Goomeri Post Office as time goes by

Image Credit: Queensland Post Offices photo album - Goomeri 

Post Office and Railway Station at Goomeri, 1910
Image contributed by QldPics taken in 1910 

Goomeri Post Office and quarters
Date range 1940 - 1960
Image: National Archives of Australia

Image credit: Goomeri History Qld 

Mr Stanley Moffett telegraph messenger at Nanango - November to December 1919 - Photograph was taken when he was at Yarraman in May 1921 [He remained in the Service and became Postmaster at Goomeri, Bowen and Sarina, and retired as Postmaster of Lutwyche in September 1970]

AN AUSTRALIAN POST OFFICE HISTORY

Image credit: Goomeri History Qld 

Early Mail services

• Mail service MS 58 between Nanango and Goomeri was increased from twice to three weekly in 1920.

The Telegraph Station was opened in April 1903 at the Railway Station. 

First Post Office. 

• The date of the establishment of the first Post Office at Goomeri is not known but was established before 1912 at the Goomeri Railway Station. 

First Telephone Exchange

• The first telephone exchange was opened 26th June 1913 at the Railway Station with seven subscribers. They were:

• No.1 Ross & Co 
• No.2 Boonara Hotel (Murphy) 
• No.3 J.Coleman
• No.4 Public Telephone - railway station. 
• No.5 Boonara Valley Syndicate
• No.6 Boonara Valley Syndicate
• No.7 Moore and Company, Baramba

• By 1918 a Post and Telegraph Office was in operation. 
• Mr. M.T Cronin was Postmaster. 

Public Telephone. 

On 22nd July, 1914, approval was granted for the installation of a “silence” cabinet for the station public telephone. This was soon installed but later on 19.12.1921, was replaced by wall cabinet: (or locked box). 

Continuous Service

As the district progressed it was found necessary to provide continuous telephone service at the exchange. 

This was provided on 25th December. 1920 

Fire 

• At 3.30 am on 23rd December, 1939, a fire started in the Hotel next door to the Post Office and in spite of every effort to save the building, the Post Office building was completely destroyed. The Postmaster’s quarters were fortunately only scorched on the exterior. A temporary Post Office was set up in these quarters to provide Customer Service. (during the Hotel fire, eight lives were lost, including the licensee and his wife). The Post Office at the time was of official Grade 2 status. 

New Office - A new Post Office building was erected in September, 1940

Letter Delivery

• 23rd May 1947. Approval was given for the establishment of a letter delivery service on Tuesday, 17th June, 1947. 
• The letter service to be operated on a twice-daily basic-Tuesday to Friday and once on Mondays and Saturdays. 
• The delivery to cover the whole of the recognised town area. 

• The service commenced on 17th June, 1947, as planned. 

• June 1952 A flag-pole was erected above the Western porch of the Post Office to replace the one on the roof. 

M.M.Rea

Historical Officer ( Courtesy of Public Relations)