Temora Post Office

Last updated

Temora Post Office
TemoraPostOffice.JPG
Temora Post Office, 2010
Location173 Hoskins Street, Temora, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 34°26′51″S147°32′04″E / 34.4475°S 147.5345°E / -34.4475; 147.5345
Built1903-4
Official nameTemora Post Office
TypeListed place (Historic)
Designated8 November 2011
Reference no.106129
BuildersRigby Brothers
Australia New South Wales relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location of Temora Post Office in New South Wales

Temora Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 173 Hoskins Street, Temora, New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011. [1]

Contents

History

The township of Temora evolved from a local pastoral settlement in the 1860s, to a large town of about 20,000 people in the 1880s, following the discovery of gold in 1879. German settlers were also prominent in the area from the 1850s. The construction of the railway line to Temora in 1893 brought on a new phase of progress, cementing the town's importance as a wheat and wool growing centre. [1]

A post office was constructed after the railway's arrival but it was destroyed by fire in 1901, a most destructive episode which destroyed a number of local buildings. [1]

The present Temora Post Office was constructed in 1903-4 by Rigby Brothers for £2,448. The building was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect's Office under the leadership of Walter Liberty Vernon with George Oakeshott, being the architect in charge of Post Office designs. The postmaster moved into the first floor residence on 11 April 1904. The banisters and counters inside the post office were reputedly carved by Robert Cutting, Snr. [1]

Recent alterations include the replacement of the telephone exchange to the rear of the building with a local museum, the removal of telephone boxes, scales and stamp vending machines, and the addition of a ramp to the front of the office. A staff amenities building has been built at the rear, along with an additional in-coming, bulk mail room, steel handling platform and truck canopy. There is a carport and garden shed located alongside an earlier weatherboard shed. [1]

Description

Temora Post Office is at 173 Hoskins Street, Temora, facing south west on a "wayside" frontage in Hoskins Street (Barmedman Road), 25m south of the Loftus Street corner (Young Road). The adjoining building to its immediate north is imposing: a distinctly American Romanesque-Queen Anne fusion. The building to the immediate south, a branch of the ANZ Bank, is similar in approach, with horseshoe arches, strapwork and mortarboard cornices. This side of Hoskins Street comprises an impressive Federation period streetscape. It was largely built up at one time, replacing several buildings destroyed in a large town fire in April 1901. [1] [2]

Exterior

The Post Office building is an asymmetrical design with two corner towers, each with a broad arched opening at its base and battered in from a plinth. The plinth is capped with a string course of painted cant bricks (also used at Quirindi). The building has been built in stretcher bond, with mottled, dark pink/brown bricks. Wall vents are cast, with a crown emblem, commonly used in government buildings. Elsewhere there are terracotta "egg-crate" form vents. [1]

The right (southeast) tower has plain corners; the left (northwest) tower has piers at each corner. Both are crossed by string courses at the arch springing points and at the first floor line. A third string course runs through around waist level on the first floor, marking a change to roughcast stucco on the right tower and the brick base for a bullseye window on the left, originally intended to house a clock, the rear works of which would evidently have projected into one of the quarters rooms. [2] The left tower is sheeted in roughcast stucco above the bullseye and its base, and the roof is pyramidal with flared hips. There is a series of ten, slender wrought iron diagonal struts supporting a "flying" timber plate. The struts are wrought in an Art Nouveau pattern. The roofing tiles are English pattern, and the gutters are quad profile, copper, and mounted on square dressed fascia boards without detail. [1]

The eaves are boxed to conceal the rafters, and lined with a flat sheet, possibly an early example of asbestos-cement sheeting. The left tower has a "bulls-eye" round window comprising nine panes of glass. The left tower has a simple open stilted arch for the main entry. There are non-original concrete steps with a steel handrail giving access to the main entry porch and some of the facility's post boxes. The porch has a tiled floor and a painted timber ceiling. Entry doors are timber framed, and primarily glazed and located in the south wall of the porch. They broadly match the entry doors at the right-hand side of the façade. There is a surviving eight-pane transom window above. These doors are adjoined by the later disabled access ramp access which has been installed in front of the building, infilling the recessed middle bay of the building. The ramp structure apparently conceals the building's foundation stone. [1]

The right tower has no roof struts and is marked by two simply indented square-headed windows. The ground floor arches are also related, both being crowned by six or seven rows of headers, but are at differing heights and treated differently inside each arch. The right tower arch is combined with a window whose glazing bars denote a door fanlight, upper sidelight windows and line up vertically with a cut in the brick wall to either side of its double door. [1]

The recessed middle bay houses the former postal hall at ground floor level and the open verandah of the quarters above. The postal hall has three brick segmental- headed double-hung sash windows, embedded in a broad, shallow and slanted sill. The stiles of the upper sash are tapered. The first floor verandah is divided by two tapering piers that directly support a light fascia and balcony roof, treated as integral with the main roof behind and above it. The stuccoed piers reflect the Federation bungalow fashion emerging at this time. The openings are screened with mesh to exclude birds. The side elevations are equally varied, with a chamfered bay on the southeast elevation and a straight fronted gable on the northwest elevation. The three main chimneys are irregularly placed in the upper roof hips, and are given a strongly arts and crafts flavour, the stacks being tapered and clad in roughcast stucco, then topped with long, tapering terra cotta pots. There is a fascia and boxed eaves to conceal rafters at the roof edges, and the eave soffits are boarded and raked at the same angle as the roof above. [1]

