Wandering Post Office

Statement of Significance

The residence and post office is a landmark in the town because of its substantial size and dominant roof form. The place contributes to the community's sense of history and place, as one of the earliest buildings which is still partially used for its original purpose. The place is a representative example of the PWD designed Wheatbelt standard, country cottage style post office building that incorporated office and living quarters.

Physical Description

The building is sited back from the building line of Watts Street. The single-storey building was built as a residence in a domestic scale and style, and features a prominent roof that is broken back to cover the raised concrete verandah that extends across the street elevation. After World War II, the building was extended north to accommodate a post office. The addition is timber framed and clad in fibro-cement with awning sash windows protected by metal awnings. The original verandah has been extended and a timber balustrade divides the private from the public entrance. The roof of the building has been recovered and small openings in the front elevation have been bricked-up and over rendered. Further additions have been constructed to the rear. Inspection of the postal facilities was restricted to the exterior. Remaining physical evidence of postal activities in the place is unknown. The post office now functions as a residence. In 1988, the post office relocated to the building that houses the Shire Offices. The roof features wide corbelled brick rendered chimneys with terra-cotta potted tops, and timber battened eaves. The verandah roof is supported on square timber posts, and the spandrels are match boarded. The balustrade at each end of the verandah has simple vertical timber balusters. The geometric mild steel balustrade across the front elevation is an addition. The building is in rendered brickwork with a single double-hung sash window with a flattened arched head. The window panes are divided into nine smaller panes with slim glazing bars in the upper sash and two panes in the lower sash. Two windows of similar treatment are on the south wall. The interior of the building retains some decorative work, including cornices. The floors are timber throughout, although now covered with carpet.

History

After the completion of the telegraph line, it was then suggested that Western Australia be linked with the Eastern States and on 1 January 1875, the first telegraph pole in the extension of the line to Eucla was erected. By the end of 1877, telegraphic communication had been extended to Adelaide. At last Wandering was partly brought within the reach of postal and telegraphic facilities, even though getting letters to and from Bannister proved a problem. To overcome this, George Watts of 'Grassdale' set aside a spare room at east end of his mud brick cottage to be used for the posting and receiving of letters. He cut a narrow opening in a locked door through which letters for posting could be deposited. Mr Watts, as a neighbourly act, volunteered to periodically collect the letters from the box and with the pack horse deliver them to the Bannister Post Office, travelling the 12 miles along a partly cleared bush track. Letters for the settlers were then brought back in return. In view of the fact that Wandering required a much better system of mail deliveries, the Postal Department was willing to rent a temporary building and to engage a part-time postal officer to deal with the mails. Mr Frank White, who had recently built a Wayside Inn of considerable size offered to provide a spare room solely for the accommodation of the postal official. Mr White's offer was accepted and the department rented a room in the hotel and appointed the local school master Mr H. C. D. Williams as a part-time postal official. To ascertain whether a post office for Wandering was required, a monthly return was required, detailing the number of letters posted and received. The new postal system was commenced in April 1877. The Annual Report of the Department of Public Works for the year 1895-96 reports that a new Post Office was being built at Wandering, "This is a stone building comprising public and other office accommodation and quarters. The date for completion is 29 May 1896 and the contract price £647." [Votes and Proceedings 1896, Annual Report of the Department of Public Works for the year 1895-96, p. 51.] The Post Office at Wandering was down the hierarchy of post office buildings, being a building combining a public office and quarters in a small cottage design. There were two standard types, one for southern railway towns and one for wheatbelt towns, developed to suit these regions. Wandering Post Office fell into the wheatbelt standard. A smaller and simpler standard plan [as opposed to the Southern Railway Town standard] was developed for the smaller towns of the wheatbelt and the south-west timber country. On 1 May 1906, it was decided to reduce Wandering Post Office to an Allowance Office and Miss Florence Lilley was appointed as Post Mistress.

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY High Degree AUTHENTICITY Moderate Degree

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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