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The General Post Office (abbreviated: GPO) in Brisbane, Queensland, in
The first full-time postmaster in Brisbane was J. E. Barney in 1852. In 1862, the first Postmaster-General for the state of Queensland Thomas Lodge Murray Prior was appointed. A small convict era building was used as for postal services but was too far from the telegraph office. The Postmaster-General choose a half hectare site which was centrally located.
The building already located at the Queen Street site which once hosted women convicts was demolished in 1871.
Freestone and bricks were sourced from local materials. The GPO was opened on 28 September 1872. In 1873, the Queensland Museum was housed in the General Post Office building, but moved in 1879 to the William Street building. In the same year a second wing, which was constructed by John Petrie was completed which allowed the telegraph office to move to the building, pleasing business customers.
The building features deep verandahs and high ceilings. A clock mounted in the pediment positioned above the main entrance was once illuminated by a gas powered light. It was replaced by a smaller, electric clock. The first typewriter to be used in any post office in any Australian city was used at the GPO in 1892. Stamps and money orders were once available to customers outside the building via windows are now closed.
The building has been listed on the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.
Image:Brisbane_CBD.jpg, view of ANZAC Square, Post Office Square and the General Post Office, as seen from the Sofitel Hotel
Image:Central-Station-and-Anzac-Square-from-Brisbane-GPO.jpg, View from Brisbane GPO - showing Post Office Square, Sofitel Hotel and Central Station
File:Post Office Square and General Post Office in the background, Brisbane, February 2020.jpg , General Post Office, Brisbane — as seen from Post Office Square
Image:GPO-sunshine.jpg, General Post Office — as seen from Post Office Square
Further historical details
{{coord, display=title, -27.468174, 153.028173, type:landmark_region:AU Brisbane Buildings and structures in Brisbane Government buildings completed in 1872 1872 establishments in Australia Commonwealth Heritage List places in Queensland Italianate architecture in Brisbane Neoclassical architecture in Australia Brisbane Local Heritage Register Brisbane central business district Francis Drummond Greville Stanley buildings Queen Street, Brisbane
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
is a heritage-listed
This list is of heritage registers, inventories of cultural properties, natural and man-made, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In many ...
post office located at 261 Queen Street in 1872 and extended through to Elizabeth Street in 1908. It is still in use by Australia Post
Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post o ...
. Opposite the GPO building is Post Office Square.
History
The first full-time postmaster in Brisbane was J. E. Barney in 1852. In 1862, the first Postmaster-General for the state of Queensland Thomas Lodge Murray Prior was appointed. A small convict era building was used as for postal services but was too far from the telegraph office. The Postmaster-General choose a half hectare site which was centrally located.
The building already located at the Queen Street site which once hosted women convicts was demolished in 1871.
Freestone and bricks were sourced from local materials. The GPO was opened on 28 September 1872. In 1873, the Queensland Museum was housed in the General Post Office building, but moved in 1879 to the William Street building. In the same year a second wing, which was constructed by John Petrie was completed which allowed the telegraph office to move to the building, pleasing business customers.
The building features deep verandahs and high ceilings. A clock mounted in the pediment positioned above the main entrance was once illuminated by a gas powered light. It was replaced by a smaller, electric clock. The first typewriter to be used in any post office in any Australian city was used at the GPO in 1892. Stamps and money orders were once available to customers outside the building via windows are now closed.
The building has been listed on the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.
Gallery
See also
* OtherGeneral Post Office
The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Before the Acts of Union 1707, it was the postal system of the Kingdom of England, established by Charles II in 1660. ...
s
References
External links
Further historical details
{{coord, display=title, -27.468174, 153.028173, type:landmark_region:AU Brisbane Buildings and structures in Brisbane Government buildings completed in 1872 1872 establishments in Australia Commonwealth Heritage List places in Queensland Italianate architecture in Brisbane Neoclassical architecture in Australia Brisbane Local Heritage Register Brisbane central business district Francis Drummond Greville Stanley buildings Queen Street, Brisbane