Over 100 people congregated around the main street in Binalong on Friday to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the opening of the Binalong Post Office.
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Commemorating the event, the town recreated the 1915 photograph of the official opening.
Former postmasters and mistresses came from near and far to help celebrate the event, and spoke about their time serving the community.
Retired postmistress Barb Downey travelled from Goulburn to attend the event, and said working in Binalong was wonderful.
“I used to tie up the mail in blue and white ribbons and customers had to say, “Bulldogs to win” to get their mail. Me and Daphne Curtis made a Bulldog flag for the centre of town and it would fly half mast when the Dogs lost. Some residents would send me sympathy cards as well.”
She is remembered by the town as a dedicated Bulldog supporter and a great stirrer.
When Barb came to Binalong as a bride in the early 1960s, she had a job at the telephone exchange which was housed in the Post Office building. This Exchange had been housed with the Post Office since it was established in 1915. The Exchange was established in 1911 with a handful of subscribers: The Browns, Garrys, Lyons and the Catholic Presbytery.
Barb would do relief work at the Post Office for Wes and Shirley Dunn who ran the building before her and, in October 1979, she took over as postmistress.
Barb and husband Bernie owned the building for almost 35 years and she continued as postmistress until 1993.
“When you’re in the Post Office you know everything. You had to know everyone, when people moved in or out of town. As Robyn Sykes once reported, I was the fountain of local knowledge and source of information,” she said.
“Running the Post Office was interesting, at Christmas we would answer the ‘Santa Claus’ letters, we kept the rainfall charts and also delivered mail. This no longer happens but I can remember my daughter delivering the mail on horseback and getting into trouble because the horse ate some flowers. The local school would also come for an excursion to the Post Office.
“I remember a young Michael Paterson, aged four, coming across the road to play, now his partner Nicole is postmistress.”
Another postmistress Lindsay McDonald took over as licensee from Barbara Downey. The Post Office at that time was ‘non official’.
Lindsay thinks that Australia Post was favourable to her tender, although there was a lot of interest, because she had worked for Barb quite often and Australia Post would not have to provide training.
Today, Ben Spencer owns the building.
Current postmistress Nicole Hill was thrilled with the turnout on Friday and expressed her gratitude for the community's support.
“I’m thrilled to see so many people turn out to help us recreate the image. This is a piece of history of Binalong that we have helped to remember,” she said.
“I’m grateful to all the people who have helped make the celebration a success and thanks everyone for their support.”