To the west elevation a projecting bay with tall sash windows to the angled faces are of face brick with contrasting, terracotta coloured brick quoins. Immediately behind there is a side access door to the stairhall and thus to the former quarters. It has a slate threshold and step. The stair window is leadlight in an art-Nouveau design. There are copper gutters, spouts and downpipes which feed into cast iron downpipes about 2 metres from ground level. Brick sills have been rendered and painted. They finish flush, and do not extend over the wall to form a drip mould. [1]

At the rear of the building there is a door to the laundry with a distinctive, pressed metal hood. The door is ledged and sheeted. There is a timber weatherboard garden shed in the garden, and a steel /timber carport. More recently a kit-type zincalume garden shed has been added. The garden is surrounded by timber and corrugated iron fences on a brick base. There are several surviving bullnose brick retaining walls. [1]

The rear of the post office yard is paved with concrete and asphalt. There is a steel canopy to protect delivery trucks, and a small zincalume shed which once sheltered bicycles. Under the canopy is a steel loading ramp, leading to a roller shutter to the delivery room. The delivery room is an addition to the sorting room. [1]

To the east elevation, alterations have occurred to allow the introduction of additional post boxes. There is a raised concrete platform to give access, fitted with a steel handrail, and aluminium awnings for protection. One set of boxes have been inserted into a former window aperture, and the brickwork above has been patched. [1]

The sorting room is a single storey structure, under a gabled roof with a brick parapet. It has Marseilles-pattern roof tiles exposed rafters, quad gutter and rectangular downpipes. The eaves are timber lined, and there is painted netting between the rafters. The windows are double hung, with a transom, and fitted with "amplimesh" aluminium screens. [1]

Interior

The general office (main chamber) has been upgraded to provide modern retail and a range of postal services. It has carpet over a timber floor, and modern joinery and retail displays. Many original elements survive, such as windows, strapped ceilings, consoles, an arch and chamfered plaster nibs. The ceiling is a modern, suspended type, and conceals air conditioning ducts and services. [1]

The main chamber is divided from the service areas by modern plasterboard partition walls. The postal box filling room has vinyl flooring over timber, plaster walls, original double hung windows, a strapped plaster ceiling and a distinctive concrete column to support the upper floor. [1]

The sorting room is housed in a single storey wing. There are original timber framed multi paned sash windows with transoms to the west wall. Some of the glazing bars have been removed to the transoms have been altered. The room has a distinctive cornice. [1]

The Post Master's Office is located in the projecting bay to the east side of the building. It has two double hung sash windows and a corner fireplace which has been sealed. One of its two doors has been replaced with a flush panel door and splayed architraves. The other door, leading to the stairwell is a four-panel door, and has an ogee pattern architrave which is original. A suspended ceiling has been installed. [1]

The rear office is formed with plasterboard partitions and remnants of earlier decorative plaster detailing are visible. [1]

The stationery storeroom room retains its small double-hung window and its timber ceiling with v-jointed boards and Edwardian painted timber cornice. It has four brick walls, with a sealed arch and 2 unused doorways. One leads up to the adjacent kitchen. [1]

The kitchen contains a sealed fireplace and a 1950s vintage sink bench. There are built-in cupboards next to the chimney breast. The door has been replaced with a flush leaf. The plaster walls include a 'dado. The original double hung window is extant within the space. [1]

The laundry has a concrete floor covered in vinyl. Walls are of painted brick and the entry door is braced and ledged. The ceiling is painted, v-jointed boards and has a manhole. The double hung window has an elongated bottom sash. [1]

The kitchen adjoins an enclosed verandah with a raked timber ceiling and concrete floor. The original posts are visible between the glass louvres and painted "infill" studwork. This appears to be of 1950s construction. There is one unused exit door, and another door leading to the toilets outside. The toilets are housed in a separate building with a timber frame and asbestos cement linings. It has a coved concrete floor and raked ceiling under a gable roof and fixed louvre windows, cast-iron basins, braced and ledged doors and simple timber details. [1]

Much of the interior is painted in a grey colour scheme, but there is evidence of an earlier cream scheme. [1]

Condition

The building is in sound condition, although there are instances of the effects of salt damp. There are some roof tiles which have slipped. Some exterior painted surfaces need attention. Some of the interior displays routine wear and tear. The level of intactness is comparatively good given age and changes in use. There are effects of rising damp in some areas. [1]

Heritage listing

Temora Post Office was listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011 having satisfied the following criteria. [1]

