Musgrave Telegraph Station

Musgrave Telegraph Station is a historic building from the era when telegraph lines connected this remote part of Queensland to the rest of the country. The structure sits on timber stilts, features a corrugated metal roof with a hipped design, and has glass-louvered windows along its upper-level veranda.

The station began operating in 1886 as part of a telegraph line that linked Brisbane with northern Queensland territories and ran until 1929. It served as a vital link for communication across this frontier region when other means of connection did not yet exist.

This station was one of seven telegraph offices built between 1884 and 1887 across Cape York Peninsula, and it remains the only surviving structure from that network. Its role as a communication hub shaped how people moved through and stayed in this remote part of the country.

The site sits midway between Cairns and Weipa along Peninsula Developmental Road, making it a convenient stopping point for travelers on this route. The historic building now functions as part of a roadhouse complex where visitors can rest and explore the location.

Two graves sit beneath a mango tree on the grounds, marking the final resting place of Sam Thompson and Billie Beirnes, former post and telegraph workers. This quiet spot speaks to the lives of those who worked and lived in this remote corner of the country.