The Post & Telegraph Offices along the Gippsland line and the Bairnsdale branch are listed alphabetically and not by date of opening or by geographical sequence.
Bairnsdale. On both the Gippsland line and the Bairnsdale Branch. The Telegraph Office opened in July 1869 after the Post Office had opened in February 1858 (on the east bank of the river in Lucknow) but soon relocated in April 1862. On 23 April 1875, £1,200 was apportioned by the Postmaster-General for the building of a new Post and Telegraph Office at Bairnsdale. Tenders were called in August 1875. By 1890, discussions and public meetings were well underway in relation to the building of a new Post and Telegraph building in a central position in Main Street. The Post Office was (sadly) demolished in 1970. |
Both these buildings were the design of architect A.J.Mcdonald of the Public Works Department. |
The Gippsland Times reported on 6 February 1884:
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![]() Bairnsdale's impressive Court House more recently - taken from the opposite side from the image above. The Post & Telegraph Office is at the left in the distance. |
The office was issued with three types of date stamp for use with telegraphs:
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![]() 3 January 1890. |
![]() 19 June 1894 (latest recorded date). |
Used in blue on 20 October 1891 and in 1892. |
![]() 20 October 1891 (earliest recorded date for a blue version). |
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![]() 2 November 1938. |
![]() 8 December 1951. Image courtesy of Brian Sampson. |
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![]() 2 April 1948. |
The usual postal date stamp was also used on telegrams. | ![]() 27 December 1942. Used on AW-DO-9A (41). |
Bairnsdale Railway Station.
A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Railway Station about 1910. It was then reclassified as a Post Office about 1915 but reverted to a Telegraph Office about 1940. The Office was closed about 1966. A circular date stamp (RC2-VR) with the letters V.R. at the base was issued to the office.
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![]() 1 February 1955. |
Berwick.
The Telegraph Office was opened in March 1873. |
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The office was issued with a circular rubber TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RC1-TO):
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![]() 23 August 1988. (only recorded date). |
Brown Coal Mine.
The Telegraph Office probably opened on 8 July 1918 at the same time as the Receiving Office was upgraded to a Post Office. The Receiving Office had opened on 3 September 1917. The name Brown Coal Mine was changed to Yallourn North on 1 August 1917. The office was destroyed by fire on 14 May 1934. Brown Coal is about 5 km NE Yallourn. |
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A T.O. Brown Coal Mine date stamp was issued for use with telegraph business in two formats:
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![]() 25 February 1922. |
![]() 1 November 1930 (latest recorded date). |
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![]() 30 May 1936. |
Bruthen.
The Telegraph Office was opened on 29 May 1880. The Bendigo Advertiser contained the following:"The opening of the office bring us within the pale of civilization. Three mails a week saved us from becoming heathens, but to be in a minute correspondence with the world makes a man feel happy and careless of city gaiety. We sent the deputy-postmaster a congratulatory message. In reply he thanked us, and hoped Bruthen would be benefited in every way. The receipts for the first day amounted to a goodly sum and, if the inaugural takings be an index for the future, the new office will pay". |
![]() There is no telegraph pole at the right side. The front door is in the middle of the building. Image and details by courtesy of Brian Sampson of Bairnsdale. |
![]() Bruthen Post & Telegraph Office about 1920. Compared to the previous image, the door in the middle of the building has been closed in with a window and a porch has been added at the right following the original roof line. This work was probably completed well before 1903. |
![]() Bruthen Post & Telegraph Office - recent photo taken in 1968. |
By 1886, the first postmaster of the Bruthen P&T office had been replaced. On 16 October 1886, the Bairnsdale Advertiser included the following article from its "own correspondent":
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The Office at Bruthen was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.
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A Telegraph Office was opened in March 1877 at Brandy Creek - not too far from Whisky Creek. The Warrugal Guardian of 4 October 1892 reported that:
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Buln Buln. Unframed date stamp |
The Telegraph Office was opened at Bunyip as part of the Railway Circuit in November 1877. Renamed from Bunyip R.S. on 14 September 1903. |
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The Telegraph Office at Cann River was the second most easterly office behind Mallacoota East. It was established
The Office was issued with a T. O. date stamp. As changes were made to the date stamp, five formats were created. |
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![]() 20 April 1921. |
![]() 23(?) December 1920. |
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![]() 21 February 1928. Prestige Philately March 2006 Lot 831. |
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![]() 1 February 1938. |
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![]() Cann River with T.O. removed - on cover to Mount Albert. 1 February 1938. Provenance: Gary Watson, Johnstone. |
Cranbourne. The Telegraph Office opened in February 1877. |
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An oval date stamp inscribed TELEGRAPH (RO2 - T) was issued for use at the Telegraph Office.
