Toowoomba Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toowoomba Post Office |
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Toowoomba Post Office, 2014
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| Location | 136 Margaret Street, Toowoomba City, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1878 - 1908 |
| Architect | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Toowoomba Post Office (former) | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 24 January 2003 |
| Reference no. | 600847 |
| Significant period | 1878-1908 (fabric) 1870s-1990s (historica, sociall) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - post master's house/quarters, residential accommodation - telegraph master's house/quarters, tower - clock, post & telegraph office |
| Builders | John Gargett |
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The Toowoomba Post Office is a special old building in Toowoomba City, Queensland. It used to be a post office where people sent letters and packages. This historic building was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley. It was built between 1878 and 1908 by John Gargett. Today, it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, meaning it's an important part of history.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of the Post Office
The Toowoomba Post Office was finished in 1880. It's one of only three post offices still standing that were built in the Classic Revival style. The other two are in Maryborough (built 1866) and central Brisbane (built 1871). Another one in Dalby (built 1867) was torn down.
Post offices were often among the first government services in a new town. They were very important for sending and receiving mail. Sometimes, they were even set up at railway stations. This was handy because mail could be sent by train. Also, the Telegraph Office could share equipment with the railway.
How Mail and Telegraph Services Grew
Between 1859 and 1879, the Post and Telegraph Departments became separate. Many new buildings were built across Queensland for both services. This was a time when many new towns were being settled.
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley was the government architect. He was in charge of designing post offices from 1872 to 1880. He designed many grand Post and Telegraph buildings. Toowoomba was one of the important towns to get one of these new buildings.
The first mail service in the Darling Downs area started in 1845. It was a pack-horse service from Brisbane to Drayton. Later, it became a horse-drawn coach service. By 1864, Queensland had 42 mail services. The next year, Cobb and Co became the official mail carriers for the state.
The Telegraph Arrives in Toowoomba
The first electric telegraph line from Brisbane reached Toowoomba in 1861. This was part of a bigger network connecting different colonies. The line later extended to places like Dalby, Roma, and Charleville. Toowoomba became a key point where many telegraph lines met.
At first, the Telegraph Office was in a room at the 1865 Post Office. This old post office was on the corner of Ruthven and Russell Streets. The current Post Office building replaced it. It was built to handle both mail and telegraph services.
Building the New Post Office
In 1877, plans were made for a new building. It would house both the Post and Telegraph offices. It was built next to the new courthouse. John Gargett won the contract to build it for £7250. He was also the contractor for the courthouse and the Mayor of Toowoomba.
The original plan was for a brick building. But it was changed to include a stone front tower and one stone wing. This increased the cost to £8100. The pale yellow sandstone came from Highfields. It was the same stone used for the courthouse.
The new building opened in 1880, a bit late due to wet weather. It had separate areas for mail and telegraph services. It also had living spaces for both the Postmaster and the Telegraph Officer. A clock was added for £105 by Mr Schoenle from Ipswich.
The Toowoomba Post Office is a great example of the Classical Revival style. This style was popular back then. It's part of a group of government buildings, including the Court House and Police Station. This often happened because the government kept land for its own buildings.
Changes Over the Years
Since it was built in 1878, the Toowoomba Post Office has changed a lot. This was mainly due to new communication technologies. Originally, it had a two-story front section and single-story wings at the back. The ground floor had the post office and the Postmaster's living area. The telegraph office and the Telegraph Officer's living area were on the other side. More living rooms were on the first floor.
In 1896, bathrooms were added to both living quarters. Bigger changes happened in 1899. A new mail room and battery room were added at the back. An extra level was built over the Telegraph Officer's living area.
More changes came later. In 1905, the ground floor was rearranged. Part of the arcade was enclosed. In 1908, a new telephone exchange was built on the first floor. The living quarters became workshops. The whole first floor was changed for telephone and telegraph operations.
In 1960, the first new automatic telephone system in Australia was installed here.
The biggest changes happened in 1968. Many original parts were removed or replaced. This included iron railings, timber decorations, chimneys, and old glass. Most of the back of the building was removed. It was replaced with a flat-roofed mail room and loading dock. Since then, only general repairs have been done.
