During the North-East Victorian bushfires of 1952, Helen Felton, Postmistress of Tintaldra post office, worked continuously for five days and nights to ensure the flow of communication through the disaster. Helen Felton conceded to leave her post for only 45 minutes while “the fire passed within fifteen feet of the spot where she was working,” burning down the garage and neighbouring store, before returning to work. Today, technologies such as cells on wheels, mobile exchanges on wheels, and NBN Sky Muster trucks are deployed in the wake of a disaster to ensure survivors have access to communications services. In a disaster, access to mobile coverage or landline connection to emergency services can be essential for the survival of life and property.emergency, bushfires, communications, regional, post office, telephonist, postmistress, helen felton

Electrical telegraphs were point to point text messaging systems primarily used from the 1840's until the late 20th century. It was the first electrical telecommunications system and were sent by an operator or telegrapher using Morse code. Social telegrams were also encouraged and special pictorial forms and envelopes were designed such as the special purple form and envelope which was used when conveying condolence details during World War 2.(fn. Powerhouse https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/163103). There was a brief resurgence in telegraphy during World War I but the decline continued as the world entered the Great Depression years of the 1930s.  Although telegraph lines continued to play an important part in distributing news feeds from news agencies post World War 2, the rise of the internet in the 1990s and the widespread installation of the telephones in homes saw the need for telegrams to greatly decline. When the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Act was passed in June 1902, and a national Postmaster General's Department (the PMG) was established the responsibility for the nation's mail and telephone services fell on Post Offices. The Bendigo Post Office, built in 1887 and situated on Pall Mall was the central distribution centre for receiving and delivering telegrams and continued to deliver communication and postal services until 1997. Now a Visitor Centre, dedicated volunteers at the Post Office continued to demonstrate and educate the public about telegraphic services and the development of this unique form of communication up until 2019 when Covid 19 disrupted every day life, coupled with the death Ted Rankins (the last Post Master and a long term telegraph volunteer at the Post Office). This belt buckle was used on the leather satchels used by Junior Postal Workers in Bendigo to carry telegrams which were delivered by bicycle in the early years. The buckle is part of the postal collection donated by the Rankins family in memory of Ted Rankins.Circular belt buckle from telegram delivery satchel belt. Inner buckle depicts the Greek deity Hermes who personifies the transmission of information and was adopted as an allegorical representation of the function of postal services. Outer buckle; Post Office / Communications / Australia. Centre top outer buckle; emu, kangaroo and shield Inner buckle; Hermes (left facing)bendigo post office, bendigo tourism, city of greater bendigo tourism, post office collection, ted rankins collection

Photo of SEC Building at the corner of Williamson and Hargreaves Streets. Tree planted on the roundabout, Tall communications tower in the background, two people standing the safety zone, white station wagon, other cars parked along Williamson Street.bendigo, streetscape, williamson street

Unarmoured vehicles were classified as ' B ' vehicles. Armoured vehicles were claswsified as " A " vehicles. The 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles was raised as a regiment of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps on 1 May 1948 with Headquarters in Melbourne and squadrons in Sale, Benalla/Wangaratta and Albury. In 1955 Regimental Headquarters moved to Wangaratta and a second squadron was located at Albury. The Sale squadron transferred to 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse. In 1977 8/13 VMR Regiment was reduced to an independent squadron A Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles and in 1991 was linked with 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse forming the VMR Squadron of that regiment.Colour photograph of trucks halted on roadside during 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles ' B ' vehicle exercise in south-west Victoria, c. 1986. Skills practiced were driving and maintenance, radio communications and map reading.

A book containing information about the history of Matlock, Victoria. Detailed information about citizens of Matlock buried at the local cemetery. Maps of the area are included as well as official government communications related to the establishment of the cemetery. A bibliography and index are also provided.non-fictionA detailed history of the town of Matlock and stories of many of the people buried in the town's Cemetery. It also contains an analysis of places of origin and a glossary of causes of death. matlock cemetery, matlock, small cemeteries victoria

Probably from regional station or regional station officer's house for after hours call outs. Possibly from suburban station officer's house. Source Chas Martin AHSV curator. label on telephone states that this was a spare disaster plan (displan) magneto telephone. Other details on label.Black telephone with wind up handle in front centre. Batteries behindTO CALL TURN HANDLE & KIFT HANDSETcommunications, disaster

Black bakelite telephone with handpiece attached by a chord. Front dial has a central handle that can be turned to contact central switchboard. No direct dial facility. Sits on rubber feet.On base marked in white "PMG / TE55 338HT / S1/60"communications, telephonic

Telephone link set used to connect to existing telephone linescommunications, forests commission victoria (fcv)

A manual with a cream coloured cover with "Australian Joint Services Service Writing on a white label that is on the cover. The contents are white pages with black print. The manual is held together with a black spiral binder.australian joint services - report writing, communications

