significant argument was printed in the Gippsland Times of 1 December 1868.

Construction of this line began in 1871. In April 1871, it was agreed that "as soon as the track through the dense bush was cleared, the Wilson's Promontory telegraph line should be proceeded with, especially as it was thought that the opening up of the Stockyard Creek diggings would be advanced thereby".

A letter on the subject of the delay in constructing the line of telegraph to Wilson's Promontory was read to the Council on 30 May 1871: "the Secretary was instructed to remind the Hon. the Postmaster-General that the financial year would shortly terminate and that the vote would lapse unless tenders were forthwith obtained". On 7th June in the Assembly "Mr. Smyth said something about a telegraph to Wilson's Promontory, as though the idea was quite fresh. Sir James reminded Mr. Smyth that the scheme was all cut and dried long ago, and the posts would be cut and dried as soon as possible".

On 5th October 1871, the Shipowners Association noted "work had been already commenced by the acceptance of a contract for cutting the track and it was hoped that no unnecessary delay would not take place in calling for tenders for the erection of the wire". The Legislative Council on 17 October noted that tenders "would be duly advertised".

A new year and in January 1872, the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce instructed the Secretary to write to the Hon. the Postmaster-General to urge him to see that the telegraph line to Wilson's promontory was proceeded with more vigorously. In February, the Department of Public Works announced that work was progressing and that the contract time for completion was 17 May (1872!!).

On 9 March, somewhat expectedly, The Gippsland Times reported:

"It will be some time yet before telegraphic communication will be completed between Melbourne and Wilson's Promontory. In consequence of the incorrect survey of the line of road made by Mr. Usher between Welshpool and the Agnes River, the laying of the telegraph line to the promontory has been stopped from a little beyond the former place, pending a more accurate line being laid down by the mining surveyor of Stockyard Creek. He is now busily engaged in that work but to prevent the loss of the fine weather, Mr. Chitts, contractor, is proceeding with the line from Stockyard Creek beyond which poles are laid down for about twelve miles and in position for about half that distance. The work will be comparatively easy from the latter station until reaching the ranges or rather passing Yanakie. The greatest amount of timber and the most massive is to be found between the Agnes River and Stockyard Creek but, if everything goes on favorably, it is anticipated the line will be open in three months".

On 20 April the Gippsland Times printed a very informative article about the conditions being encountered:

"It may be interesting to your readers to know that the telegraph to the Promontory is progressing very favourably under existing difficulties. The poles from Stockyards Creek to the Darby River are all laid, a distance of 26 miles. The country is exceedingly rough as there are nothing but hummocks for nine miles. From the last station to the Promontory is a distance of 18 miles and, in many parts between the Darby and the Promontory, the poles will have to be dragged by block and tackle in consequence of the severity of the country. A great part of it consists entirely of granite also, into which the poles will have to be sunk.

It will take four months good before the line can be completed. The Muddy Creek portion (not as yet having been marked by the surveyor) has in a great measure delayed the progress of the work and I may add that, had it not been for this error in the survey, telegraphic communication would ere this have been established between Port Albert and Stockyard Creek - a consummation which would not only be valuable to the mercantile community, but especially so to the people on the new and prosperous gold field. Five bullock waggons are engaged on the work with plenty of hands who are in good health and pulling well together".

At about this time (May 1872) the Minister of Public Works told a deputation that he would give his favourable attention to erecting a Telegraph Station at Stockyard Creek (Foster) as soon as the line to Wilson's Promontory was completed.

About 8 June, the Gippsland Times: "We now hear that the wires have been stretched between Stockyard Creek and the Darby but that operations are again suspended on account of the flooded state of the country. This is somewhat unfortunate as the contractors have already been sorely tried by the wild nature of the country through which the line passes and now this visitation of flood must prove very exasperating".

On 6 August 1872, the Gippsland Times noted that, amongst the Government tenders announced, there was "remaining portion of contract for constructing line of telegraph from Port Albert to Wilson's Promontory, Alfred Chitts and Co, £452 3s".

(soft music please): The Age of 4 April 1873 announced that the new line of telegraph between Melbourne and Wilson's Promontory was opened yesterday and was now open for business!!

