General Post Office, Hobart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids General Post OfficeHobart |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Edwardian Baroque |
| Address | 9 Elizabeth St |
| Town or city | Hobart |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 42°52′57″S 147°19′48″E / 42.8824°S 147.3301°E |
| Groundbreaking | 1901 |
| Opened | 1905 |
| Cost | £30,000-£35,000 (AUD $50,028) |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alan Cameron Walker |
| Place ID: | 165 |
| Status: | Permanently Registered |
The General Post Office (GPO), also known as the Hobart GPO, is a famous building in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It stands at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Macquarie Street. Since it was built in 1905, it has been the main office for the Tasmanian postal system. Even though mail processing now happens in Glenorchy, the GPO remains an important landmark.
The building has been listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List since 2004. This means it is recognized as a place of special historical importance.
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History of the Hobart GPO
The Hobart General Post Office was built between 1901 and 1905. It stands on a site once known as 'Lords Corner'. This spot is across from Franklin Square, a public park laid out in 1811. The government bought the land in 1892.
Designing the New Post Office
A competition was held on June 20, 1899, to find the best design for the new GPO. Nine different designs were submitted. A local architect named Alan Cameron Walker won the competition. His design was in the Edwardian Baroque style. The building was expected to cost between £30,000 and £35,000.
On July 6, 1901, a special event took place. The Duke and Duchess of York laid the foundation stone. They later became King George V and Queen Mary of England.
The Famous Clock Tower
The government did not want to pay for the post office tower and bells. They called them "enormous and unnecessary." So, the public raised £1,465 to build them. This shows how much the community wanted the tower.
The clock tower was named the Queen Victoria Clock Tower. It opened on June 22, 1906, a year after the rest of the building. The clock was made by Fritz Ziegeler from Melbourne. It plays the traditional Westminster chimes. The bells were made by John Taylor & Co in Loughborough, England.
Important Moments at the GPO
Fritz Ziegeler made many clocks in Tasmania. Another public clock he made in Hobart is in the Palfreymans Building. It was installed in 1919.
In 1912, a famous explorer used the Hobart GPO. Roald Amundsen sent a telegram from here to the King of Norway. This telegram announced his successful trip to the South Pole. It was a huge moment in history.
In June 2015, the GPO was being restored. During this time, some vandals climbed the scaffolding. They wrote graffiti on the tower and damaged the GPO clock. Luckily, the clock was repaired soon after.
