Inverell Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inverell Post Office |
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Inverell Post Office, 2018
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| Location | 97 Otho, Inverell, Inverell Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1904–1904 |
| Architect | NSW Government Architect’s Office under Walter Liberty Vernon. |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name: Inverell Post Office | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 23 June 2000 |
| Reference no. | 1407 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
| Builders | Mr GF Nott |
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The Inverell Post Office is a special old building in Inverell, New South Wales, Australia. It's located at 97 Otho Street. This building is important because of its history and unique design. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect’s Office, led by Walter Liberty Vernon, and built in 1904. Today, Australia Post owns it. The Inverell Post Office was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 23 June 2000, which means it's officially recognized as a significant historical site.
Contents
The Story of Inverell's Mail
How Mail Started in Inverell
The very first post office in Inverell opened a long time ago, on 1 January 1855. It was set up in a store owned by Mr. Colin Ross. He was a key person in helping Inverell grow into a town. Imagine, back in 1861, mail was delivered once a week by horseback! It travelled between towns like Armidale, Byron, and Inverell. A year later, another mail service started between Wellingrove and Inverell, happening every two weeks.
A Growing Need for Mail Services
As Inverell grew, so did the need for postal services. By 1900, people were sending over 4,300 letters every week! The Postmaster General's Department, which was in charge of mail, finally agreed to build a brand new post office. This new building would be on the same spot as the older one from 1869.
Building the New Post Office
The job to build the new post office went to a builder named G. F. Nott. His bid was approved on 26 June 1903. The new building was quite big for its time! It included a main office, a public area for customers, a postmaster's office, and a telephone exchange. It also had a kitchen, a sitting room, five bedrooms, a pantry, a wash house, bathrooms, and storerooms.
The new Inverell Post Office officially opened its doors on 2 September 1904. Over the next few years, more parts were added. Between 1913 and 1917, some additions cost £325, and more work happened from 1916 to 1918, costing £658.
What the Post Office Looks Like
Design and Style
The Inverell Post Office is a two-storey building with a balanced front. It's built in a style called Federation Arts and Crafts. This means it has a mix of cream-coloured walls with a rough finish, and a base made of light-brown bricks. You'll also notice heavy sandstone arches, sills, and decorative tops.
The roof is quite interesting, made of corrugated steel with many slopes. It has wide eaves (the parts that hang over the walls) where you can see the ends of the wooden rafters. In the middle of the roof, there's a small tower with vents, called a louvred cupola. The front of the building also has a decorative gable (the triangular part of the wall under the roof) with sandstone details. You can spot five chimneys with terracotta pots on the roof.
How the Building Has Changed
The Inverell Post Office has been changed a few times since it was built in 1904. Most of these changes were inside the building or additions at the back. The original building likely had the two-storey section we see today, plus a small single-storey room for mail.
Records show that more parts were added in the 1910s. A single-storey section on the east side, which included the old telephone exchange and a bathroom, was probably built between 1913 and 1917. Later, from 1916 to 1918, another single-storey section was added on the western side. This part included the dining room, kitchen, and laundry for the people living there.
Around the 1950s, more changes happened. A bathroom was added upstairs, and a kitchen was put on the first floor. Also, the open verandas on the first floor were enclosed at both ends. In 1989, some walls were removed inside to create more open space for the mail room and retail area. Today, the building still looks very much like it did in 2000, with only small changes to the inside walls and retail space on the ground floor.
Why the Post Office is Special
A Link to the Past
The Inverell Post Office is important because it has been a vital part of communication for the town and the area around it since the early 1900s. It shows how much Inverell grew and became more prosperous in the late 1800s.
Beautiful Design
This post office is also special because it's a fantastic example of the Federation Arts and Crafts architectural style. It adds a lot to the look of the town centre in Inverell. The building was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office, which was led by Walter Liberty Vernon. This office designed many important buildings across New South Wales.
Important to the Community
The Inverell Post Office is also very important to the people of Inverell. It helps them feel connected to their town's history and gives them a sense of place. It's a landmark that stands out in the civic area of Inverell.
Unique and Well-Preserved
The Inverell Post Office is considered rare because it's such a great example of its architectural style. It has strong design features, is mostly still in its original form, and looks very distinctive on the street. It's part of a group of post offices designed by the NSW Government Architect's Office under Walter Liberty Vernon from 1890 to 1911.
