Sorrento Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sorrento Post Office |
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| Location | 10-16 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, Victoria, Australia |
| Built | 1904-05 |
| Architect | Public Works Department under John Hudson Marsden |
| Official name: Sorrento Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference no. | 105632 |
The Sorrento Post Office is a special old building located at 10-16 Ocean Beach Road in Sorrento, Victoria, Australia. It's considered important because of its history and design. This building was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on June 22, 2004. This means it's officially recognized as a significant part of Australia's history and should be protected.
Contents
A Look Back: The Post Office's History
The Sorrento Post Office and the living areas for the postmaster were built between 1904 and 1905. A local builder from Sorrento, Charles Haslett, constructed it on the same spot where an older post office used to stand.
How the Post Office Was Built
This post office was quite special because it was one of the first few built for the new Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth. After Australia became a federation in 1901, the government started building its own post offices. The Sorrento Post Office was the second one built by the Victorian government for the Commonwealth, right after the one in Terang.
Many people thought these early post offices were designed and built entirely by the Commonwealth. However, old plans show that the Victorian Public Works Department, led by architect John Hudson Marsden, was actually in charge of building them. Between 1903 and 1907, five post offices were built this way in Victoria: Terang, Sorrento, Woodend, Korumburra, and Leongatha.
Changes Over Time
The Sorrento Post Office has been updated several times since it was first built.
- 1920s-1940s: New rooms were added at the back and to the west side. The original entrance was changed, and some windows were bricked up. Inside, the layout was changed to create a new mail room, and post office boxes were added.
- 1960s and 1980s: The building had general updates and the roof was replaced.
Today, the Sorrento Post Office is the oldest post office from the Commonwealth era in Victoria that is still owned by the Australian Government.
What the Sorrento Post Office Looks Like
The Sorrento Post Office is a single-story building designed in the Federation style. It has a postmaster's living area attached at the back.
Building Materials and Style
The walls are made of red brick, with smooth, painted sections on the upper parts. The roof is made of corrugated iron. This roof extends forward to form a verandah over the footpath, which is held up by strong timber posts. These posts have decorative brackets and simple designs above them.
Above the verandah, the front part of the roof (called a gable) is covered in stucco. On it, you can see the words "Post and Telegraph Office" written in a fancy style from the late 1800s. The post office fits in well with other historic buildings on Ocean Beach Road, which is the main shopping street in Sorrento.
Front and Windows
The front of the building has changed quite a bit over the years. The original entrance and a nearby window were filled in with bricks. An extension was added to the west side, which now holds the main entrance and private post office boxes. This also meant that the original verandah, which wrapped around the side, was removed.
Most of the windows are timber-framed double-hung sash windows, with three small glass panes above them. Many of these windows still have their original "ripple" glass, which gives them a unique look.
Inside the Post Office
When you go inside, you first enter a small area that was added later. The main post shop area has been updated with modern retail features from Australia Post. The floor is carpeted, and the walls are plastered.
However, the original timber-lined ceiling is still there. It's divided into square sections called coffered bays by timber strips, and it still has its decorative round metal vents.
The back areas of the post office, where staff work, still have many original details. These include:
- Four-panelled doors with small windows (called transoms) above them.
- Original plaster walls.
- Picture rails (a narrow strip of wood near the ceiling for hanging pictures).
- Skirting boards (a strip of wood at the bottom of the wall).
- Original ceiling designs.
- Fireplaces and their surrounds in the main rooms.
Even with all the changes, you can still get a good idea of how the post office and living quarters were originally laid out. The building is in good condition overall.
Why the Post Office is Important
The Sorrento Post Office, built in 1904-05, has always been a key part of the town's business area. It was designed and built by the Victorian government for the new Commonwealth Postmaster-General's Department. This makes it a great example of how post offices showed the new Australian Federation and the Commonwealth government in local communities.
The Sorrento building was the second of five early post offices built by the Victorian Public Works Department for the Commonwealth Government between 1903 and 1907. It is believed to be one of the oldest Commonwealth-era post offices in Victoria that is still owned by the Australian Government. The oldest one in Australia is probably the Stanthorpe Post Office in Queensland, built in 1901.
The important parts of the Sorrento Post Office include the main postal building from 1904-05. The timber additions at the back from the period between the two World Wars also add to its significance.
