Renmark Post Office facts for kids

The Renmark Post Office is a special building in Renmark, South Australia. It's a historic place that was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List in 2011. This means it's an important building that tells us about Australia's past. It's located at 24 Ral Ral Avenue.

A Look at Renmark Post Office History

How Renmark Town Began

The town of Renmark was started in 1887. This happened after an agreement between the government and two Canadian engineers. These engineers were brothers, George and Ben Chaffey. They were very important in setting up the irrigation system we use today on the Murray River. Renmark is actually Australia's oldest settlement that uses irrigation.

Early Postal Services

Postal services in Renmark began in 1888. A telegraph office was suggested in 1890. The very first Renmark Post Office was built in 1892. It was on the same spot where the current building stands. This first building was made bigger in 1921. It was updated in 1964 but then taken down in March 1967. This made way for the building we see now.

The Current Building

The post office building you see today was finished in February 1968. It officially opened on March 18, 1968. What was unusual for that time was that it included a home right next to it. An automatic telephone exchange was built around 1973. In the 1990s, the retail shop inside was updated. This included moving a wall to make more space. New counters, lights, and flooring were also added.

What the Renmark Post Office Looks Like

Location and Shape

The Renmark Post Office is at 24 Ral Ral Avenue. It sits on an L-shaped piece of land. This land is at the corner of Ral Ral Avenue and Rowing Club Lane. The lane goes from Renmark's main town area to a park by the River Murray. The post office is in the main town area. Nearby buildings include the civic centre, a memorial hall, a police station, and a bank.

Design of the Building

The post office building has two main parts. One part is for the post office, and the other is a home. The post office part is almost square. It faces both streets at the corner. The home part is rectangular and set back from the main street.

The post office part has a postal hall, a counter area, and back offices. It also has a covered area for private letter boxes. There's a lunchroom and a loading area too.

Outside Features

The front of the post office looks like a picture frame. The main entrance and letter box area are open. The post hall has a row of special columns that stick out. These columns have a pebbly finish. A wide ledge below the columns has white mosaic tiles. The whole front sits on a brown brick base. There's a long ramp for easy access. The other sides of the building have cream brick walls on a brown brick base. They also have long, thin windows with metal frames.

The area for the letter boxes has many box cabinets. They are divided by columns and used to have mosaic tiles. There's also a wooden bench inside this area.

The Attached Home

The home attached to the post office is on the southeast side. It looks like a simple box shape. It matches the main building. All its walls are cream brick on a brown brick base. It has one narrow window facing the street.

Other Buildings Nearby

In the back yard, there's a small metal shed for bicycles. Further east, there used to be a cream brick automatic telephone exchange. There was also a small wooden building for linesmen. These are now on a separate piece of land.

Condition of the Building

The outside of the Renmark Post Office looks almost exactly as it did in 1968. Only small changes have been made to the main entrance and loading areas. The attached home also looks mostly the same from the outside. Inside, the building is also in very good condition. The retail shop area has been updated and made a bit bigger. But you can still see the original layout of the building. Many original features like wallpaper and wooden furniture are still there. The building is in good shape, though there are some small cracks in one wall.

Why Renmark Post Office is Heritage Listed

What Heritage Listing Means

The Renmark Post Office was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on November 8, 2011. Being "heritage listed" means a building is important to Australia's history. It is protected so future generations can learn from it.

Why This Post Office is Special

The Renmark Post Office was built in 1968. It's a later example of a post office that included a home. Usually, by this time, homes were separate or not included. This makes it quite rare. It shows how post offices changed over time. They became more like retail shops. The building also shows a modern architectural style. It has a strong, box-like look with deep edges. The design also helped deal with the hot local weather.

Important Parts of the Building

The main post office building and the attached home, built in 1968, are the important parts. The extension to the back loading dock and the bicycle shed are not considered important. The telephone exchange and linesman's depot are also not part of the heritage listing.