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) in Hobart is a very important building. It's on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Macquarie Street. People often call it the Hobart GPO. It stands next to the old Mercury Building.
Since it was built in 1905, it has been the main office for Tasmania's postal system. Today, mail processing happens in Glenorchy. The GPO building has been recognized as a special heritage site since 2004.
Contents
History of the Hobart GPO
Building a Landmark
The Hobart GPO was built between 1901 and 1905. It stands on a spot once called 'Lords Corner'. This corner is at Elizabeth and Macquarie Street. The government bought the land in 1892. It is across from Franklin Square. Franklin Square is a public park. Governor Macquarie planned this square in 1811. He wanted important buildings around it. By 1894, the town hall and supreme court were already there.
Designing the GPO
In 1899, a competition was held to design the new GPO. Nine architects submitted their ideas. A local architect named Alan Cameron Walker won. His design was in the Edwardian Baroque style. It was expected to cost about £30,000 to £35,000. On July 6, 1901, a special event took place. The Duke and Duchess of York visited. They later became King George V and Queen Mary. They laid the first stone for the building.
The Queen Victoria Clock Tower
The government did not want to pay for the post office tower and bells. They thought these parts were too big and not needed. So, people raised £1,465 to build them. The tower was named the Queen Victoria Clock Tower. It opened on June 22, 1906. This was one 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 in England by John Taylor & Co. Fritz Ziegeler made many clocks in Tasmania. Another one is in the Palfreymans Building in North Hobart.
A Famous Telegram
In 1912, a famous explorer visited the GPO. Roald Amundsen sent a telegram from there. He sent it to the King of Norway. This telegram announced his amazing achievement. He was the first person to successfully reach the South Pole.
Recent Repairs
In June 2015, the GPO was being repaired. Some vandals climbed the scaffolding on the tower. They wrote graffiti on it and damaged the GPO clock. The clock was later fixed.
