Queenstown Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Queenstown Post Office |
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| Location | 32-34 Orr Street, Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia |
| Official name: Queenstown Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference no. | 105234 |
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The Queenstown Post Office is a special old building located at 32-34 Orr Street in Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia. It was designed by the Tasmanian government's Public Works Office and finished in 1902. The tall clock tower was added a few years later in 1909. This building is important because it's listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List since June 22, 2004.
A Look at Queenstown's Past
Early Days and Mining Boom
Queenstown is a large mining town about 250 kilometers northwest of Hobart. Mining has been happening there for about 120 years! A geologist named Charles Gould first explored the area in the 1860s. It was a remote place with tough land, so people didn't settle there right away.
But then, gold was found at Queen River in 1881. This brought many gold seekers and miners to the area. They often traveled by ship to Strahan and then walked inland. In 1883, three miners found a rocky spot called Iron Blow. By 1888, the Mount Lyell Gold Mining Company was created.
From Gold to Copper
There wasn't a huge amount of gold, so by 1891, people started focusing on the large copper deposits. A temporary town made of tents grew up around the first copper factories in Penghana. Sadly, in late 1896, a fire destroyed this town. The settlers had to move to a nearby place called Queenstown.
When train services started the next year, Queenstown grew even faster. By 1899, Queenstown had 1300 homes and 5000 people!
How Mail Services Started
Postal services began in western Tasmania when valuable minerals were found in the 1880s. The first post office was in Gormanston in 1884. Mail arrived by ship at Strahan, then traveled overland to the mining sites.
After copper was discovered, the Penghana Post Office was built in 1886-1887. After the 1896 fire, postal services moved to Queenstown. A wooden post office was built there in 1896-1897. By the end of the 1800s, mail ships arrived three times a week. There was also a daily mail service to the northwest coast and Launceston.
Queenstown's Growth and Changes
Queenstown grew quickly. By 1901, the main part of town was around Orr and Sticht streets. It had tall hotels, shops, and public buildings. But then, copper prices dropped a lot between 1900 and 1910.
By 1925, the population was about half of what it was when Australia became a Federation. It didn't reach those numbers again until the 1960s. That's when new copper fields were developed. The Mount Lyell Mines kept working until 1972.
Building the Current Post Office
The Queenstown Post Office we see today was built in 1902. It replaced the older wooden building. It was originally called the Post, Telegraph, and Money Order Office. Charles W. Leeming was the first postmaster.
The Tasmanian Government Public Works Office designed the building. This was before the Australian Commonwealth government took over this job. This large, two-story building was built at the end of the town's boom. But it showed how much the town had grown and how hopeful people were.
The building had some changes and additions in 1907. The clock and its chimes were not put in until 1909.
Later Updates to the Building
The post office got a new roof in 1928. A new porch and other small buildings were added in 1932. A new garage and fuel bin were built in 1943. In 1963, the building had a big makeover that cost a lot of money.
A ramp for people with disabilities was added in 1994-1995. In 2001, an inside wall was removed to make the public area bigger. The small space on Sticht Street was filled in. The shop area was updated with the usual Australia Post look.
Today, the ground floor is still used as a post office. The first floor is empty.
What the Post Office Looks Like
Outside the Building
The Queenstown Post Office is at 32-34 Orr Street, on the corner of Sticht Street. It's built in a style called Federation Free Classical. It stands where the old post office from 1897 used to be.
Built in 1902, it's a two-story building covered in stucco (a type of plaster). It has a corner clock tower with a curved, onion-shaped roof. The main part of the building is shaped like a rectangle. There's a covered walkway (loggia) that sticks out towards Orr Street and Sticht Street.
A small steel-framed awning was added along the east side. This is where there's a separate entrance. A steel staircase was also added at the back corner. This lets people get to the first floor from outside.
The front sides of the building look similar but are not exactly the same. The covered walkway on the ground floor makes this difference stand out. The clock tower stands apart from the end sections. These end sections have arches and triangular tops (pediments).
A single-story porch was added to the south side. It has the same stucco walls as the original building. The back and side walls of this porch are made of red brick. The back of the two-story building is covered in weatherboards.
Architectural Style
The design of the building uses many ideas from classical architecture. The ground floor looks like an arched basement, similar to old palaces. The four largest arches are part of the covered walkway where the main entrance is.
