Cooroy Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooroy Post Office |
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Cooroy Post Office, 2017
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| Location | 33 Maple Street, Cooroy, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1914 |
| Built for | Postmaster-General of Australia |
| Architect | Thomas Pye |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name: Cooroy Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 August 2012 |
| Reference no. | 106202 |
| Builders | L. Baldry |
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The Cooroy Post Office is a special old building in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia. It is located at 33 Maple Street. This post office was designed by Thomas Pye, a famous architect. It was built in 1914 by L. Baldry. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012. This means it is an important place to protect.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Cooroy Post Office
Early Days of Communication
Postal and telegraph services first started in Cooroy in 1892. These services were available at the Cooroy railway station. In 1911, the post office moved to its current spot. The building used to be the office for the Shire of Noosa Council. The Australian Government decided to rent it for the post office.
In October 1911, the land was officially sold to the Australian Government. It cost £162, 7 shillings, and 6 pence. Mr. Campbell was the first postmaster. Then, E.G. Chinnery became the permanent postmaster in April 1912. A Morse code telegraph machine was set up in the building in September 1912. This allowed people to send messages over long distances.
Building the New Post Office
In 1913, the Australian Government asked for builders to create a new post office. It was designed by Thomas Pye, who was the acting Queensland Government Architect. In January 1914, L. Baldry won the contract to build it. The cost was £531, 16 shillings, and 0 pence. Local sawmills provided all the timber needed.
The new post office was ready to open in September 1914. People said it was a "neat and substantial structure." They thought it would be big enough for many years. And they were right! The post office has been used for over 100 years. In November 1914, a new telephone switchboard was added. This made telephone calls much better.
Changes Over the Years
Over time, the Cooroy Post Office has had some updates. In the 1940s to 1960s, a new verandah was added on the southern side. Some windows were also changed. Later, a small flat-roofed building was added to the north side. The space under the building was also enclosed with brick walls.
The back verandah was turned into a lunchroom for staff. In the 1980s and 1990s, the inside of the office was updated. They made the retail area better for customers. In 1996, a ramp for disabled access was built. This made it easier for everyone to enter the building.
What the Cooroy Post Office Looks Like
The Cooroy Post Office is at 33 Maple Street, right on the corner of Garnet Street. It sits on a slightly sloped corner block. The main entrance faces Maple Street, which is the town's busy shopping street. The building is raised up from the street. This allows you to see it well from all sides.
Outside the Building
On the Maple Street side, there is a part of the building that sticks out. It has timber planks that look a bit like old half-timbered houses. Below that, there is a sign and windows. The main entrance is through a verandah. This verandah wraps around the southern side of the building. The original verandah has simple timber railings and carved wooden brackets. Later parts of the verandah were made to match.
The verandah roof is made of galvanised steel. It has a special bell-shaped curve that connects to the main roof. Under the verandah, you can see some of the original timber frame. The main door to the post office is now a glass door. This replaced the original timber doors. The front of the building also has many private letter boxes.
The back of the building has a hipped roof. This part used to have storerooms and a recessed verandah. The back verandah is now enclosed. The windows at the back have also been changed over time.
Inside and Original Design
The original design of the Cooroy Post Office was a double-fronted building. It had a postal hall and a telegraph office. There was also a small room for the telephone exchange. This design allowed postal and telegraph services to work separately but share the main counter. There was also space for sorting mail and staff facilities.
Many changes have happened inside. Some walls have been removed to change how people move around. The south verandah has also been altered. However, some original parts like timber-lined walls and joinery details still show how the inside used to look.
Even with the changes, the outside of the building still shows its original design. You can see the hipped and gabled roof, the projecting front bay, and the entrance verandah. The building is covered in timber weatherboards. It also has many beautiful timber details.
Original Features
The building's original parts include:
- Structure: Timber floors, walls, and roof, all supported by timber poles.
- Outside Walls: Timber weatherboards. The original verandah had exposed timber studs.
- Inside Walls: Lined with V-jointed timber boards.
- Floors: Timber floorboards with narrow timber skirting boards.
- Ceilings: Timber board-lined ceilings with moulded timber cornices.
- Roof: A hipped, bell-shaped roof with a large gabled section. It was likely covered with corrugated iron. The front gable has a simple timber screen and a sign that says "POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE."
- Windows: Original timber-framed windows, some with sunhoods.
- Verandahs: Timber-framed verandahs with simple timber railings and carved brackets.
- Doors: Four-panelled timber doors inside, with glass fanlights above.
- Grounds: Originally surrounded by a timber post and rail fence with wire.
The building is in good condition today. It is well looked after, and there are no major problems.
Why Cooroy Post Office is Important
The Cooroy Post Office is on the Commonwealth Heritage List. This means it is recognized as a very important historical place for Australia.
A Long History
The post office has been working continuously since 1913. This makes it historically valuable. It is one of only a few timber post offices from that time that are still in use. It also shows how buildings were designed in Queensland during that period. Even though it has been changed over time, it is still very important to the local area.
Special Design
The Cooroy Post Office is a great example of a "post and telegraph office" from 1870-1929. It shows the "Federation period" style. This style often featured a single porch and a gabled timber form. It was designed by the Queensland Government Architect Office.
This type of post office, built in 1913, was one of the last of its kind. These buildings usually had separate areas for telegraph services and sometimes even a home for the postmaster. Cooroy Post Office did not have a residence. Changes have removed the telegraph and telephone functions. But some original details, like timber walls, still show its early design.
Beautiful Appearance
The Cooroy Post Office has a strong visual presence on its street. It has a prominent bay, a verandah that wraps around, and it sits on a raised site. This means you can see it well from all directions. It still has many original features and details that show its "Federation origins."