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![]() 21 September 1988. |
The Telegraph Office was opened in June 1871. The Post Office was opened on 1 July 1848.
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A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Dandenong Post & Telegraph Office.
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![]() 24 February 1893 (earliest recorded date). |
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A Telegraph Office was also opened nearby at the Dandenong Railway Station about 1910 which was reclassified as a Post Office about 1915. |
Drouin South.
A Telegraph Office was opened at Drouin South in February 1879 while the Post Office was opened on 1 September 1881. The establishment was closed on 31 August 1973. |
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Rated: RR. |
![]() Date cannot be determined. |
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![]() 13 September 1949. |
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Foster is 29 km south-east of Leongatha. The Telegraph Office was opened in April 1873. The Post Office was established when Stockyard Creek Post Office was renamed on 1 August 1879. |
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A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to Foster.
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Gabo Island is an island of about 154 hectacres about 500 m off the coast of Victoria. It is about 14 km east of Mallacoota and near the border with New South Wales. The Lighthouse was completed in 1862. A Telegraph Office was opened about 1909. It was reclassified as a Post Office about 1915 but reclassified again back to a Telegraph Office about 1917. The Office was closed on 30 June 1964. |
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A circular steel date stamp was issued to the Office.
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![]() 3 December 1960. |
The Post Office opened on 20 October 1890. The Office was reclassified as a Telegraph Office about 1936. The Office was closed on 31 August 1958 but the building was destroyed by fire in August 1959. Glen Wills is about 29 km north west of Omeo. |
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No special date stamp for use with telegrams was issued to Glen Wills - the usual postal date stamp being used for telegram work. The usual postal date stamp with VIC at the base (diameter 29 mm, 5 mm side arcs and rated RR) was used from October 1916 to 5 February 1937 which is slightly into the Telegraph Office period. A replacement date stamp with VIC AUST at the base was then used. |
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The date stamp used during the Telegraph Office period had VIC AUST at the base and 3 mm side arcs.
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![]() 19 May 1947. |
Glengarry.
Located about 8 km NNE of Traralgon. It was originally La Trobe Railway Station but renamed Glengarry on 1 December 1884. A Telegraph Office was opened about 1909 and closed about 1911. A Telegraph Office was then opened at the Railway Station on 11 August 1911. It was reclassified as a Post Office about 1915 and closed about 1916. |
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The office was issued with a T.O. Glengarry date stamp.
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![]() 29 October 1920 (earliest recorded date). |
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![]() 1 April 1921. |
![]() 25 February 1925. |
Lake Tyers.
Lake Tyers opened as a Receiving Office in 1902 and was reclassified to a Post Office on 1 July 1927. It closed on 26 February 1971. Lake Tyers is along the coast and north east of Lakes Entrance.
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The Receiving Office was issued with a TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp.
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![]() 1916 - no day or month. Prestige July 2009 Lot 488. |
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![]() December 1917. |
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![]() 11 August 1924. |
![]() 29 June 1925. |
The Telegraph Office was opened as Cunninghame in October 1879. Now called Lakes Entrance after a name change in January 1915. The Post Office opened in February 1870. An oval rubber datestamp for use with Telegrams was issued to Lakes Entrance but with no date line. |
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Need a CUNNINGHAME |
On 9d Kangaroo on Map on telegram piece. |
Diameter: 28 mm. |
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Size: 31 × 51 mm (e = 0.79). |
Leongatha.
The Post Office opened as Koorooman on 1 October 1887 and was renamed Leongatha on 1 June 1891 when a township was established on the arrival of the railway on 14 December 1891. The Telegraph Office opened before 1893. The telegraph line probably followed the railway line from Dandenong to Leongatha (maybe probably via Warragul and Mirboo) and then to Alberton (Railway Bill of 1884). Telegraph Offices were also opened at
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![]() Leongtha Post & Telegraph Office looking north - about 1905. |
![]() Leongatha Post & Telegraph Office about 1920. |
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In the Mornington Journal of 15 March 1899, it was reported that
Nothing else is known of this initiative. |
![]() Leongatha about 1900 - Blair Street leading to the Post & Telegraph Office in the centre of the picture. A row of telegraph poles at the right leads to that building. |
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The Leongatha Post and Telegraph Office is one of a small group of post offices, along with those in Terang (1903), Sorrento (1904), Korumburra (1904) and Woodend (1905), to be constructed for the Commonwealth by the Victorian government in the early years after Federation. These buildings were all designed and constructed by the Victorian Public Works Department under the supervision of its chief architect, J. H. Marsden - this despite the postal and telegraphic services being transferred to the Commonwealth from the states in 1901. After the early months of 1907, no further post offices were built in Victoria until 1909, when a concerted building campaign was commenced by the Commonwealth. Postal buildings were erected at at Canterbury, Hawthorn, Brunswick, and Beulah. Others followed in 1910, at Casterton, Birchip, Box Hill, Clifton Hill, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Rupanyup, Violet Town and Willaura. More than a dozen additional premises were completed prior to the outbreak of World War I. Today the Leongatha Post and Telegraph Office is one of the oldest still functioning post offices built for the Commonwealth after Federation in 1901. |
Maffra. The Telegraph Office was opened in July 1875.
