Albury Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 570 Dean Street, Albury, in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by NSW Colonial Architects Office under James Barnet and built in 1880. The property is owned by Australia Post. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 17 December 1999.[1] On 8 November 2011 the building was listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List;[2][3] and is listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate since 21 March 1978.[4]
| Albury Post Office | |
|---|---|
 The post office in 2010 | |
| Location | 570 Dean Street, Albury, City of Albury, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 36°04′49″S 146°54′58″E / 36.0804°S 146.9160°E |
| Built | 1880– |
| Architect | NSW Colonial Architects Office under James Barnet |
| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Free Classical |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name | Albury Post Office |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 17 December 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1311 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
| Official name | Albury Post Office |
| Type | Historic |
| Designated | 8 November 2011 |
| Reference no. | 105506 |
  Location of Albury Post Office in New South Wales | |
History
editAn electric telegraph station was erected at Albury in 1860. In 1878 the original part of the present building was constructed on the same site as the telegraph station. In 1904 the Post Office was amalgamated with the original telegraph office through substantial extensions along Kiewa Street. The clocktower was added in the 1920s.[1]
Description
editA substantial Victorian Free Classical post office with an overall Palazzo form. The building is of two stories, constructed of stuccoed brick with moulded decoration. The ground level consists of colonnade archwork and the first floor of segmental arch window openings with exaggerated keystones, separated by pilasters. A truncated clock tower with cupola was added in the 1920s on the corner and designed similarly in the Free Classical style.[1]
Condition
editIt was reported to be in good physical condition as at 1 July 1999.[1]
The building has been substantially extended along Kiewa Street and the original loggia filled in and a clocktower added. The major additions respect the original design.[1]
Heritage listing
editAs at 1 December 1999, an imposing country post office in the Victorian Free Classical style with civic architectural qualities that make a significant contribution to the historic Dean Street precinct. The landmark qualities of this prominent building make it a suitable "entrance" to the civic precinct and significant to the Albury community's sense of place.[1]
The building is associated with the NSW Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and it is part of an important group of post offices by Barnet.[1]
Albury Post Office was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 17 December 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
The building is associated with the NSW Colonial Architect's Office under James Barnet and it is part of an important group of works (including GPO, Sydney) by Barnet, a key practitioner of the Free Classical style.[1]
The scale and distinctive architectural treatment of this post office (constructed 1878) reflect the importance of Albury once it became the Riverina railhead to the northeastern railway in 1873.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.
It is an imposing country post office with civic architectural qualities and makes a significant contribution to the historic Dean Street precinct which includes the Town Hall, Court House and former Telegraph Office. The style, scale and height of the building make it a suitable "entrance" to the civic precinct. The strong addressing of the corner of Dean and Kiewa Streets makes the Post Office a focal point, endowing it with landmark qualities.[1]
The Albury Post Office is an example of the Victorian Free Classical style. It is similar to other post offices at Orange (1879), Goulburn (1880) and Forbes (1881).[1]
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
As a prominent civic building in a historic precinct, the Albury Post Office is considered to be significant to the Albury community's sense of place.[1]
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.
The site has the potential to contain an archaeological resource which may provide information relating to the previous use of the site, and to use by the Post Office.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.
The Albury Post Office is an example of the Free Classical style in a building with a palazzo form. It is also part of the group of Victorian Free Classical post offices (including GPO, Sydney) designed by James Barnet.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Albury Post Office". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01311. Retrieved 28 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
- ^ "Albury Post Office (Place ID 105506)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Albury Post Office". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 1 December 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
- ^ "Albury Post Office (Place ID 629)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 21 March 1978. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
Bibliography
edit- Apperly, Richard. Identifying Australian Architecture.
- Andrew Ward & Associates and Clive Lucas Stapleton & Associates (1989). Australia Post Historic Properties Survey - NSW.
Attribution
editThis Wikipedia article was originally based on Albury Post Office, entry number 01311 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 28 May 2018.
