Mudgee Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 80 Market Street,

Mudgee Mudgee is a town in the Central West (New South Wales), Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council Local gover ...

Mid-Western Regional Council The Mid-Western Regional Council is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located adjacent to the Castlereagh Highway that passes through the middle of the area in an approximate southeast� ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It was designed by Alexander Dawson and built in 1862, with 1902 additions designed by

Walter Liberty Vernon Colonel Walter Liberty Vernon (11 August 184617 January 1914) was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney, New South Wales. In his role as the New South Wales Government Architect he is ...

. The property is owned 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 ...

. It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 17 December 1999.

History

Early postal services operated from a number of local stores and other premises until mid-1861 when the Colonial Architect Alexander Dawson designed a telegraph office and residence on the northwest corner of Market and Perry Streets. The Post Office operated for a period from the rear of this building and in May 1875 a separate post office building was built adjacent to the Telegraph Office in probably a reverse image of the original building.1996 Heritage Study prepared in association with Dept of Urban Affairs & Planning, Christo Aitken Architect & Heritage Consultant Alterations occurred in 1886 but in 1902 major remodelling and alterations were carried out by the

Public Works Department This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

, which included the design and construction of the colonnade and clocktower. The 1902 works appear to be the work of Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon. A proposal to install a weight-operated clock did not proceed and in 1914 another effort was made to install a clock without success.

Description

A symmetrical, single-storey stuccoed brick composition in the Victorian Free Classical style. The arched

colonnade In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curv ...

has both doric and ionic derived

columns A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

and is flanked by projecting single bays in the Palladian manner. The end bays have moulded rectangular windows enhanced with quoining in rendered brick. Arched windows and doorways are located within the colonnade. A classically-styled rendered

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

extends across the

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Whe ...

. The three central bays of the colonnade have a classical

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

and parapet surmounted by a small central belltower. The physical condition of the building was reported as good as at 1 December 1999. The integrity of the building is good, although tower is defaced by telecommunications apparatus.

Heritage listing

The Mudgee Post Office and Quarters is significant as one of the first major country post offices built in the state. It is a fine civic building skilfully remodelled from its original Palladian form to the Victorian Free Classical style seen today. The form of the building is unusual in post office design and is expressive of the building's early date. The building is a key streetscape element within the western precinct of Market Street and forms part of an important group which includes the Police Station, former Cudgegong Council Chambers and Court House to the west. Mudgee Post Office was listed on the

on 17 December 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. The Mudgee Post Office and Quarters building is one of the first major, country post offices built in the State. It is associated with Colonial Architect Dawson and Government Architect Vernon. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. This Victorian Free Classical styled building with its Palladian pavilions is unusual in post office design in New South Wales. The building is a key streetscape element within the western precinct of Market Street and forms part of an important group which includes the Police Station, former Cudgegong Chambers and Court House to the west. The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. As a prominent civic building, the Mudgee Post Office is considered to be significant to the Mudgee community's sense of place. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The site has the potential to contain an archaeological resource, which may provide information relating to the previous use of the site, and to use by the Post Office. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. A rare style of post office building in New South Wales. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales. Part of the group of post offices in NSW. Representative of the work of Dawson and Vernon.

References

Bibliography

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Attribution

External links

{{Australian Post Offices, state=collapsed New South Wales State Heritage Register Post office buildings in New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register Mudgee, New South Wales Walter Liberty Vernon buildings Commonwealth Heritage List places in New South Wales