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The eastern most Telegraph Station in Victoria. Established on 1 March 1928 when the Post Office at Mallacoota changed name. In the following year, the Post Office at Mallacoota East was reclassified as a Telegraph Office and it operated until closed on 31 January 1940. |
Marlo.
Marlo is on the Gippsland line to the east of Cunninghame (Lakes Entrance) and SE of Orbost. The office opened as a Receiving Office in 1902 and was upgraded to a Post Office on 1 July 1927. |
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A TEL. OFFICE date stamp was used at Marlo.
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![]() 8 October 1915. |
![]() 22 September 1922. Latest recorded date. |
Moe.
The Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station in July 1878.
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![]() Moe Post & Telegraph Office about 1890. |
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The office was issued with a one hole Belt and Buckle date stamp:
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![]() 10 August 1891. Provenance: Freeman, Johnstone. |
Morwell.
The Telegraph Office was opened in August 1879. The Morwell Post & Telegraph Office needed replacement by 1882 as reflected in the following printed in the 23 August 1882 Gippsland Times:
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The office was issued with a 1 hole Belt and Buckle date stamp:
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![]() 18 February 1891. Only example recorded. |
The Telegraph Office |
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The Office was issued with a rubber circular TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RC1-TO):
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![]() 11 October 1988 (possibly last day of operation). |
The Telegraph Office was opened in September 1875. |
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A TELEGRAPH date stamp RC1 - T was issued to the office - probably in the 1980s.
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![]() 11 April 1983. |
Omeo.
The Telegraph Office in Omeo opened in November 1879.
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![]() Sign allegedly from the Omeo P&T Office. Source: Ebay, July 2013. |
![]() Omeo in snow circa 1910. |
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A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was used at Omeo:
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![]() 22 October 1891. |
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![]() 12 September 1892. |
![]() 25 January 1894. |
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![]() 5 February 1889?. |
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![]() 26 January, 1892. |
The Telegraph |
Packenham. The Telegraph Office was opened in August 1877.
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The Telegraph Office was opened on 1 December 1864. Port Albert derives its present name from the husband of Queen Victoria. It was originally known, from 1841, as Seabank or Old Port which was changed to Alberton in 1842 and then to Port Albert in 1856. It was one of the first ports in Victoria and became the administrative centre of Gippsland. It was also the transport focus for goods transport between Melbourne and Tasmania. As such, there was a priority for Port Albert to have telegraphic communications. |
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The Office was renamed from Springvale Railway Station Post Office on 20 October 1902. That Office had in turn been established on 1 February 1887. A Telegraph Office had also been established at the Railway Station about 1910 but it was closed as a separate office in February 1916. |
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A circular date stamp inscribed TELEGRAPH SECTION was issued to the Office during the 1980s.
The Postal Section of the Office had a similar date stamp (43 mm in diameter) with the top inscription being POST OFFICE. |
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Stratford. The Telegraph Office was opened in May 1873.
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Details unknown. It is about 1.5 hours NW from Bairnsdale.
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![]() 31 August 1966. |
The Telegraph Office was opened in June 1877.
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Located south-west of Bairnsdale. A Telegraph Office opened at The Ridge in April 1923 when the Post Office, which had been opened on 7 November 1919, was changed in status. The Office closed on 31 May 1958. |
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No special date stamp for use with telegrams was issued to the Office - the usual postal date stamp being used: | |
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The Post Office opened on 1 July 1927 and was reclassified to a Telegraph Office on 8 July 1945. The Office was issued with a T.O. date stamp: |
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![]() 31 July 1934. |
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![]() 21 April 1937. |
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Traralgon.