Criterion A: Processes

Temora Post Office, built in 1904, originally incorporated a post office, residence and rear telephone exchange, now replaced by a museum. Historically, in its original state, the post office has provided an important civic function for this regional centre from the early years of the twentieth century. This, in combination with the fact that the post office was rebuilt after a disastrous local fire, and immediately following Federation, along with a number of other important civic and commercial buildings in this part of town, to form a conspicuous and highly valued Federation-era streetscape, elevates the building to CHL threshold for this value. [1]

The significant components of Temora Post Office include the main 1904 post office building. [1]

Criterion D: Characteristic values

Temora Post Office is an example of: [1]

Criterion E: Aesthetic characteristics

Temora Post office is a lively and accomplished Federation design, expressing an unusual combination of Arts and Crafts and Japanese influences. It makes an important contribution to an impressive and coherent Federation streetscape, largely dating from the period following a disastrous local fire in April 1901. [1]

Criterion G: Social value

The building could be considered to be of local social significance to the Temora community, as an important component of Temora's commercial centre for over a century. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury railway station, Sydney</span> Railway station in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Canterbury railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Bankstown line at Canterbury in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The station is served by Sydney Trains T3 Bankstown line services. The station was designed by New South Wales Government Railways and built from 1895 to 1915 by J. J. Scouller. It is also known as Canterbury Railway Station group. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Presbytery, Warwick</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

St Mary's Presbytery is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic presbytery of St Mary's Roman Catholic Church at 142 Palmerin Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Wallace & Gibson and built from 1885 to 1887 by John McCulloch. It is also known as Father JJ Horan's private residence. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 31 July 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockhampton Post Office</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Rockhampton Post Office is a heritage-listed former post office at 80 East Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by George St Paul Connolly and built from 1892 to 1896 by Dennis Kelleher. It is also known as Rockhampton Post and Telegraph Offices. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 January 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddington Post Office</span> Post office in Sydney, Australia

The Paddington Post Office is a heritage-listed post office located at 246 Oxford Street in Paddington, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. The post office is owned and operated by Australia Post. The building was also a former telephone exchange. It was designed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and later Walter Liberty Vernon, and was built by William Farley. The building was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List, the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000, and the Register of the National Estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newcastle Post Office</span> Heritage-listed building, Newcastle, Australia

Newcastle Post Office is a heritage-listed former post office at 96 Hunter Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon in his capacity as New South Wales Government Architect and was built from 1900 to 1903 by R. Saunders (freestone), Loveridge & Hudson (trachyte), Mountney & Co., Chas Dobson & Co. and J. P. Woods. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken Hill Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Broken Hill Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 258–260 Argent Street, Broken Hill, City of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. The original building was designed by James Barnet, and was built from 1890 to 1892 by John Dobbie. Walter Liberty Vernon designed a telegraph office addition in 1900. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 08 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forbes Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Forbes Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 118 Lachlan Street, Forbes, Forbes Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and built from 1879 to 1881 by P. M. Vaughan. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulburn Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Goulburn Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 165 Auburn Street, Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and built from 1880 to 1881 by F. Horn. It is also known as Goulburn Post and Telegraph Office. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingham Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Wingham Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at Wynter Street, Wingham, Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales, Australia. The original building was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and constructed by William T. Smith of Cundletown. Additions were designed by the CAO under Barnet's successor, Walter Liberty Vernon, and built by S. A. Levick (1904) and H. W. Alcorn. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiama Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Kiama Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 24 Terralong Street, Kiama, Municipality of Kiama, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet. and built by W. R. Vaughan. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tumut Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Tumut Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 82–84 Wynyard Street, Tumut, New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobar Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Cobar Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 47 Linsley Street, Cobar, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by James Barnet in 1885. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012.

Muswellbrook Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 7 Bridge Street, Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 08 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scone Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Scone Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 117 Liverpool Street, Scone, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect's office under the control of James Barnet and built in 1879. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marrickville Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Marrickville Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 274A Marrickville Road, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanthorpe Post Office</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Stanthorpe Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 14 Maryland Street, Stanthorpe, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John Smith Murdoch of the Queensland Government Architect's office and was built by D. Stewart and Co in 1901. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryborough Post Office (Queensland)</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Maryborough Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 227 Bazaar Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Charles Tiffin and built in 1865–1866. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redfern Post Office</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Redfern Post Office is a heritage-listed former residence and now post office located at 113 Redfern Street in the inner western Sydney suburb of Redfern in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Colonial Architect’s Office under James Barnet and built by Goddard and Pittman. The property is owned by Australia Post, an agency of the Australian Government. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyneton Post Office</span> Historic site in Victoria, Australia

Kyneton Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 113 Mollison Street, Kyneton, Victoria, Australia. It was designed by Peter Kerr of the colonial Public Works Department and built in 1870–71. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

Sorrento Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 10-16 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, Victoria, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 "Temora Post Office (Place ID 106129)". Australian Heritage Database . Australian Government . Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 Temora Council DB, p. 2

Bibliography

Attribution

CC BY icon-80x15.png This Wikipedia article was originally based on Temora Post Office , entry number 106129 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 21 September 2018.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Temora Post Office at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.