Even though the line had been completed, there were still a number of delays before the office could become fully operational. The 1874 Report noted "office accommodation, quarters, and stabling are about to be provided". Clearly there had been insufficient time to organise these unexpected matters.

Part of the usual duties was to keep the lighthouse and Telegraph Office equipped and supplied. As an example of how this was done regularly, The Argus of 23 October 1877 noted that "The Government steamer Pharos left the Bay yesterday for Wilson's Promontory with stores, etc for the lighthouse and telegraph station. After landing which, she will proceed to Port Albert on harbour duty".

 

3. The south-western line through Leongatha.

In 1884, plans for the Great Southern Railway were announced and that part of the line from Warragul was to stop at Leongatha. Clearly that enraged many citizens who wanted the Railway to include Alberton and Port Albert. In addition, they considered the development of the fishing industry and the supply of the Melbourne fish market depended upon the construction of the Dandenong to Alberton line. Community meetings were held in all towns from Leongatha (Koorooman) to Port Albert.

There were continued discussions as to whether a line should start at Dandenong and pass through the Koo Wee Rup swamp of start from Packenham and save 16 miles. In December 1886, the tender submitted by J. Falkingham and Sons for £251,171 19s 2d was accepted for the construction of the railway line from Dandenong to Leongatha (Whitelaw's Track) via the Koo Wee Rup swamp on the great Southern Railway Line.

The railway line was being constructed in 1889 after some survey work at the end of 1888. One branch ran from Dandenong to Warragul and then south to Leongatha and on to Alberton.

In October 1888, two locals found coal "which was jet black, and burns brilliantly in an ordinary fireplace. The seam has an average width of 5 feet, and is near the surveyed route of the Warragul to Leongatha (railway) line". The railway line from Korumburra to Leongatha was opened on 14 December 1891.

Other developments in this region included:

This whole area was a very rich source of quality coal. In the Barrier Miner of 20 April 1891:

"The Mines, Department has received information, though at present of an unofficial character, that the most important mineral discovery yet made in the colony has just been made at Jumbunna, in Gippsland. The report is to the effect that the Government diamond drill which is boring in that locality came upon a seam of black coal, 5ft. in thickness, at a depth of about 300 ft. The report has yet to be confirmed officially. The thickest seam of black coal previously found in the colony was one of 4ft. in thickness penetrated by a diamond drill boring at Korumburra".

In the Sydney Morning Herald of 14 May 1892: "The giant drill boring for black coal between Korumburra and Strezlecki, South Gippsland, a few days ago, passed through a seam 3 ft. 10 in thick at a depth of 534 ft. To-day it passed through another seam 3 ft 3 in thick at a depth of 538 ft. The latter is not such good coal as the former seam - being more mixed with shale".

The telegraph lines in Southern Gippsland in 1887 were:

Designation of Line Names of Stations Branch Lines Length of line Length of wires Names of Stations
From To
Wilson's Promontory Line (No. 1 East): Wilson's Promontory, Foster, Port Albert, Tarraville, Sale, Rosedale, Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Yarragon, Trafalgar, Warragul, Drouin, Pakenham, Berwick, Dandenong, Oakleigh.

Port Albert

 

 

 

Yarram Yarram

 

 4 8 Port Albert, Alberton, Yarram Yarram
Rosedale Walhalla 35 36 Rosedale, Toongabbie, Walhalla
Warragul Buln Buln 4 4 Warragul, Buln Buln
Berwick Beaconsfield 5 5 Berwick, Beaconsfield

 

The 1890 classifications.

By 1890,the Southern Gippsland line was distributed over four separate lines - one being solely for telephones are:

Line 29: Melbourne through Malvern Test Box, Dandenong, Warragul, Rosedale, Sale, Tarraville, Port Albert, Foster, Yanakie (telephone) to Wilson's Promontory.
Line 117: Port Albert through Alberton to Yarram Yarram.
Line 201: Port Albert through Taraville to Woodside.
Line 205: Foster through Toora to Welshpool.
Line 207: Foster to Landing Place (telephones).