The General Post Office (abbreviated: GPO) in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, in

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 A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

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

General Post & Telegraph Offices, Brisbane, erected 1872

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. StateLibQld 1 115272 Brisbane General Post Office, Queen Street, 1931

StateLibQld 1 115272 Brisbane General Post Office, Queen Street, 1931

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 The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland, dedicated to natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. The museum currently operates from its headquarters and general museum in South Brisbane with specialist mu ...

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 John Petrie (15 January 1822 – 8 December 1892) was a Scottish-born politician, architect, stonemason and building contractor in Brisbane who became the city's first Mayor. Private life John Petrie was born 15 January 1822Toowong Cemetery ...

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 A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an inked ribbon selectivel ...

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 The Brisbane Heritage Register is a heritage register containing a list of culturally-significant places within the City of Brisbane, Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Locati ...

Gallery

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 Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...

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

References

External links

Further historical details
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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

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links