It may be an antiquated form of communication, but many Australians from all walks of life are helping to keep Morse code alive.

Leo Nette calls himself a proud "Morsecodian" and has been a long-time volunteer at Beechworth Telegraph Station.

The station opened in 1858 and is the last one left in operation in Australia, albeit using telephone lines to transmit messages now that telegraph lines are long gone.

Leo Nette has been writing about Beechworth's role in sending telegrams for tourists via Morse code. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Philippe Perez)

Volunteers at Beechworth Telegraph Station work with Mr Nette to receive messages, type them out and then post a telegram through the mail.

"Our oldest [volunteer] is 95, and our youngest is in his early 70s, so our future's looking grim," Mr Nette said.

Peter Shaw regularly receives Morse code messages, which he then sends as telegrams via the post. (ABC Central Victoria: Sarah Lawrence)

Telegrams across the state

Mr Nette communicates regularly with 89-year-old Peter Shaw, who lives in the Bendigo suburb of Eaglehawk.

Mr Shaw learnt Morse code in the early 1950s as a 14-year-old.

He was working at the Bendigo Post Office as a telegram boy and was told he needed to learn it to advance his career at Australia Post.

"The postmaster came over and asked my mother and father if he could borrow me for two weeks because he had nobody to do his telegraph delivery work for a fortnight,"

he said.

He said the telegrams would cover all sorts of things.

"The first one of the day might be to Auntie Jean to tell her to meet her at the train, the next one might be to advise [someone] that a relative passed away that morning", he said.

He now helps the Beechworth station by receiving the Morse-coded messages at his home.

He then writes up the telegrams on an old-school typewriter and they are then delivered by post.

Peter Shaw types up telegrams at his home, translating messages he receives via Morse code. (ABC Central Victoria: Sarah Lawrence)