Byron Bay Post Office
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| Byron Bay Post Office | |
|---|---|
  Location of Byron Bay Post Office in New South Wales | |
| Location | 61 Jonson Street, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 28°38′39″S 153°36′46″E / 28.6442°S 153.6128°E |
| Official name | Byron Bay Post Office |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 August 2012 |
| Reference no. | 106175 |
Byron Bay Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 61 Jonson Street, Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 August 2012.[1]
Post office status was officially granted to Byron Bay in March 1888, while prior to this date Byron Bay was graded as a receiving office. In 1889 post and telegraph services, previously separate, were amalgamated. The railway from Lismore arrived in 1894, and provided a link between the river and sea ports to the expanding dairy industry. The region also prospered following the establishment of the Norco Butter Factory in the early twentieth century.[1]
The current (original component of) Byron Bay Post and Telegraph Office was constructed in 1896 at a cost of £464 by local builders, Susannah Atkins, W John Hocquard and A F Wallis; after extensive delay it was opened in March 1897. A telephone exchange was opened in 1909 and Postmaster General Office records show that the building underwent considerable alteration in 1916, when a central gabled extension to the front and north wing were added. Extensive rear additions were constructed around 1997 to accommodate postal functions and the original building component at the front was leased for commercial use.[1]
The original building was designed by New South Wales Government Architect's Office (probably George Oakeshott) under Walter Vernon and later reworked by the Commonwealth Department of Works and Railways.[1]
Description
Byron Bay Post Office is at 61 Jonson Street, Byron Bay, comprising the whole of Lot 1 DP736784.[1]
The Byron Bay Post Office is located on a large, essentially rectangular site located at the centre of Byron Bay's civic and administrative centre. The site originally extended from Jonson Street at the front through to Fletcher Street at the rear, however the construction of a telephone exchange at the rear of the site, and its eventual subdivision from the post office, terminated any relationship with Fletcher Street. While much of the townscape is modern commercial development, the post office has a visual link with the neighbouring former Institute building to the south and low scale retail shops to the north; the town's historic railway station and more recent visitor information centre is located directly opposite. The site comprises the 1896–1916 former post office building with landscaped setting occupying the western half, with the majority of the eastern half occupied by the 1997 post office building. Rear access to a narrow side yard space is provided by a lane from the north.[1]
The existing 1896–1916 frontal component features a single storey volume, essentially symmetrical in conception. Constructed on a cruciform plan the timber-framed weatherboard-clad structure is surmounted by a hipped corrugated Colorbond steel roof with frontal gable over the projecting central bay (the latter was added in 1916). The gable contains a louvred vent and the roofline is punctuated by original rendered brick chimneys with corbelled caps. The street elevation contains a tripartite window to the projecting bay with matching paired entrance doors in the south and north elevations of the bay, indicating the postal hall. The south bay is now blind to the street with an original tripartite window and non-original paired door in the south elevation. The north bay has been extended in a northerly direction into the original verandah area but retains an original panelled timber door and single window. The later construction is indicated by different weatherboard profile. The whole of the 1916 construction is screened by a timber-framed skillion verandah with exposed rafters, arched beams, square posts and non-original timber balustrade. The original south verandah has been extended in an easterly direction by two bays to meet the 1997 post office wing behind, and a disabled access ramp has been constructed along the southern side. The original timber verandah floor has been overlaid with an asphalted membrane with stamped mock brick pattern.[1]
The façade of the original building displays recent café signage although the notice boards adjacent to the main entrance may be earlier. The original north elevation has been altered by the infill of the original verandah, though the verandah structure remains visible. The large rear additions are evidenced by the alternative weatherboard profile and face brick construction to the rear elevations. The roof span is much greater than the original, resulting in a higher hipped volume finished with Colorbond corrugated steel.[1]
In plan form, the former post office section has been substantially altered by the removal of most internal partition walls and the construction of the rear addition in 1997, removing all evidence of the former residential component. The original layout of the frontal component is only broadly discernable due to the remnant sections of wall and bulkheads.[1]
The key elements of the Byron Bay Post Office are its:[1]
- prominent frontal component
- Federation characteristics
- historic verandahed presentation to the street
Condition
Typologically, the original building combined a post and telegraph office and residence, altered to accommodate a telephone exchange in 1909 and enlarged and reworked in 1916. This was substantially altered and enlarged in 1997, relocating all postal functions from the original building and providing a separate retail tenancy area within the original post office. As such, the original building has been dramatically altered in plan form, fabric and presentation twice, although the 1916 alterations were significant in their own right. Internally, little or no evidence remains of the post office function and refurbishment work including suspended ceilings, wall linings and vinyl flooring has concealed original fabric and finishes.[1]
Architecturally and aesthetically, the exterior of the front (Jonson Street) component still presents a 1916 post office idiom, although this gradually degenerates towards the rear of the building and the extensive additions. The level of decorative detail has also been diminished with the replacement of original signage, roof sheeting and verandah fretwork and flooring.[1]
Externally and internally, the building appears to be in relatively sound condition, well maintained and with no major defects visible. The roof and subfloor spaces were not inspected and the installation of internal linings conceals the original structure and finishes.[1]
Original fabric
- Structural frame: Timber-framed floor, walls and roof on brick piers[1]
- External walls: Chamfered profile, weatherboard cladding[1]
- Internal walls: Timber-framed and lined with lath and plaster or beaded timber lining boards [unknown]; 1919 alterations possibly relined the original with plaster sheet[1]
- Floor: Timber boarded with moulded timber skirting boards[1]
- Ceiling: Unknown, possibly beaded timber lining or lathe and plaster; 1919 alterations possibly relined the original with plaster sheet.[1]
- Roof: Hipped corrugated galvanised iron with gablet over main entrance, ogee profile gutters, cast iron roof decoration [?], rendered brick chimneys with moulded caps. Bull-nosed corrugated galvanised iron verandah roof with cast iron posts and frieze with pediment gable and finial over central entrance.[1]
- Other: Timber picket fence to frontage; timber-framed double-hung sash windows; panelled timber doors[1]
Subsequent modifications
- 1909: Telephone exchange opened.[1]
- 1916–22: Substantial reworking of building to incorporate projecting gabled bay to front and hipped side wing to the north of the original; entrances provided from north and south verandah to new postal hall bay; replacement of original bull-nosed verandahs with straight timber verandahs with arched beams and fretwork balustrade; removal of front section of picket fence; internal refurbishment; construction of linesmen's shed; new letter boxes installed.[1]
- 1945: New lavatory block constructed, concrete paths, sundry repairs and repainting. Possibly involved the infill of the 1916 north wing verandah bay.[1]
