The Old Warrandyte Post Office (111 Yarra Street)
The Old Warrandyte Post Office was built in 1873. It began as a general store and it was not until 1900 that the building became a Post Office. The store was built by Mrs. Alexander Speers and for 45 years was run by members of the Speers family. |
| The Post Office 1906 . WHS |
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| The Post Office 1912. WHS |
They built a simple L-shaped timber building with a verandah facing the road. The shop was on the left with the living quarters on the right in the wing of the L. In later alterations, a verandah was added along the east and rear. Later the verandah was enclosed.
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| WARRANDYTE 1896 - Looking from the verandah of Hotel showing Speers Store and the road to Melbourne Hill (1973 02 DTHS Newsletter) |
In August 1857, a Post Office was opening in Cameronís store. The mail came from Kew three days a week being carried by horseback. The mailman rode by way of Doncaster, leaving a mail bag at Doncaster Arms Hotel. From there to Warrandyte the road was merely a bush track. After delivering the mail to Cameron, the mailman rode on through the bush to Lilydale, and then back to Kew. The round trip was 30 miles for which he was paid 3 Ω pence a mile. Ten years later, when a settlement had formed at deep Creek, the mailman also hung a free bag on a gum tree as he passed henry Whiteís cottage in Andersonís Creek Road.
Ewen Cameron sold the store to his neighbour Flemming Hewitt. Hewitt had bought the newly built union Hotel which stood on the site of the present mechanics institute. Cameron moved to Kangaroo Ground but his interest in Warrandyte did not end. In 1874, he was elected to Parliament, and fifteen years later, he represented Evelyn in the Legislative Assembly ñ a seat he held until his death in 1914.
In 1862, Alexander McDonald became Postmaster. McDonald, the owner of the Union Hotel, was one of the leaders of the community in Andersonís Creek. He was appointed a member of the School Committee and Trustee of the Recreation reserve.
The Post Office began to move its location in the 70ís. George Holloway, the butcher, was Postmaster. For several years it remained in the Holloway family, being run by James and Sarah Holloway. Their home and butchers shop was north of the road between Andersonís and Forbes Streets.
In 1893, the Post Office moved back to the township to Henry Squiresí drapery store, where it remained until 1900. Speersí store across the road then became the well known Warrandyte Post Office with Miss Ethel Speers as Postmistress.
In response to a request for a telephone connection to this bushfire prone area, a switchboard was installed in the new Post Office. The first local telephone line went straight across the road to the Andersonís Creek Hotel (later renamed ì The Grand Hotelî) with telephone No.2.
Two years later, Ethel Speers was married and became Ethel Belza. She remained Postmistress for 17 years with her husband as Warrandyteís newsagent. Miss A. Moore purchased the building from her and remained Postmistress until 1940.
After mail deliveries commenced, the unique character of Warrandyte was once again seen. From 1950 to 1963, Bill McCulloch delivered the mail by horseback. His round covered 22 miles along roads and bush tracks among the hills. He was the last mounted postman to operate in Victoria.
The Post Office is one of the institutions of any country town, and Warrandyte Post Office was a typical example. It was the meeting place every morning where the local people waited on the welcoming verandah while the mail was being sorted. In a country town, the personality of a Postmistress affects the whole community. Sitting at her switchboard behind the grille where letters where letters are handed out, she feels the pulse of the community. She can be a friend in an emergency and a source of information on local activities. For a Postmistress, her office and switchboard are a part of the household. During meals, a call at the switchboard means leaving the dinner table to connect the caller.
The old type of Post Office is becoming a thing of the past. Last year, the Warrandyte Post Office moved to a new building and the old Speers store was closed. The land has been sold to become part of the river frontage, and soon the building will have to go when the road is widened.
Irvine Green writing in 1973 02 DTHS Newsletter
Extract from "The Post"
Warrandyte had Victoria's last mounted postman when Bill McCulloch used to deliver mail on horseback along its many un-made hilly roads from 1950 to 1963.1986 12 DTHS Newsletter
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| Operating as Museum run by Warrandyte Historical Society, 2017 |
Warrandyte Post Office (Former) - 111 Yarra Street, Warrandyte
The early Victoria building, constructed circa 1876 is of regional significance for its historical importance as being the only relatively intact building in the town's main street dating from the gold mining period. Henry Squires first used the building as a Post Office in 1893. Australia Post terminated its lease of the building in 1972 after which it was used as a residence for many years.The original post office was partly destroyed by fire in 1982. Local efforts saw its reconstruction achieved between 1985 and 1988 and the building was reopened as a community and tourist information centre in 1987.
Even though it has been rebuilt, some original sections of the building remain. The new sections of the building have been reconstructed with some care to the original detailing.
http://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/warrandyte-post-office-former
Warrandyte Museum
The Museum building was built around 1875 and possibly used as a store, and the first Post Office started there in 1889. The first telephone exchange was installed there in 1912. The Post Office closed down in 1972, when it moved to its present site at 111 Yarra St.A lease was granted to the Lions Club in 1974, which maintained it until 1980.
It remained derelict for several years, and a demolition order was issued in 1979 due to the dilapidated state of the building.
In 1982, fire severely damaged the building, and in 1985 a Planning Permit was issued for restoration, and it opened in 1988.
http://warrandyteheritage.yolasite.com/warrandyte-museum.php
New Warrandyte Post Office - Australia Post
100 Melbourne Hill Rd, Warrandyte VIC 3113Warrandyte Museum - Manningham’s link to the past through heritage listed buildings is thanks to the people who have stepped in to protect them
VAL Polley, Warrandyte Historical Society secretary, said the group’s museum at 111 Yarra St, operated as a post office under several well-known Warrandyte families.111 Yarra Street as it once was. Picture: Warrandyte Historical Society
“It survived fire and flood and in 1972 the business was moved,” Ms Polley said.
“The historic post office building survived years of neglect, a demolition order, road-widening plans and a suspicious fire in 1982 before preservation and restoration became possible.”
Ms Polley said the Warrandyte State School was built by stonemason miners.
Other well-known heritage buildings include The Mechanics’ Institute, The Old Fire Station, War Memorial and goldmining sites such as the Pound Bend Tunnel.
A member of the society, on and off for years, Ms Polley has lived in Warrandyte for more than four decades.
“The society was formed in 1976 after the centenary of the old school building,” she said.
“Shirley and Ted Rotherham held an exhibition and decided Warrandyte needed a society to record all of the history.”
The society has between 60-80 members, who support the group through subscriptions. Active members do archiving and take photographs.
“We just opened a Facebook page and it’s amazing the amount of young people who are interested in the history of the area.”
She said getting a building on any of the heritage lists was a lengthy process.
The society is about to release a book, Wonderful Warrandyte — A Portrait, on May 3.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/manninghams-link-to-the-past-through-heritage-listed-buildings-is-thanks-to-the-people-who-have-stepped-in-to-protect-them/news-story/ec4d4f985696ab8247dd13b89c7b280f
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