Boonah Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boonah Post Office |
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Boonah Post Office, 2008
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| Location | 1 Park Street, Boonah, Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Architect | Queensland Government Architect's Office |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name: Boonah Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 8 November 2011 |
| Reference no. | 106123 |
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The Boonah Post Office is a special old building in Boonah, Australia. It's located at 1 Park Street. This building is important because it's listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List. This means it's a protected historical site.
The building was designed by the Queensland Government Architect's Office. This office was in charge of designing many important buildings back then. The post office was added to the heritage list on November 8, 2011.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Post Office
How Boonah Started
Boonah is a town about 84 kilometers (about 52 miles) southwest of Brisbane. It was first known as the Goolman Division. The town began in 1882. It served as a hub for the farms and agricultural areas around it. In 1937, Goolman was renamed Boonah.
Building the Post Office
A special area for the Post and Telegraph Office was set aside in 1888. This area covered the whole town block where the post office stands today. The land was officially divided in 1898.
The Boonah Post and Telegraph Office was built before 1900. It was likely built between 1888 and 1898. Some records suggest it might have been built in 1893.
Changes Over Time
The front and sides of the building were updated in 1910-1911. These changes followed common designs of that time. In 1924, a telephone exchange was added to the building. This allowed people to make phone calls from the post office. A few small changes were also made to the verandah in 1948.
The Queensland Government Architect's Office designed the building. They were involved in both the original design and the 1910-1911 updates. This was before the Australian Government took over designing post offices.
What the Post Office Looks Like
Location and Surroundings
The Boonah Post Office is at 1 Park Street. It's on a corner block. High Street, a main shopping street, is on one side. Park Street is on the other. The building is raised above street level. The main entrance is now on the Park Street side. This is where you'll find the verandah and private post boxes.
The building also has a part that used to be the postmaster's living area, called the quarters. This section is behind the main post office. Nearby, you'll find the Boonah State School and other shops.
Outside Appearance
Even though the post office was built in the late 1800s, its outside look changed a lot. The biggest changes happened around 1910-1911 and in 1924. However, the Park Street side, with its bungalow-style quarters, still looks much like it did when it was first built.
This side has a balanced verandah. It has a nearly pyramid-shaped roof made of corrugated iron. A smaller section, which used to be the kitchen and servants' rooms, is behind the quarters. It's connected by the verandah.
The High Street side looks different. It has a corner porch that matches the quarters' verandah. This porch was changed early on to add private letter boxes. The post office public area, updated in the 1910s, has a special gabled front. A gable is the triangular part of a wall under a sloping roof. It has the words "BOONAH POST OFFICE" above a unique window. The telephone exchange wing, added later, has a simpler design with a hipped roof and casement windows. A hipped roof slopes down on all sides.
Inside the Building
The original post office area now holds the public space and counters. The 1920s public area and telephone exchange are now the mail room and staff room. These areas have been updated over the years.
The old living quarters behind the post office have also been changed. They are now used as the Post Master's office, storage, and mail sorting rooms. The verandah on the south side is now used for storage and staff facilities. The old kitchen and servant's room are used for storage and as a bike shed.
Original Parts of the Building
Many original parts of the building still exist. These include:
- Structure: The timber (wood) floors, walls, and roof frames.
- Outside Walls: Wooden weatherboard cladding. Weatherboards are overlapping wooden planks. Verandah areas show exposed wooden studs.
- Inside Walls: Wooden boards, some with special V-shaped joints. The old kitchen area has corrugated iron walls.
- Floors: Wooden floorboards with decorative skirting boards.
- Ceilings: Wooden board ceilings with wooden cornices (decorative moldings). There are also round wooden ceiling vents.
- Roof: Hipped roof shape, with a pyramid shape over the quarters. All covered with corrugated iron. The front gable was added in 1910-1911.
- Other Features: Original wooden double-hung windows.
The changes made in 1910 also survive. These include:
- The front gable with its half-timbering look and the "BOONAH POST OFFICE" sign.
- The timber verandahs with wooden balustrades (railings) and lattice infill. Lattice is a criss-cross pattern.
- Original internal wooden doors.
- The old quarters kitchen with its wood-fired stove.
- The grounds were originally surrounded by a timber picket fence.
How Well It's Kept
The Boonah Post Office started as a simple building with a small postal hall and a large living area. Over time, the front office was made bigger. A telephone exchange was added, and later the telegraph service was removed.
Even with these changes, the building still shows its original design. You can see the hipped and gabled roof, the raised front, and many timber details. Some changes include a ramp for accessibility and changes to the south verandah.
Inside, some walls in the office area have been removed. However, the living quarters still largely keep their original layout and features. This includes the wooden walls, ceilings, and decorative vents.
Overall, the Boonah Post Office has been changed over time. But it still clearly shows its history and how it was built. The building is in good condition and well-maintained.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Boonah Post Office is important because it's a mix of old and newer parts. It includes pieces from the late 1800s up to 1952.
It was listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on November 8, 2011, for a few reasons:
It's Rare
The Boonah Post Office is special because it's Queensland's oldest working timber (wooden) post office. It also has a rare, mostly untouched living quarters area from the 1800s. It might even be the earliest example of a "Turn of the Century Transitional" type post office.
It Shows Important Characteristics
The Boonah Post Office is a great example of:
- A post and telegraph office with living quarters. This was a common design between 1870 and 1929.
- A timber building that changed over time. It started with a separate office and bungalow-style quarters. Later, a projecting gable was added.
- The work of the Queensland Government Architect's Office, especially under Alfred Barton Brady.
This post office was built between 1893 and 1898. It represents a time when post offices often had separate areas for telegraph services and living quarters for the postmaster. Even though parts of the building have changed, you can still see its original design. It's also possibly the earliest example of a specific type of post office (T14) built in Queensland around 1896-1900.
The building combines styles from at least three different building periods. But it still has many features from the late 1800s. Even with the 1910-1911 changes, like the gabled bay, these elements fit the style popular around 1900. The building is a raised timber structure with simple, well-made wooden details. These include the simple bargeboards (decorative boards on gables), exposed rafter ends, and internal ceiling vents.