In the late 1970s, the must-have gadget in every forest office could be best characterised by the fax machine. Millions of people bought them because they represented a miracle. With a fax machine, you could send a sheet of paper to someone, anywhere in the country, or anywhere in the world, complete with a signature, in seconds. E-mail really didn't exist yet (except in military and university environments), so the fax machine was simply amazing. During the "golden age" of the fax machine, people faxed everything. Office lunch orders went to the local Chinese takeaway by fax rather than being phoned in, while fire maps, timesheets and other urgent documents, could all be sent out straight away. Nearly every legal document got faxed once it was signed. People also traded recipes, jokes, funny pictures and personal letters by fax rather than sending them in the snail mail. With the early machines, the output was printed onto a roll of thermal paper that regularly spewed out coils onto the floor if you weren’t watching. All this technology quickly faded, only to be superceded by the pervasive e-mail in the 1990s. But the humble fax machine gave us an early glimpse of what the office of the future would be like.Facsimile machinePitney Bowes 8050communications, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Not much is known about this particular machine and where it was usedEarly fax machine. In two parts. Mufaxcommunications, forests commission victoria (fcv)

message continued from 05475...we went out snow balling one another and had some fine fun, and then we made a snowman had our photo taken alongside him. Well little Dorothy I am going to France next week so I will not get a chance to write very often so I will say goodnight for this time. CharlesAustralian soldier waiting to go into battleBlack and white postcard of British soldier and a little girl. EnglandI Love a Lassieworld war 1914-1918, communications

Telephone Automatic Wall From about 1925forests commission victoria (fcv), communications

The Commonwealth Ericsson Wall Telephone was adopted in 1901 by the Post Master General as the standard magneto telephone throughout Australia. It was designated by the Australian Post Office as: "Telephone No.1 - Magneto Wall, Commonwealth Type" The No1 was widely used in country areas and new installations of this type continued throughout the 1920s. Although classified as obsolete in 1951, several were still in service in country areas into the mid-1960s before the phone systems were fully automated. The phone was originally connected to a 'party' line (several connections to a common wire), and the winder was turned in various combinations of long and short turns (being the codes unique to each individual connection) to alert the other party of an incoming call. Anyone could listen in on a party line, although courtesy prevented it occurring most of the time. Central telephone exchanges rendered the party line obsolete. Vintage wall telephone The case originally housed two No6 dry-cell batteries to power the speaker (early models used a pair of Leclanche-like wet-cell batteries - the drawing from 1911 indicates that wet-cell batteries were still in use at that time). Batteries became obsolete when the phone was connected to a central exchange. A plastic speaker horn was fitted in 2025 - the original was missing on front - L M ERICSSON & Co STOCKHOLM inside - serial number: 496018 H 5 (this serial number identifies the phone as being manufactured in 1904) inside - slip of paper identifies date of manufacture as 1904 inside aftermarket writing - F.W.31forests commission victoria (fcv), communications

On back To Mrs A Davidson with best wishes from CR Sands 7.2.18Black and white postcard showing Private CR Sands standing and another soldier seated both wearing WWI AIF uniforms Englandworld war 1914-1918, communications

Sent from France by Charles Sands June 17/17 Dear Little Dorothy I suppose you have been wondering if I am ever going to write to you wee little Dorothy. I was so pleaseed to get the pretty card that you sent me it made me long to be back with you again and I think I will some day. I am pleased you have a lady school teacher. I will say goodbye now little Dorothy with best wishes from CharlieBlack and white photograph of little girl holding flowers, image in oval frame dark background on postcard Franceworld war 1914-1918, communications

Message written in pencil from France Sept 30 1917 to Miss Dorothy Davidson View Forth South Buchan Victoria Colour tinted postcard of a little girl wearing blue striped dress holding flowers near a display of flowers Franceworld war 1914-1918, communications

see page 26 Lakes Post Newspaper 28 July 1993Black and white photograph at official opening Radio East Gippsland also known as REG, Gary Lewis long time team member at controls, presenter Paul Stewart, one other person Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting

Black and white photograph Dr Patrick Kinsella of Radio East Gippsland also known as REG, accepting award for Best Community Program on behalf of Catholic Womens League, award presented by Gippsland FM President of Community Radio, Ken Thompson. Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting

Black and white photograph at Radio East Gippsland also known as REG studio presenter Helen McCabe interviewing a visiting teacher from Cambridge. Lakes Entrance Victoriabroadcasting, communications

Black and white photograph Paul Stewart at controls Radio East Gippsland also known as REG. Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting

number in album 03505.01Colour photograph Tansy Goldsmith and Melissa Petri young volunteers at Radio East Gippsland also known as REG who prepared Pop music on Fridays. Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting

number in album 03506.01Colour photograph Jackie Walker presenter for Radio East Gippsland also known as REG Wednesday night program. Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting

Black and white photograph long time presenters at Radio East Gippsland also known as REG, Pat and Bob Sweeney at their retirement presentation. Lakes Entrance Victoriacommunications, broadcasting