Australia Post celebrated the 140th anniversary of the Cobar Post Office, one of regional New South Wales’ most prominent community hubs last week.
The post office was opened on August 15, 1885, designed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect’s Office under James Barnet, and has undergone significant alterations and extensions over the years.
It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List in 2012, marking its importance in the region’s history.
The region’s postal history dates back to 1873 when a petition to the Postmaster General led to the establishment of a weekly mail service between Bourke and the Great Cobar Mine.
The first Postmaster, Charles Claxton, managed the service from a store at the Great Cobar Mine.
By 1885, the Cobar Post Office was built to meet the evolving postal and telecommunications needs of the town.
Over the years, the building underwent several key expansions, including the addition of a residence in 1892 and further alterations through to 1909.
The Cobar Post Office remains an important landmark in the community, with its distinctive red face brick exterior, white mouldings, and Italianate-style arched entryway.
It’s become a symbol of Cobar’s rich history and continues to serve locals with both traditional and digital services.
Mandy Dell, Cobar Post Office’s acting manager, has been with the historical post office for the past three years, and said it was exciting to be celebrating the Cobar office’s 140th anniversary.
“From a time of delivering telegrams and handwritten letters to our modern surge of online shopping, it’s clear that this post office has been a constant through generations of change.
“We’re proud to continue this tradition of serving our local community and look forward to many more years of supporting Cobar residents,” Mandy said.—contributed
