Tenders were called in July 1858 for the construction of a Telegraph Office. The telegraphic connection was made in November 1858. It was an early extension from Raglan/Beaufort on the first line through to South Australia.

A Telegraph Office opened about 9 October 1861 - at the same time as the Office in Tamworth, NSW (a random fact!!).

1. Used in black: 19 October 1889 to 14 May 1894.

Size: 27.5 × 38 mm (e = 0.69.

Rating: RR.

2. Used in blue:
   2 June 1891 to 5 April 1892.

Rating: RR.

3. The Telegraph Office was also issued with a circular rubber date stamp for ARARAT /TELEGRAPH SECTION.

Used: 29 October 1988 - probably an archival strike for the last day of operation.

Diameter: 32 mm.

Rated: RRR.

We know not when the Telegraph Office opened at Beaufort. The Fiery Creek PO was renamed Fiery Creek P.G.F. on 1 January 1856. It was then renamed Raglan PO on 16 May 1860 then again renamed Beaufort PO on 27 May 1863.

Now read the entry for Raglan below.

Beaufort Post & Telegraph Office about 1900.

1. Used in black: 9 January 1890 to 16 August 1896.

Size: 27 × 38 mm
(e = 0.70).

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 9.

2. Used in blue: 6 October 1891 to
   22 July 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70)

Rated: RR.

Number in the Census: 6.

Detail of the B&B of 9 May 1892 on cover to England (see right).

One of only three recorded covers with a Belt & Buckle date stamp sent to an international destination.

Dimboola.

The Telegraph Office opened in June 1880 in a wooden building together with the Post Office. On 10 August 1882, telegraph facilities were also made available to the public at the railway station. The town was originally called Nine Creeks but changed name in 1863.

The Post Office opened on 3 April 1863 as Nine Creeks but changed name to Dimboola in 1869.

By 1883, the community was beginning to petition the Council and Assembly to fulfill a previous promise and erect a new P&T Office - and began some heated community discussion!!!

Dimboola Post & Telegraph Office about 1930.

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

Used in black: 26 July 1887 to
25 September 1894.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RR

Number in the Census: 10+

26 July 1887.
Earliest recorded date.

7 January 1891.

2d PSE sent to AMP Society Melbourne.

6 September 1893.

2d PSE cover sent to Melbourne.

6 September 1893.
Exceptionally strong strike.

Elaine.

The Telegraph Office opened in April 1875.

In 1877, the name of the office was changed to Mount Doran while the name of the Elaine Railway Station was changed to Elaine. At the same time, the Post Office at the Railway Station was transferred to the State school.

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

Glenorchy.

The Telegraph Office was Gatetted on 14 September 1877 as having been opened.

On 1 January 1879, a Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station.

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

Great Western is between Ararat and Stawell. The Telegraph Office was opened about 1909 and it closed on 2 May 1910.

The Post Office had been opened on 1 June 1858 and after the separate Telegraph Office closed, it was merged with the Post Office.

A Telegraph Office operated at the Railway Station from 2 May 1910 to about 1916.

It is known used in four formats - all with a diameter of 29 mm:

1. standard format.

Used: 27 May 1910 to 2 October 1922.

Rated: scarce.

2. date wheel was simply a coloured rectangle.

Used: about 1923.

Rated: RRR.

4. correct orientation of the date line.
Has a slightly larger gap between the two year wheels.

Used: 10 July 1924 to 24 August 1942.

Rated: common.

10 July 1924.

Earliest recorded date after inverted date line corrected.

14 May 1936.

T.O. Great Western date stamp on a commercial cover.
13 April 1932.

Corrected date stamp showing gap between the year wheels.

The telegraph line to Horsham was probably completed in January 1875.
Mr. Kelly was appointed as Officer in Charge.

The Post Office had opened on 1 July 1848.

A strongly worded critique of Horsham and its inability to have a Telegraph Office is included elsewhere.

A Telegraph Office was also opened at the Horsham Railway Station about 1910. It closed in January 1965.

The office was issued with three types of date stamp for use with telegraphs:

1. a 1 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black: 31 July 1884 to 1890.

Size: 27½ × 38 mm (e = 0.69).

Rated: RR.

2. a steel TELEGRAPH OFFICE HORSHAM date stamp.

Used: 28 June 1929 and 10 December 1956.

Diameter: 30 mm.

Rated: RR.

Used on AW-DO-9.

3. a rubber double oval TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp
   (RO2- TO).

Used in magenta: 1980s.

Size: 33 × 51 mm (e = 0.76)

Rated: R.

Jung Jung.

The Telegraph Office was opened at the Railway Station in September 1879.

The Telegraph Office opened in September 1882.

A rubber rectangular TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp (RRH1-TO) was used for telegrams during the 1980s.

