General Post Office, Melbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids General Post Office |
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General Post Office building
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Post office |
| Architectural style | Renaissance revival |
| Location | Victoria |
| Address | 2/350 Bourke Street, Melbourne |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 37°48′50″S 144°57′47″E / 37.81384°S 144.963028°E |
| Current tenants | H&M, Federal Coffee Palace, Mama’s Bưởi, Absolutely Altered & Tailored, Alto Event's Space, Designinc, Donald Cant Watts Corke, Ca de Vin, Gekkazan, Larsen Jewellery |
| Construction started | 1861 |
| Completed | 1907 |
| Client | Government of Victoria |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | A. E. Johnson & William Wardell |
| Designations | Commonwealth Heritage List & Victorian Heritage Register |
The General Post Office (GPO) is a famous building in Melbourne, Australia. It stands on the corner of Elizabeth and Bourke streets. This building used to be the main post office for the state of Victoria.
The GPO is still owned by the Australian government. It is listed on important heritage lists, like the National Trust of Victoria and the Commonwealth Heritage List. People admire it for its beautiful design and its long history. Even today, the GPO is used as a starting point to measure distances from the center of Melbourne.
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Why the GPO is Important
The GPO is very important in Victoria's history. It was one of the most impressive public buildings. It also served as the main hub for sending mail and messages. This connected people in Victoria with other parts of Australia and with the United Kingdom. Many people in Victoria during the 1800s were from the UK.
For most of the 1900s, the GPO remained the central place for mail. It also handled telegraphs and telegrams. The steps and clock tower of the building are well-known city landmarks. They have been used for many important events. These include meetings, protests, and celebrations like Armistice Day and New Year's Day.
The building's design is a great example of Renaissance Revival style. This style uses arches, special windows, and columns. You can see different types of columns on each level. The first level has Tuscan columns, the second has Ionic columns, and the third has Corinthian columns. Parts of the roof are also shaped in a special way, giving it a French look.
A Look at the GPO's History
Melbourne's first post office opened on April 13, 1837. But it wasn't until 1841 that a permanent post office building was built on the same spot where the GPO stands today.
Designing the New Building (1858)
In 1858, a competition was held to find the best design for a new General Post Office. A. E. Johnson, an architect, won second place for his exterior design. He was then hired by the Public Works Department. Construction on what was said to be Johnson's design began in 1861. Johnson himself later said it was a completely new design from the department.
Building the GPO (1860-1867)
The design from 1861 included two floors and covered the whole site. The main floor had arches and was raised on steps. This might have been because Elizabeth Street often flooded. The building also had a corner clock tower. Construction stopped in 1867. At that time, the northern part of the building and some roof sections were not finished.
The large main hall inside was meant for sorting mail. The public did all their business outside at window-counters. These counters opened into the arched walkway, with different windows for different services.
Adding More to the Building (1887)
After 20 years, Melbourne grew very quickly. The General Post Office became too small. So, A. E. Johnson designed a third level and a taller, more decorative clock tower. This work was finished in 1887. These additions made the building look even grander and more like the Second French Empire style.
The GPO in the 1900s
Between 1906 and 1907, the GPO was made longer on its northern side. In 1913, it was decided to change the mail sorting hall into a public "postal hall." This hall had entrances from both Bourke and Elizabeth Streets. Architect Walter Burley Griffin was hired for the design. The work was completed in 1919.
The GPO's hall became one of Melbourne's most important public spaces for the rest of the 20th century. Its steps were a popular meeting spot. For a while, it was a tradition to celebrate New Year's Eve on the GPO steps as the clock struck midnight.
Closing and New Life
In the 1990s, Australia Post started closing many of its big, old post office buildings. They moved postal services into smaller shops. The Melbourne GPO was set to close in 1993. There were plans to turn it into shops, but nothing happened until 2001. That year, it was leased to developers to become a shopping center.
Soon after postal services moved out, a big fire badly damaged the building in September 2001. Despite the fire, the redevelopment went ahead. The postal hall was restored, and new parts were added. The building reopened in late 2004 as a fancy fashion shopping area.
The redevelopment created a new path through the building to Little Bourke Street. Escalators made the upper floors easy to reach for the first time. The old offices became small shops. Cafes opened in the former delivery lane and under the arches. The main hall was divided into smaller retail spaces. This new design won architecture awards in 2005.
The GPO was redeveloped again and reopened on April 5, 2014. It became home to Australia's first H&M store. Huge crowds waited for hours to get in. The cafes stayed, and the top floor became offices.
Gallery
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Original GPO building shortly after construction in 1841. State Library of Victoria Pictures Collection.
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Original GPO expanded to accommodate Melbourne's population explosion in 1853. State Library Victoria Pictures Collection.
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As completed in 1867, without north wing or central mansard roof
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View from north along Elizabeth Street showing 2001 shopping centre extension
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GPO at dusk
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Interior of the former postal hall in 2007
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The arcade along Elizabeth Street
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Images for kids
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H&M became the GPO's major tenant in 2014
