Stawell Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stawell Post Office |
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| Location | 87-89 Gold Reef Mall, Stawell, Victoria, Australia |
| Official name: Stawell Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference no. | 105513 |
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The Stawell Post Office is a very old and important building in Stawell, Australia. It's located at 87-89 Gold Reef Mall. This historic post office was designed by Alfred T. Snow and built by Thomas Walker between 1874 and 1875. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on June 22, 2004. This means it is a special building protected for its history.
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History of the Stawell Post Office
Mail services started in the Stawell area in the late 1850s. Two post offices opened: one in Pleasant Creek (now Stawell West) in 1857, and another in Quartz Reef (Stawell) in 1859. In 1869, these two towns joined together. The Pleasant Creek Post Office then closed.
In 1873, plans were made for a bigger, more solid post office building. Alfred T. Snow, an architect from the Public Works Department, designed it. Thomas Walker started building it in 1874. The building was finished in early 1875. It cost about £5,501, which was a lot of money back then.
Around 1878, a covered area at the corner of the building was changed. This area, called a loggia, had windows for mail delivery. It was closed off with doors and glass screens. This might have been to make more space inside or to protect the area. A slot for mailing letters was also added at this time.
In 1905, a telephone exchange was put in the building. A small addition was built at the back for this. The corner of the building, which was once the loggia, became the telephone room by 1923.
Many changes were made inside the building in 1923. The main post office area was rearranged. The wall between the old loggia and the post office was removed. This made the post office much larger. A new telephone switchboard was also installed. Around this time, staff rooms were likely added upstairs. The whole building also got electric lights.
The signs on the building were changed sometime between 1943 and the 1960s. In the 1960s, the building was updated. Oil heaters were installed, and new wallpaper and floor tiles were added. The kitchen upstairs also got new cabinets. Some walls were moved to create bigger rooms.
Around 1995, a ramp was built at the front for people with disabilities. The public area inside was completely redone. The north entrance door was changed into a window. An office for the postal manager was built inside the mail room. The main entrance got a new sliding door. Many other parts of the inside, like lights and heating, were also updated.
What the Stawell Post Office Looks Like
The Stawell Post Office is located at 87-89 Gold Reef Mall. This is at the west end of Stawell's main shopping street. The building is on a corner, and its shape matches the unusual angle of the street. It is a large, two-story building.
The building looks like a grand Italian palace from the Victorian era. It is made of brick covered in a smooth finish. The bottom floor looks like a strong stone base. It has five arched openings at the front. Three of these are windows, and two were originally entrance doors. The northern door is now a window. The southern door has a modern sliding door.
The upper floor has five windows. These windows have simple rectangular frames above them. A decorative band runs across the building, acting like a railing in front of the windows. The roof is sloped and covered with metal. It used to have a platform with a flagpole for a mail flag. There are two chimneys on the roof. The main roof has a large, decorative edge with a chain pattern below it.
Building Condition
From the outside, the building still looks very much like its original design. Even with some changes, it appears strong and well-kept.
Inside, the building has changed more over time. This is mainly because of how the public space was used and made larger. The inside of the building is in good condition.
Why the Stawell Post Office is Important
The Stawell Post Office, built in 1874-75, is a very important public building. It shows the grand style of Victorian Italianate architecture. Its size and quality show how important Stawell was in the 1870s. At that time, Stawell was a rich goldfields town and a key center in Victoria.
The post office was likely designed by A. T. Snow. It is one of many large Italianate post offices built by the Victorian Public Works Department. These were built between 1870 and 1878. The Stawell Post Office is a beautiful and impressive building. It has a strong, bold style with a stone-like base. Its location on a corner makes it look even grander. It is a great example of this architectural style.
The building is an important historical landmark in Stawell. It is close to where the town's gold mining used to happen. The post office is a well-known local landmark. It stands proudly with the nearby Town Hall. It adds a lot to the historic look of the street. For over 125 years, the Stawell Post Office has served the community. It is a crucial public building and a major landmark for the people of Stawell.
