Ultimo Post Office facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ultimo Post Office (former)
Ultimo Post Office (Ultimo Power House behind)
Location	494 Harris Street, Ultimo, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1901
Architect	Walter Liberty Vernon
Architectural style(s)	Federation Classical Federation Romanesque
Owner	Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Ultimo Post Office
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	502
Type	Post Office
Category	Postal and Telecommunications
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The Ultimo Post Office is an old post office building in Ultimo, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It's located at 494 Harris Street. This building is very special because it's "heritage-listed," meaning it's protected for its historical importance.

The Trustees of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science, which is part of the Government of New South Wales, now own the property. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Story of Ultimo Post Office

The area where Ultimo and Pyrmont are today was once owned by a few people. By 1818, a surgeon named John Harris owned most of the Ultimo land. He built a large house called Ultimo House there.

After he passed away, the land was hard to divide among his family. It was mostly used for farming until 1856. Then, the land was split up, and many houses were built quickly. The Harris family built homes to sell and to rent out.

• Ultimo's Growth:
  • In the 1880s, the first wool storage buildings (woolstores) appeared in Ultimo.
  • The 1890s saw the building of the Tramway Power House.
  • Around 1900, many houses were replaced by huge woolstores, which became very important to the area.

After World War II, the woolstores and nearby wharves and railyards became less busy. Ultimo's population went down. By the 1980s, old industrial sites were being redeveloped into offices, shops, and new homes.

• Building the Post Office:
  • The Ultimo Post Office was designed in 1900.
  • It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, who was the Government Architect at the time.
  • The building was finished in 1901.
  • G. W. Brewer was the builder, and it cost about A£808.
  • The post office officially opened on 16 July 1901.
  • It served the community until the 1980s.
  • After that, it was changed into a childcare centre.

What Does It Look Like?

The old Ultimo Post Office is a single-storey building made of brick. It has special stone decorations and a roof covered with slate tiles.

• Key Features:
  • The front part facing Harris Street has a decorative wall called a parapeted gable. It has stone edges and a pointed top.
  • The back part of the roof is shaped like a gabled hip.
  • Most of the windows are double-hung sashes, which means they slide up and down.
  • A main feature is the stone archway at the corner, which was the main entrance. It has fancy carvings.
  • Above the corner archway, there is a decorated stone piece called an embellished cartouche.

The eastern part of the building is a bit lower. This section was originally where the postmaster lived. The old entrance here has two round windows (oculi) next to it. The building also has a chimney on the roof.

The design of the building mixes two styles: Federation Classical and Federation Romanesque. You can see the Romanesque style in the decorative gable, the large round arch of the porch, and the building's simple, strong shape.

The former post office is on a busy corner in Ultimo. Its unique style makes it an important part of the street. It also helps to show how big the old Power House (now the Powerhouse Museum) behind it is.

Why Is It Important?

Ultimo Post Office, Sydney. (May 2020)

The Ultimo Post Office was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it's officially recognized as a historically important building.

• Historical Importance:
  • It was built in 1901.
  • It shows how Ultimo and Pyrmont grew into important industrial and warehouse areas around that time.
  • Building a post office here showed how much the area had developed.

• Architectural Importance:
  • The building shows features of both Federation Classical and Federation Romanesque architectural styles.
  • It's important because it was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, a famous NSW Government Architect.

• Streetscape Importance:
  • Because of its unique style and location on a major intersection, the old post office is a key part of the Ultimo street view.
  • It also highlights the large size of the former Ultimo Power Station (now the Powerhouse Museum) located behind it.