The Traralgon Post Office is an iconic building on the corner of Franklin and Kay Streets. I grew up in Traralgon, and the post office is the only heritage building of its type that I can recall.
Gippsland was settled for its rich farmland. Gold discoveries were mostly short-lived alluvial rushes in the mountains. Walhalla is the most renowned gold town, but its population today is fewer than 50. It’s about 60km from Traralgon.
Gold towns, like those in northern and central Victoria, have more impressive heritage buildings because of the wealth they were founded on.
The uniqueness of the Traralgon Post Office makes it important. According to Australia Post:
“Traralgon Post Office was constructed in 1886 and has been of considerable historical importance to Traralgon as a combined court house, post office and sub-treasury complex. The scale and quality of the post office and court house complex, with its inherent landmark qualities and key position, emphasises the significant role of Traralgon as the communications and administrative centre of the region during the 1880s. Postal services commenced operations in the new building in May 1887. In 1892 the clock tower was installed by the local Progress Association and the telephone exchange was installed in 1920.”
There was a move recently to take the post office out of the building. Mail sorting has already been relocated to a distribution centre, but post boxes and mail services continue at the original home.
Retaining postal services there was an issue in the recent Gippsland byelection.
The Kay Street gardens beside the post office are beautiful most of the year. It’s a fitting location for the war memorial.
