No longer a hub of bustling activity, the Goulburn Post Office stands empty, awaiting remediation in the heritage city’s main street. Photo: John Thistleton.
More than two months after closing the Goulburn Post Office in the heritage city’s main street and citing lead contamination, Australia Post is yet to invite tenderers for remediation work.
When asked if Australia Post had a scope of works for remediation as yet, a spokeswoman said: “Following initial works at the original post office – including comprehensive testing – we are now working to scope out and plan the main phase of remediation, based on advice from expert consultants.”
The post office closed on 13 February. No date has been set for inviting tenderers for remediation work, nor has a timeframe been set to do the work.
In the meantime, Australia Post is negotiating a temporary site in the main street for a pop-up shop, which has to be fitted out. Customers are continuing to use the North Goulburn Licensed Post Office and are collecting parcels at the Bradfordville Mail Centre.
Australia Post owns the imposing 1880s building and is proceeding cautiously. Behind the scenes it is believed Australia Post plans to remediate the post office – a landmark heritage building – and continue to operate its business from there as a general post office after the work is completed and it is safe for workers and the public to occupy the building.
Once the temporary post office opens in Auburn Street customers will be able to pick up parcels there. The current arrangement at the Goulburn Delivery Centre is temporary and will remain until the pop-up site opens.
Speculation continues about the future of the post office. Businessman, main street property owner and mayor of Goulburn between 1984 and 1991 Tony Lamarra is urging residents to lobby state and federal politicians for assurances the building will not be sold.
Abundance of caution: taping and notices turn people away at the entrance of the Goulburn Post Office. Photo: John Thistleton.
On his Facebook page, Tony said that in the mid-1980s during a formal opening of district court proceedings at the courthouse around the corner from the post office he learned that this other significant heritage building was to close and court sittings were transferred to Queanbeyan.
It was only through intervention with senior ALP figures Reg Downing, who retired to a sheep property near Goulburn, and Terry Sheahan, (both former attorneys general) that $500,000 was allocated for the court house’s refurbishment. It has remained open since.
At the time in the mid-1980s, Tony became aware the post office was for sale. “We did a lot of work and the sale was stopped,” he said.
“The building was done up and later the people in charge asked me to do the opening in 1986 in a big way, with ministers from both (state and federal) governments and a lot of officials and guests,” he said.
He said the remediation work had lasted almost 40 years, but he was now suspicious that the building closed suddenly in February.
“There are questions to be answered and to reassure us in a positive manner as soon as possible,” Tony said.
But Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said her office would remain at arm’s length from Australia Post. A spokesman said: “Sadly, we don’t have a magic wand to wave at this. The decision-making lies with Australia Post.”
Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro, Jo Van Der Plaat, said she spoke to Member for Hume Angus Taylor about how to get Australia Post to reopen the historic post office again safely.
“We both know how important this building and the services it provides are to the local community,” she said. “If I am given the honour of becoming MP for Eden-Monaro, I’ll make it a priority to fix this issue.”
