Camden Post Office facts for kids

The Camden Post Office is a special old building in Camden, Australia. It's located at 135 Argyle Street. This building is important because it's on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List. This means it's a protected site, recognized for its history and unique design. It was added to the list on August 22, 2012.

History of the Post Office

Camden is a very old town, started in the early 1800s. It's famous for being where Australia's wool, wheat, and wine industries first began. This was thanks to John Macarthur, who received a large piece of land here in 1805.

The first post office in Camden opened around 1841. Before that, in the 1830s, mail was handled in a nearby town called Cawdor. Mail was sent to and from Sydney three times a week. Mrs. Eliza Pearson is thought to have run the 1841 post office. By 1846, Camden was getting mail from Sydney every day!

In 1877, a telegraph office opened in Camden. Telegraphs were a way to send messages quickly over long distances using electrical signals. The next year, in 1878, people decided to combine the post office and telegraph office into one building. This new building, on the same spot as today's post office, was finished in 1882. It had an office, four rooms, a servant's room, and a kitchen.

More improvements were made in 1897. A second floor was added to the living area, and a balcony was built above the public space. The current Camden Post Office has parts from both the 1882 and 1898 buildings. The work done in 1898 by builder Richard Basden was very big and changed the older building a lot. A telephone exchange (where phone calls were connected) was also added in 1910.

What the Post Office Looks Like

The Camden Post Office is located at 135 Argyle Street, which is the main shopping street in Camden. The building is a mix of old and newer designs.

The very first part of the post office was built in 1882. This was during the time of Colonial Architect James Barnet. Later, in 1898, more parts were added in a style called Edwardian. This work was overseen by architect Walter Liberty Vernon. The main postal hall, mail rooms, and living areas were built then. In 1910, the telephone exchange was added.

Even though new parts were built, you can still see some of the original 1882 building. For example, the brickwork at the back is a different, darker color than the front. The roof at the back is also made of corrugated metal, which is different from the front.

The post office stands out on Argyle Street. It has a wide path next to it on the north-east side. The main entrance is designed to be very noticeable. The front part of the building, where the postal hall is, looks wide and strong. It has three arched windows with orange bricks around them.

The building has two side sections. One is a porch where you enter. The other is a plain wall with a half-hipped roof. Both of these side sections have terracotta tile roofs. There used to be a window on the plain wall side, but it has been bricked up.

The entrance porch has a square sandstone pillar, which is one of the old parts from the 1882 building. There's also a wooden frieze (a decorative band) above the front steps. A new area for post boxes has been built along the path on the north-east side of the building. It has a steel frame and roof.

The whole building sits on a raised base, or plinth, which is painted a dark color. This base has vents for air to get under the building. Outside the entrance, there's a lighted sign with the Australia Post logo.

The main postal hall section has three tall, arched windows. These windows have two parts that open and fixed, rounded windows at the top. This part of the building has a flat roof hidden behind a parapet (a low wall at the edge of the roof). A band across the front of the building has its name written on it. Above that, the parapet rises and falls in three raised sections. The current Australia Post logo is in the middle of these sections.

The living quarters behind the post office are a two-story house. It has a terracotta tiled roof with decorative points called finials. The roof ends in simple gables (triangular sections). There's also a brick chimney with textured plaster. The windows in the living area are similar to the postal hall but are sash windows (they slide up and down). The gable ends have painted wooden boards and simple, deep bargeboards (boards along the edge of the roof).

Building Condition

The inside of the postal hall has been updated to the standard Australia Post shop layout. It has a suspended ceiling and modern lights. The offices and other rooms have also been updated over time.

Many original parts of the living quarters are still there. This includes wooden doors, timber stairs, architraves (door and window frames), skirtings (baseboards), and fireplaces. Even though some new walls have been added, you can still see the original layout of the house.

Overall, the building is in good shape, both inside and out. A lot of the work done in 1898 is still very much intact.

Original Materials Still Present

The building still has many of its original materials, including:

• Structure: Strong brick walls that hold the building up, with wooden floors and roof frames.
• Outside Walls: Exposed brick walls, with some cement decoration on walls and chimneys.
• Inside Walls: Brick walls with a smooth plaster finish, and some wooden walls covered in plaster.
• Floors: A mix of concrete (in the lower post office area) and timber (in the upper and some lower parts). They are covered with carpet, vinyl tiles, or ceramic tiles.
• Ceilings: Some are plasterboard, others are suspended with acoustic tiles. The upper level has old lath and plaster ceilings.
• Roof: The living quarters have Marseilles-patterned terracotta tiles. Other parts have tiles or metal decking. The back single-story section has corrugated galvanized steel sheet roofing.

Building Timeline

• 1882: The first part of the building was constructed.
• 1898: A large addition was built around the original building. This new part, including the main postal hall, was in the Federation Free style. It was done under the direction of Walter Vernon, the New South Wales Government Architect. George Oakeshott might have been the designer.
• 1910: The telephone exchange was added.

Why it's a Heritage Site

The Camden Post Office is important because of its history, design, and connection to important people.

Criterion A: History and Development The Camden Post Office is in a very old town that was settled early in New South Wales. Camden was key to the early development of Australia's wool industry, thanks to John Macarthur. The first post office in Camden started around 1841. Even though the current building was mostly built later (in 1882 and 1898), it's still a historic building from the 1800s. Its growth shows how postal services changed in the town. Its important spot on Argyle Street also adds to its significance.

Criterion D: What it Represents The Camden Post Office is a great example of:

• A post office and telegraph office with living quarters (a common type of building from 1870-1929).
• A building that shows both Late Victorian (1880s) and Federation Free Style (1898, 1910) architecture.
• The work of the New South Wales Government Architect's Office, especially under James Barnet (1882) and Walter Vernon (1898, 1910), and possibly George Oakeshott.

The building is a mix of different parts. The 1882 building was later surrounded by the Federation Free Style additions in 1898. The 1910 telephone exchange was also added. The living quarters from 1898 are still mostly original.

The 1898 outside design of the post office is a good example of the Federation Free style. It was one of the earlier designs by Walter Vernon and his team. It might have even been a model for many other post offices built during Vernon's time as Government Architect.

Criterion E: How it Looks Even though the Camden Post Office is a mix of old and new parts, it looks very impressive on Argyle Street. It has a beautiful front and nice details. It also helps give central Camden its historic feel. The post office is even featured in tourism materials that show off Camden's different building styles.

Criterion H: Important People The Camden Post Office is important because of its connection to architect Walter Vernon and his office. It was one of Vernon's earlier designs in the Federation Free style for post offices. This means it could have been a "prototype" or first example for many other buildings designed by George Oakeshott and others in Vernon's office.