Narooma’s post office has had a makeover ahead of its reopening. Photo: Narooma Post Office.
Mail services are “coming back to the rightful place” for one small South Coast town.
Australia Post temporarily closed its Narooma outlet for more than a year after lead contamination was found in the rear of the building. It has reopened this week.
An Australia Post spokesperson said the discovery triggered a “full refurbishment” of the building.
“We thank the Narooma community for their patience and look forward to welcoming customers back into the post office,” the spokesperson said.
Postal leader Phillip Kennedy said he and his team were keen to move back to the original site.
“It feels like we’re coming back home, coming back to the rightful place for the post office,” he said.
The outlet operated briefly in the town’s industrial area before moving in April 2024 to the building that once held Narooma’s NAB branch.
“It wasn’t designed as a post office, but we worked with that, and the team has been great,” Mr Kennedy said.
“We got to meet and talk and interact with our customers, some of them that we wouldn’t have before … From that perspective, it’s been absolutely fantastic getting to know them.”
The original site was refurbished during the closure, giving it a new layout – and some new facilities.
Narooma Chamber of Commerce president Stephanie Dibden welcomed the return.
“I remember when I was a very, very young girl going in there. It’s a bit of nostalgia [that it’s returned to that location],” she said.
“No one likes to see – especially in a small town like this – an empty building.”
Ms Dibden also said there was little notice of the developments to the community.
She said the news spreading by word of mouth of the changed location meant businesses could have been better informed.
“Yes, it is only a couple of doors up from where it was [the former NAB outlet], which is great,” she said.
“When they moved to the industrial area, for example, I think that there should have been the awareness for the community, so they’re [people] not going one place and expecting something and having to go somewhere else.”
Narooma’s postal services now include parcel lockers. Photo: Australia Post.
Parcel lockers have been installed, meaning people can scan a barcode (sent to them by Australia Post) to collect their parcels at a convenient time.
“It’s about convenience, about getting the parcels and your post when you need it. That’s not necessarily always when we’re open,” Mr Kennedy said.
Mr Kennedy said while the post office was back in its original location, a party was on the horizon.
“We are planning a more formal ribbon-cutting [event] for early August,” he said.
“No dates have been locked in yet …. but there is a plan for a more formal celebration in early August once we’ve settled in.”
Australia Post’s Narooma outlet is located at 106 Wagonga Street and is open 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.
