Victoria: 1854-1988.
Telegraph Offices on the Goulburn Valley (No. 6 N.E.) Branch.

The following stations were included on the main Goulburn Valley (No. 6 N.E.) line and on the two associated Branch lines.

Cashel Mooroopna Murchison Nagambie Nathalia Numurkah
Pine Lodge Rushworth Seymour Shepparton Tatura  
           

 

Mooroopna.

The Telegraph Office opened in January 1880 after telegraphic communication was established to Mooroopna on 8 January.

A deputation to the Postmaster in May 1880 sought the construction of a brick and not wooden building for the proposed Post & Telegraph office. They were told their request "would receive favourable consideration".
Murchison.

The Telegraph Office opened in December 1874.

 

Nagambie.

The Telegraph Office opened on January 1875.
The earliest evidence of the operation of the Nagambie Telegraph Office is a
telegram transmission form (VC-TO-7B) used at the Seymour Telegraph Office for a message sent
to Nagambie on 24 December 1877.

Numurkah.

During the visit by Mr. Bolton, Postmaster-General, to Numurkah in February 1882, he "inspected the site recently purchased by the Government for the purpose of erecting a post and telegraph office thereon. At the present time the business of the post-office is conducted by a private individual - a storekeeper - and the residents of Numurkah and surrounding district have for some time past objected to this and asked for the erection of suitable offices wherein the business of both the post and telegraph offices might be conducted. Mr. Bolton approved of the site, and as the plans are already prepared, tenders will shortly be called for the erection of the new building".

The Telegraph Office was established on 15 December 1882.

 Numurkah
The 1882 Numurkah Post and Telegraph Office.
The Office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 17 August 1891 to 21 June 1894.

Size: 28 × 39 mm (e = 0.70).

Only complete recorded example.

 Numurkah cover
16 September 1892.
Used on a pre-stamped ½d newspaper wrapper sent to Gordon & Gotch in Melbourne.
  Numerkah 1893
15 September 1893.
Provenance: Hugh Freeman, Johnstone.
Unframed Numurkah date stamp for postal and for telegraphic use.

Diameter: 22 mm.

 

 Numerkah unframed
23 January 1903.

Pine Lodge.

Pine Lodge is just east of Shepparton.

A Telegraph Office opened at Pine Creek about 1911, was converted to a Post Office in 1913 and then back to a Telegraph Office about 1915. This Office closed in 1919.

Meanwhile a Post Office opened in 1915 and closed on 30 June 1983.

The TO Pine Lodge date stamp was used - presumably at the Post Office.

Used: for about 18 months about 1922.

Size:

Rated: R.

 Pine Lodge 1922
13 August 1922.
Printed in blue. 		Pine lodge
No date discernable.
Printed in violet.
Rushworth.

The Telegraph Office was established in December 1874. A deputation to the Postmaster in May 1880 sought the construction of a new Post & Telegraph office. They were told their request "would receive favourable consideration".

 Rushworth
Rushworth 1899
Rushworth Duplex 144.
14 February 1899.

Premier Auctions May 2013.

  
Shepparton.

The Telegraph Office was established in October 1879.

 

 Shepparton vert


The Post & Telegraph Office in 1929.

Shepparton 2

The office was issued with a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 28 September 1886 to 22 May 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 3.

 Shep 1893
22 May 1893.
Provenance: Hugh Freeman, Johnstone.
15 September 1890.

Much later, the Office was issued with a rubber oval TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp:

Two formats were produced:

  1. Format 1: RO6-TO.
    Size: 34 × 51 (e = 0.71).
    The stars used to separate the upper and lower inscriptions have uncoloured centers.

    Used in violet: 5 December 1975.

    Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 1.

 

 Shepparton 1
5 December 1975.
  1. Format 2: RO6-TO.
    Size: 33 × 53 (e = 0.78).
    Has complete stars for separating the upper ad lower inscriptions.

    Used in violet: 1 July 1988 (probably archival on the last daye of operation).

    Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 1.

 Shepparton TO
1 July 1988.
A postal slogan advertising SEND A TELEGRAM was used at Sheppaton in August 1954 - a very late usage.
Tatura.

In February 1882, the lowest tender submitted for building a Post and Telegraph Office at Tatura was from William Ross for £746 17s 6d. The Telegraph Office was opened on 8 November 1882.

A Telegraph Office had previously been opened at the Railway Station in February 1880.

 

Rubber oval date stamps were issued to the Tatura office in two formats:

  1. RO2-TO with no stars;

Size: 29 × 50 mm (e = 0.81).

Used: 17 March 1966.

Rted: RRR.

Tatura 1966
17 March 1966 - latest recorded date with this format.
  1. RO2-TO with stars at center on both sides.

Size: 32 × 51 mm (e = 0.78).

Used: December 1975 to August 1976.

Rated: RR.

 Tatura 1975
9 December 1975.

Used on Confirmatory delivery envelope AA-EC-3D.

 Tatura 1976
11 August 1976.

Used on Confirmatory delivery envelope AA-EC-3D.

Offices not listed above but on this line are Cashel and Tabilk.