In 1999, Australia Post stopped using the building. They moved their services to another location. The building was then sold. Today, it is used as a cafe and offices.
What the Building Looks Like
The Toowoomba Post Office is on Margaret Street. It's near a main intersection in Toowoomba. It stands next to the Toowoomba Court House. Both buildings look similar in style and materials. These two buildings, along with the Police Station, form a group of government buildings. They create a special landmark in the street.
The Post Office has a two-story front section. It also has two-story wings on each side at the back. Single-story extensions stick out from the back of each wing. The open space in the middle, shaped like a "U," is now covered with a flat roof. It has a skylight in the center.
The front of the building is designed to be perfectly balanced. A tall clock tower is in the middle. It has four clock faces. The front of the building and the outer side of the western wing are made of pale yellow sandstone. The back wings are covered in a smooth finish.
The building stands out on its site. The area at the back is paved with asphalt. There are gardens along each side.
Details of the Front
The front section has the central clock tower. On each side of the tower are arcades (covered walkways with arches). There are also projecting sections at each end, forming corner entrances.
The arcades have a series of arches. These arches are separated by columns that are part of the wall. These columns have decorative tops. Simple metal railings are inside each arch. A special stone, called a keystone, is at the top center of each arch. The end and central sections also have arched openings. The corners of these sections have special stone blocks called quoins.
There are three ways to enter the building. Two entrances are at the corners, set at an angle. The main entrance is in the center, under the clock tower. All entrances have double timber doors. They have large arched windows above them. All doors lead into the post office service area. This area has been changed a lot over time.
The first floor looks similar to the ground floor. It has verandahs supported by stone columns. These columns also have decorative tops. The end and central sections are enclosed. The end sections have two tall, thin windows. The central section has a more decorative arched window with carved designs around it.
The main part of the building has a corrugated iron roof that slopes. Decorative stone and timber brackets are spaced evenly under the roof edges. The central clock tower rises through the roof. It has three parts. The bottom part has decorative panels with carved arch patterns. Above this is the middle part where the clock faces are. The top part has a decorative ledge and a pierced wall. Columns that are part of the wall go up through the bottom and middle sections. They have carved leaf designs at their tops.
The eastern side of the building is covered in a smooth finish. It has a side entrance set back into the wall. This entrance has a verandah on the second level. Arched timber decorations are above the ground and first floors. A railing, similar to the one at the front, is on the first level. Except for this part, the eastern side is enclosed. It has different types of windows along its length.
The western side has an arcade on the ground level. This arcade holds post boxes and private mailboxes. The sandstone from the front wraps partly around the western side. The rest of the wing has a smooth finish. The double timber doors and a winch from an old loading bay are still on the first level.
Inside, the building has been changed a lot. The most original parts are the rooms at the western end of the first floor and the clock tower. These areas still have early wooden details. Most other parts of the building have been changed. This makes it hard to see what the original layout was like.
Why This Place is Special: Heritage Listing
The Toowoomba Post Office (former) was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on January 24, 2003. It met several important rules to be listed.
Showing Queensland's History
The Toowoomba Post Office was built between 1878 and 1880. It was a major stop for the telegraph line connecting different colonies. This shows how Queensland developed over time. The building also proves how important Toowoomba was as a big inland town. The government recognized its importance.
A Great Example of Its Kind
The Toowoomba Post Office is one of only three post offices still standing that were built in the Classic Revival style. It shows the main features of this type of building. These include being built with strong materials like stone and having a classical design.
Beautiful and Important to See
The Post Office is near a main intersection in Toowoomba. It's a landmark in the town and looks impressive on the street. It forms a group of government buildings with the nearby Toowoomba Court House and the Police Station. The Toowoomba Post Office is very beautiful. It shows high quality design and craftsmanship, especially its exterior stonework.
Important to the Community
This building has a strong connection with people who have lived in the Darling Downs area. Since 1880, it was the main place for communication. People used it for mail, telegraph, and telephone services.
Connected to Important People
The building also has a special link to government architect Francis Drummond Greville Stanley. He was responsible for designing and building Queensland's post offices from 1872 to 1880.
