North Sydney Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Sydney Post Office |
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North Sydney Post Office in 2010
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| Location | 92-94 Pacific Highway, North Sydney, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1885–1889 |
| Architect |
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| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Free Classical |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name: North Sydney Post Office | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 22 December 2000 |
| Reference no. | 1417 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
| Builders | James Reynolds |
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The North Sydney Post Office is a special building in North Sydney, Australia. It's a heritage-listed post office located at 92-94 Pacific Highway. A famous architect named James Barnet and his team designed it. It was built between 1885 and 1889 by James Reynolds. Today, Australia Post owns and uses the building. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on December 22, 2000, which means it's protected because of its history and unique design.
Contents
History of Postal Services
Early Mail in Australia
Imagine a time when there were no post offices! Before 1809, if you wanted to send a letter in Australia, you had to ask a ship captain to deliver it. This system wasn't very safe or reliable. In April 1809, a merchant named Isaac Nichols became Australia's first official postmaster in Sydney. This was a big step for mail delivery!
Growth of Post Offices
By 1825, a special government department was set up to handle all postal services. In 1828, the first post offices outside of Sydney opened in towns like Bathurst and Parramatta. By 1839, there were forty post offices across the colony. As the railway network grew in the 1860s, postal services expanded even more. It became important for postmasters to live and sleep in the same building as the post office.
Telegraph and Telephone Services
The first telegraph line in New South Wales opened in 1858. Telegraph offices needed special equipment, so they couldn't just be in a local shop. In 1870, the post and telegraph departments joined together. New buildings were then designed to include both services.
The first telephone exchange in Sydney opened in 1881. Like the telegraph, the telephone system quickly spread to country areas. Post offices became responsible for public telephone exchanges too. This made them even more important as communication hubs in communities.
James Barnet's Influence
James Barnet became the Acting Colonial Architect in 1862. Under his leadership, the Colonial Architect's Office built and maintained 169 post and telegraph offices in New South Wales between 1865 and 1890. These post offices were built in many different architectural styles.
After Australia became a federation in 1901, the national government took over responsibility for post, telegraph, and telephone offices. Later, in 1975, the Postmaster General's Department was replaced by the Post and Telecommunications Department. This led to the creation of Telecom and Australia Post.
For a long time, post offices offered many services. They handled mail, acted as banks, managed voter registrations, and provided telegraph and telephone services. The town post office was often a central point in the community. They were usually built in important locations near other public buildings.
North Sydney Post Office Building
Finding the Perfect Spot
The first post office in North Sydney opened on May 1, 1854. It was called St Leonards Post Office back then. Mr. G. H. Stevens was the first postmaster. By 1874, people wanted a better post and telegraph office.
Finding the right spot for the new post office was a long process that took ten years! Many ideas were suggested, including the police station site. But the police didn't agree. People offered to sell or rent their properties to the government. For a while, the post office rented a building from Mrs. Jane Glover. It was a new store and house with seven rooms.
Officials agreed that the government should build a proper post office. They looked at many different land offers. Some sites were too big or too far away. In 1880, local councils met and decided the best spot was where the local Watch House stood, plus some nearby government land.
Construction and Completion
Finally, in February 1884, the government decided to use the land where the School of the Arts stood. In February 1885, a company called A. & F. Heinan was chosen to build a combined Post Office, Court House, and Police Station. The cost was £12,670. However, another builder, James Reynolds, took over the project for £11,500.
The three buildings were finished between 1886 (for the courthouse) and 1889 (for the post office). The post office was ready on January 31, 1889. The post office part cost £4500. A clock was put over the front entrance. In 1895, a clock tower was added for £965, and the clock was installed in July 1900.
The post office had a big renovation in 1974-1975, costing $233,870. The inside was updated, and a two-story addition was built. This added more working space and staff facilities. The outside stonework was also restored and repainted in 1977.
Building Features
The North Sydney Post Office is in a very noticeable spot in the busy North Sydney area. It's part of a group of important old buildings, including the Court House and Police Station. These buildings together create a landmark in the city.
Outside Look
The post office is a two-story building made of brick, painted cream and tan. It has a tall, four-and-a-half-story clock tower at the corner. The clock tower has a round, zinc roof with small windows and a pointy top. You can see four chimneys on the roof. The building has classic details like molded lines, arched windows, and columns.
There's a small balcony on the first floor with a railing. Below it, on the ground floor, are covered areas for post boxes. The clock tower has four large black-on-white clock faces. The windows are neatly arranged, with some having arched tops.
Inside Look
The ground floor of the post office has a large retail area, a mail room, and post box areas. The ceilings are mostly plasterboard. There's a lot of air conditioning. The main stairs have polished timber posts and railings.
The first floor has offices, staff facilities, and another mailroom. There's even a conveyor belt to move mail between floors! The ceilings on this floor are different in various rooms. Many of the doors and partitions inside are newer, but some original features remain. The fireplaces on this floor have been closed off. You can see "Post Office" written on the outside of the building at the first-floor level.
The area around the post office is mostly modern, tall buildings. There are some plane trees planted along the sidewalks.
Condition of the Building
The North Sydney Post Office is in good condition. There are a few small signs of moisture damage and cracks on some ceilings. The inside has been changed a lot over the years, but the outside still looks very much like it did when it was built. The building still has its important features, like the elegant clock tower, arched porches, and its overall style.
Why It's Special
The North Sydney Post Office is important for its history, beautiful design, and its value to the community.
Historical Importance
- It shows how postal services grew in North Sydney starting from 1854.
- It's linked to the growth of communication services in the area in the late 1800s.
- The story of how its location was chosen shows how government departments worked back then.
- It was designed by James Barnet's office, which built many post offices in New South Wales.
Beautiful Design
- It's a great example of the Victorian Free Classical style, which is very attractive.
- The elegant clock tower with its fancy bell room is a big part of the building's unique look.
- It's on a main corner and adds a lot to the look of North Sydney's civic area.
- Along with the courthouse and police station, it helps us understand what North Sydney looked like a long time ago. This group of buildings is very important to the city's history and look.
Community Value
- As an important local landmark and a center for communication for over a hundred years, the North Sydney Post Office is very important to the local community.
- Being part of the Court House and Police Station complex, it helps give North Sydney its unique feel and identity.
Potential for Discovery
- The site might hold archaeological information. This could tell us more about its past use by the School of the Arts and how the post office building changed over time.
Rarity
- The design of the North Sydney Post Office is unusual because it's part of a group of a post office, courthouse, and police station from the late Victorian period. This kind of civic complex is rare.
- The importance of this group of buildings in defining the "center" of North Sydney also makes it special and rare.
Example of a Type of Place
- The North Sydney Post Office is a good example of Victorian Free Classical architecture.
- It's one of many 19th-century post offices in New South Wales designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet.
