General News
5 August, 2024
Post history tracked back to Scott's pigeon box
The fascinating history of Warracknabeal Post Office has been researched and recorded by a former resident of the town in his book, "Everything comes to him who waits".
Historian Ian Wright is a former secondary school teacher in Warracknabeal, and now lives in Mildura.
He was inspired to research the history of the iconic and imposing Scott Street building by his long-time interest in stamp collecting and postmarks.
Mr Wright traced the very early days of Warracknabeal’s postal service all the way to the present day, and decided to publish a book so he could share his research and his passion with others.
In the 1850s, mail was delivered from Horsham to surrounding stations, including the Scott Brothers in Werracknebeal - the original spelling of Warracknabeal, which was changed around 1885.
The first post office is thought to have been a log hut on the West Warracknabeal Station of Andrew Scott.
It was commonly called the Sentry Box or Pigeon Box by the local community.
In 1868, John Sutcliffe - a teacher who set up his own school in Warracknabeal - realised the importance of postal services to the community, and was appointed postmaster.
He ran the Post Office from his school (common practice back then) and, after building his home, relocated it to his verandah from 1874 to 1890.
In 1890 Warracknabeal’s first brick post office building was erected.
But, Mr Wright wrote, it failed the test of time, being too small and poorly maintained.
The present day building is often referred to as having been built in mock-Tudor or English Domestic Revival style.
It was originally a two-storey building, highly unusual for a small rural town and the cause of much controversy in Parliament as it cost 2500 pounds - an amount equal to one third of the entire funds devoted to Queensland’s post offices.
Mr Wright’s book details not just the many changes of the local postal services, but the various social changes over the years.
The coming of the railway to Warracknabeal in 1886 was a major development, and mail was delivered from there to Murtoa for the first time.
The railway station also housed the telegraph office.
In 1907, the Penny Post legislation was introduced which ensured that all letters posted in Australia cost one penny.
The Warracknabeal Telephone Exchange was also opened that year, while the new, automated Telephone Exchange was opened in 1959.
It wasn’t until 1924 the federal government decreed all houses were to have a mailbox and no more deliveries would be made to the door.
In the 1930s, the early mailmen were called “letter-carriers”.
In 1948, the 40-hour working week became law, and 1966 saw the introduction of decimal currency.
Postcodes were introduced in 1967, while the formal separation of Australia Post and Telecom occurred in 1975.
Mr Wright has painstakingly researched countless facts and figures, such as the postal records which show that in 1963-1964, the number of trunk calls (long distance calls within the same country) from Warracknabeal averaged 250 a day, while local calls averaged 1150 a day.
More than 8800 telegrams were sent during the same period.
The book follows the inclusion of several landmarks around the Post Office, including the flagpole in the 1950s, and what was at the time a controversial decision to place the soldiers’ Cenotaph on the same corner.
The removal of the “unsightly” telephone boxes, which were placed in front of the Post Office during the 1980s, was in response to public criticism.
Even the iconic peppercorn trees, thought to have been planted in the 1920s, are referred to as Trees of Knowledge, with many local issues being solved beneath them.
Mr Wright has researched the names of the more than 40 postmasters, and many employees over the years, including the appointment of a female postmistress in 1922, which was initially regarded with shock and horror.
Marilyn and Gary Krahe were the first private owners of the Post Office, taking over in March 1998, and are the longest serving postal nanagers in the 155-year history of Warracknabeal Postal Services.
Mr Wright has also displayed his quirky sense of humour in his book, recounting anecdotes of the practical jokes conducted by postal clerks in years gone by.
He also briefly explores the history of the district post offices, which were often located in private homes.
Jenny Taylor has read the book and said Mr Wright’s collection of the Warracknabeal district postmarks is probably the only one in existence, including the 2011 commemorative postmark acknowledging 150 years of postal services in the town.
“The book offers an interesting social history of not only the Warracknabeal Post Office, but also postal services and social changes in the town and the state of Victoria,” Mrs Taylor said.
“It may be one of very few books written on post offices which retain their original structure, and continue to provide ever expanding and important services to their local communities."
"Everything comes to him who waits" was printed by North West Press and is available at the Warracknabeal and District Historical Centre, the Tourist Information Centre, Agricultural Museum, Wheatland's Warehouse - and, of course the Post Office - for $20.