Size: 26 × 35 mm

Used: 30 June 1989 (archival).

Rated: RRRR.

30 June 1989 (late usage - probably archival).

Learmonth.

The Telegraph Office opened in May 1874. The Ballarat Star of 24 November 1873 had announced "The appointment of telegraph operator at the Learmonth Telegraph Station has fallen to the lot of Miss Grace McKay of that township. Intimation of the appointment was received by the young lady on Saturday".

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

Meredith.

The Telegraph Office opened in April 1875.

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

The Telegraph Office opened at the Railway Station in December 1878 after tenders had been called in January 1878.

A Telegraph Office was also opened in the Post Office in June 1880.

A one hole Belt & Buckle date stamp was issued to the Murtoa office.

Used in black: 13 April 1885 to
28 April 1892.

Size: 28 × 38 mm (e = 0.68).

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 5.

The Telegraph Office opened on 5 January 1882. A note later in the month noted: "From Deputy Postmaster-General: a telegraph office will be opened at Nhill, in charge of Miss Oliver; also that any other arrangement is not practicable at present".

The office was issued with two types of date stamps for use with telegraphic matters:

1. a 2 hole Belt & Buckle date stamp.

Used in black:

Size:

Rated: RRR.

2. a rectangular rubber TELEGRAPH OFFICE date stamp.

Used: 24 May 1957.

Size: 24½ × 42½ mm.

Rated: RRRR.

Number recorded: 1.

Raglan.

The Telegraph Office opened on 15 May 1858. It was located on the first line to South Australia and the first station after the line began at Ballarat.

In 1864, the Raglan Telegraph Office expended £489 3s 6d on salaries, stores, maintenance etc. Its cash receipts were £97 2s 4d - giving a loss of £392 1s 2d (80%)!!!

• The Annual Report for 1866 includes only Raglan in all main tables but includes Beaufort and not Raglan in the list of offices by line.
• The Annual Report for 1868 is the first that has no entry for Raglan in the main tables but there is an entry for Beaufort. In the list of lines, Raglan is however included and Beaufort omitted.
• In the Annual Report for 1871 , there is no reference to Raglan only to Beaufort BUT the date of opening is changed to March 1858 (we will take that as a typo as the May date for Raglan is substantiated in a number of places.

The Raglan Post Office opened on 1 January 1865.

The town was settled in the gold rush of 1853 and named Pleasant Creek. It was renamed Stawell in 1861.

Telegraphic communication was established with Stawell in the first week of October 1861. It opened at Stawell although most references about that time continued the reference to Pleasant Creek.

It is noted in the 1870 Report that, during 1870, Stawell Post Office was renamed Stawell West and Quartz Reef (Stawell) Post Office was renamed to Stawell.

Used in black: 11 March 1890 to 14 September 1893.

Size: 27 × 38 mm (e = 0.70).

Rated: RRR.

No. in Census: 2 (same date 14 Sept 1893).

The Telegraph Office opened in May 1873.

The Post Office was opened on

No special date stamps were used for telegrams.

Wal Wal.

The Telegraph Office

A T. O. date stamp was issued to the office.

Used: 6 July 1912 to 1963.

Diameter: 27 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number in the Census: 9.

On 9 April 1886, the Warracknabeal Progress Committee received correspondence from the Postmaster-General stating that money for the Post & Telegraph Office would be placed on the estimates that month. In addition, an inspector would visit shortly to inspect and select a site.

In July 1908, Mr. C. G. H. Booley was transferred as telegraph messenger from Dimboola to Warracknabeal.

Two formats for circular rubber TELEGRAPH SECTION date stamps were used at Warracknabeal:

1. RO4-TS (possibly RO3).
   Date line overlaps lower inscription.

Used: 7 July1977.

Diameter: 32 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number recorded: 3.

7 July 1977.
Used on AA-DO-12C.

2. RO3-TS.

Used in violet: 8 October 1981 to 17 October 1985.

Diameter: 35 mm.

Rated: RRR.

Number recorded: 4.

Postal date stamps were also used on telegrams.

2 April 1896.

Unframed barred numeral duplex
postal date stamp.
Also used on telegrams.

June 1925.

Postal date stamp.
Also used on telegrams.

Waterloo.

There is a complication here - there are two towns with telegraph offices in Victoria named Waterloo:

• one on the Horsham line near Beaufort and south east of Ararat;
• another in Gippsland east of Warragul along the northern side of the Strzlecki Ranges.

The Report for 1887 lists a Telegraph Office opening in conjunction with the Post Office at Waterloo. This Office was the one on the Horsham line because a Post Office had been opened at Waterloo (Gippsland) in October 1878 and a Telegraph Office opened there in January 1880. The Gippsland Waterloo Office changed name on 20 December 1883 to Yarragon.