Camperdown Post Office
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John Hudson Marsden (1880s alterations)
Horace John Mackennal (1909 additions, attributed)
| Camperdown Post Office | |
|---|---|
  Location of Camperdown Post Office in Victoria | |
| Location | 190 Manifold Street, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 38°13′54″S 143°08′47″E / 38.2317°S 143.1465°E |
| Built | 1863 with alterations in 1880s and 1909 |
| Architect | John James Clark (1863 original) John Hudson Marsden (1880s alterations) Horace John Mackennal (1909 additions, attributed) |
| Official name | Camperdown Post Office |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 8 November 2011 |
| Reference no. | 106130 |
Camperdown Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 190 Manifold Street, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia. It was initially designed by John James Clark and built by Richard Pimblett in 1863. Alterations in 1880, 1882 and 1887 were designed by John Hudson Marsden and built by McCrae & Fullarton. Further 1909 alterations were possibly designed by Horace Mackennal under the aegis of John Smith Murdoch and were built by Alex J. Laurie. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.[1]
The first post office was established at the Lake Timboon settlement, north of the present site of Camperdown, in 1849. By 1853, when the new settlement at Mount Leura had been established, colonist John Wells carried out postal business from his premises in Camperdown. By 1856 a Post Office Savings Bank had been opened in Camperdown..[1]
The construction of Camperdown Post and Telegraph Office in 1863 was prompted by the arrival of the telegraph line the previous year and resulted in the replacement of the earlier structure on the site. The design was originally prepared for a brick post office building at Rutherglen by John James Clark for the Public Works Department the same year (since demolished). The new post office was a single-storey building, constructed from locally quarried basalt by local builder, Richard Pimblett, at a cost of £1594. It underwent unknown repairs in 1866.[1]
Due to the inadequacy of the building, various additions and alterations were undertaken by builders McCrae & Fullarton in 1880, 1882 and 1887, designed by PWD architect John Hudson Marsden who also designed the Old Geelong Post Office (1889–91). The 1880 repairs, additions and alterations included construction of a new telegraph writing and dispatching room by incorporating former writing room into main telegraph office, and the relocation of letter and newspaper boxes to each side of the delivery window. The 1882 additions and alterations included a new entrance from Church Street and a new room created within the existing verandah recess on Church Street, while the building underwent further repairs and painting in 1887. The 1888 works included stone additions, presumably frontal additions at southeast corner of building comprising the demolition of existing verandah and porch and construction of a new public lobby, a large post office, and receivers and paymaster room for telegraph office, as well as a new delivery window between the new lobby and post office. Further repairs and painting took place in 1890 and 1894. The stonework was removed from the delivery window to create an arch and open counter to the lobby in 1901–02. A new doorway between the original kitchen and bedroom and the construction of rear kitchen wing including kitchen, pantry, lobby and underground also took place prior to 1909.[1]
During the early 1900s a number of public meetings were held to discuss further alterations to the post office, with the Camperdown Chronicle describing the building as "a depressing spectacle and a sorry sort of housing for what may be termed the nerve centre of the commercial life of the district – the whole thing is unsightly, unhealthy and inadequate".[2] As a result, an inquiry and report were undertaken by the Post Master and Inspector General of Works who ordered extensive additions and alterations. The Federal Public Works Department set aside £1600 for the transformation of the post office, and these works began in 1908 by builder Alex J Laurie, expanding the availability of postal and telegraph facilities. The 1909 works included extensive additions and alterations generally along the southern and eastern sides of the building, including demolition of the majority of the 1880s additions (with the exception of the projecting bay to Church Street); construction of a double-height corner bay for the public space and counter area with mail room behind; arcaded verandah to new post office facing Church Street; addition at southwest corner of building to enlarge private sitting room; construction of new verandah to protect new private entrance from Manifold Street (conversion of original window to door); rear kitchen wing added to provide new pantry and bathroom. By the completion of the additions, the original bluestone dressings had been overpainted to match the new detailing.[1]
The construction of a second-storey addition over the northeast corner of the building c. 1940 involved installation of internal stair in the former rear lobby. Works at that time included demolition of former kitchen wing and construction of toilet at northwest corner of former residence and a bicycle shed constructed in the western side yard.[1]
In c. 1960s, a steel-framed fire escape stair was constructed on northern side of building and the 1909 mail room windows were altered to provide a delivery door; a red brick store and amenities building was constructed to the north of the post office building; the original moulded "telegraph Office" signage over the southern lunette window was replaced with wrought iron "Camperdown" signage; the picket fence was removed; the southern verandah floor was replaced with concrete; the window at northeast corner of mail room converted to door; the post office box room was created in part of the mail room which included installation of door in northern wall; and an acoustic tile ceiling was installed in the public space. A new automated telephone exchange opened on an adjoining site to the north in 1968.[1]
In c. 1990s, Australia Post livery was updated including new signage; the door at northeast corner of mail room converted to window; a cast iron pillarbox installed in front of entrance; additional noticeboards were installed in front verandah; a non-original door in north wall of post office box room infilled with bluestone; conservation works on bluestone including repointing; the post office counter was relocated further north increasing retail shop floor area; general interior refurbishment was undertaken; downpipes and guttering renewed; two public telephone booths installed in northeast corner of site; and Cyclone wire fence constructed across southern boundary.[1]