The clock tower goes up another level past the first floor. It has a stucco base with large scroll shapes and a detailed eave that looks like a dentil moulding. The metal roof on top is shaped like an onion dome, which was popular in the 1900s. The clock faces are in arched openings. They are connected to the top edge by decorative stones. This is an Edwardian Baroque style detail.
The triangular tops (pediments) at the ends of the building also show this style. They have shallow carvings. The north side shows the Australian crest and the date 1902. The west side shows the Tasmanian crest.
The building is divided into two levels by decorative lines. One line is below the arches on the ground floor. Another line goes around the first floor, like a balustrade with square panels. Each floor also has a decorative band (entablature).
Inside the Post Office
The main post office entrance is through the covered walkway. Post office boxes have been put along the inside walls of this walkway. The main public area is open. It's divided by a large counter, a wooden wall, and a support beam. This beam was added when some walls were removed on the ground floor.
Beyond this area is a large workroom for sorting mail. Staff facilities are in the southeast corner. This includes a staircase to the first floor, toilets, and an exit to the east side porch. The glass doors in the south porch facing Sticht Street are locked and not used anymore.
The first floor has large rooms around a central hallway. It's empty and looks quite old and damaged. It's not clear what the upper floor was originally used for. It might have been for living or other purposes. The current layout seems to be from the 1960s renovation. It includes a large room, toilets, a staff room, and access to the clock tower. There are also two storage rooms.
Condition of the Building
From the outside, the Queenstown Post Office still looks a lot like its original design. Some changes include the single-story addition on Sticht Street. This addition matches the original stucco walls. Also, post office boxes were added to the covered walkway. The stucco has been painted in bright red and mustard colors.
The flagpole on the corner is gone, and the roof covering has been changed. The upper wall along Sticht Street has been changed. Its top edge (parapet), decorative band, stucco, and wide chimney were removed. The back of the building is very different now. It has a steel external staircase and a wooden awning. There's also a red brick addition at the back of the south porch.
Inside, many changes have been made. Australia Post only uses the ground floor now. Not much is left of the original layout of the postal hall, telegraph office, or money order office. Many inside walls have been removed. Original decorations are either gone or hidden.
The first floor still has its original parts, like plaster walls and ceilings, windows, door frames, and doors. But the walls and ceiling are in bad condition. They need repairs because of water damage and leaks from the roof. The floor is sinking near the staircase. Water is also rising up the walls in many places. Cracks are visible in the ceilings and walls. This might be because of movement or settling after walls were removed on the ground floor.
Overall, the outside of the building is in good shape. But the lack of repairs for water damage, rising damp, and possible structural movement is a risk to its condition.
Why This Building is Special
A Landmark in Queenstown
The Queenstown Post Office, which opened in 1902, is a very important part of the town's main street. It has two main fronts, facing Orr and Sticht streets. Its tall tower and its location next to the police station and courthouse show how important government services were in the town.
It also shows how important communication was for this isolated area. The building's style shows what public government buildings looked like in the late 1800s. The size and design of the post office reflect the wealth and hope Queenstown had. This came from the discovery of minerals in the 1880s.
Even though it was in a remote, rugged area, the building shows Queenstown's belief in its future. It shows the power of the mining boom. It also shows Queenstown's brief time as the third-largest town in Tasmania after Federation. Providing postal services was a big part of Australia's Federation story. This post office is a good example of a building built by the states after Federation. It shows that states were still involved in postal services even after the Commonwealth was formed.
The Queenstown Post Office is a noticeable two-story stucco building with a corner tower. It stands out on the main street, near other government buildings like the courthouse and police station. Its public purpose is clear from the covered walkway, clock tower, and working chimes. These features make it a landmark. Queenstown is also a town where many old buildings from the late Victorian era are still standing. The post office is a unique example from the time that followed.
Community Value
The Queenstown Post Office is important to the community. It has been the center for postal services for almost 110 years. It's also important because it stands out on the main street. It's connected to other important public buildings. People value the post office because it helps make the town's historic look complete.
The important parts of the Queenstown Post Office include the main building from 1902 and the clock and chimes from 1909. The single-story porch added to the Sticht Street side also adds to its importance. However, the red brick additions to the south, the awning on the east side, the disabled access ramp, the carport, the outside back stairs, and the projecting wooden awning are not considered important for its heritage listing.