The Telegraph Office was opened at Traralgon in May 1875 - it is not known where. On 27 July 1882, "a deputation of Traralgon residents met the Postmaster-General and requested that a post and telegraph office should be erected at Traralgon. Mr. Bolton replied that as this year's estimates had now been placed before Parliament he could not accede to the request, so far as regards this year, but he would consider it favourably, and, if possible, place a vote for the post and telegraph office on next year's estimates." The Argus.
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A subsequent deputation in April 1884 met with Mr. Berry, in his capacity of Postmaster-General
In April 1885:
On 18 November 1885:
The Traralgon Record of 6 November 1891 noted that
For a report on a Telegraphic Money Order fraud see elsewhere. |
A 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was used at Traralgon;
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![]() 13 September 1889. |
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![]() The 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp used in black on a wrapper on 8 December 1893 from Traralgon to Melbourne. |
Walhalla.
The Telegraph Office opened in November 1870.
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![]() Walhalla township about 1916. |
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A 2 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Office. Regarded as being one of the rarest Belt & Buckle datestamps.
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![]() 11 July 1888. |
![]() 26 June 1889. |
![]() 29 May 1893. |
The Telegraph Office opened in June 1881. |
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.
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![]() 16 October 1889. |
![]() 10 April 1890 (on a letter card). Note: day and month are reversed. Only recorded example. |
![]() 26 July 1889 (earliest recorded date). |
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![]() 13 January 1893 (latest recorded date). |
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Compete wrapper sent to Gordon & Gotch in Melbourne with the Warragul Belt & Buckle date stamp of 13 January 1893 (detail above). | ||
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![]() 9 July 1890. Stamps have been torn from the upper part of this cover. It has a blue rectangular REGISTERED hand stamp and an UNCLAIMED AT/ YINNAR in black. |
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![]() 9 July 1890. |
A Telegraph Office had been opened at the Warragul Railway Station in March 1878. Premier Auctions notes it opened in 1910 and closed in 1970. |
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A circular TELEGRAPH V.R. date stamp (RC2-T VR) was issued to the Office:
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![]() 1 February 1955. |
Waterloo.
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No details available. Has T.O. in the upper inscription.
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![]() 29 June 1953. |
Yarram Yarram.
The Telegraph Office was opened in July 1882.
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![]() Yarram Yarram in 1909 showing Commercial Street. |
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A two hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the office in Yarram Yarram:
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![]() 4 January 1891 (?). |
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![]() 31 July 1891 (?) On PSE Lettercard for ocal delivery. |
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![]() 9 July 1890 (earliest recorded date). Two strikes (on front and back) on a 1d PSE for local delivery. |
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![]() 16 March 1891. |
![]() 28 April 1891. Provenance: Hugh Freeman, Johnstone. |
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Yarram Yarram Postal date stamp. 16 February 1921. Commonly used on telegrams. |
Comments on Gippsland and the structures which are built must always be placed in the context of the dreadful bush fires which continually ravage the region. Year after year, dreadful stories emerge - even the fires of 7 February 2009 which were the worst in Australia's history:
It was the eighth deadliest bushfire/wildfire event in recorded history.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on 5 February 1898 about the fires which were burning then:
"The bush fires now raging in Victoria have reached a record of destruction unprecedented in the history of that colony. The heat on Tuesday attained a point without parallel and from all parts of the forest country, but particularly from Gippsland come thrilling accounts of the ravages of the fires. The settlers outside the towns in these districts have been in most cases hopelessly burnt out, and we got on all sides descriptions of fire-blasted tracts of country and forests ablaze in all directions. The towns themselves are threatened and in some cases partially destroyed. Drouin, for instance, is beleagured by a circle of flame, South Warragul is surrounded, the labour colony at Leongatha has been devastated, and at Korumburra, Traralgon and other places, hundreds of men assisted by their women-folk have been hard at work fighting back the flames from taking complete possession of these centres of settlement. The vast scale and destructiveness of these fires we have already described but the most thrilling part of the story is that which relates to the perils of men, women and children, and the hardy heroism of the fire-fighters who have thus been suddenly called upon to defend themselves and their possessions against an enemy more destructive and pitiless than war itself. We have accustom ourselves to think of the older settled colonies as having progressed beyond the stage of those pioneer perils and difficulties associated with the early struggles of Australian colonisation of which "Black Thursday" is the historic typo. But "Black Thursday" itself has been eclipsed by the havoc now going on and it is well within the truth to say that at no time since Australia has been the home of white men has the story of settlement been illustrated by more stirring incidents of peril, of struggle and of disaster. The one relieving feature of the situation as it is disclosed by the accounts which have reached us is suggested by the manly qualities of self-sacrificing courage and mutual help which these extraordinary circumstances have called forth".