Launceston’s postal services began in the early 1800s, with the first postmaster, Arundel Wright, managing operations from a small residence located on the corner of York and St John streets. At the time, Launceston was a small colonial outpost servicing the Port Dalrymple district.
As time passed and St John Street developed into a bustling civic hub, the post office relocated several times to accommodate the growing population, which boomed to more than 10,000 by 1861 due to growth in the agriculture, shipping, wool, and commerce industries, along with the development of northern Tasmania. This growth can also be attributed to the Victorian gold rush, as Launceston became the primary trading hub, supplying agricultural goods across the water. This influx of wealth helped to develop Launceston’s infrastructure, transforming the small regional town into an urban centre.
At this time, Tasmania’s mining industry was also booming. The discovery of rich tin deposits at Mount Bischoff in 1871 and the subsequent development of Tasmania’s mining industry also brought enormous prosperity to Launceston, creating the need for a public building worthy of one of the colony’s most important commercial centres. Plans for a new General Post Office were prepared by Tasmanian Government Architect William Waters Eldridge, with construction commencing in 1885 on the site formerly occupied by the Royal Olympic Theatre and London Tavern.
Completed in 1889, postal services officially moved into the building in January 1891. The adjoining telegraph office had already begun operating in late 1890, highlighting the growing role of new technologies in connecting communities across the state and beyond.
The building was revolutionary for its time. Rather than following the traditional layout – a large public hall facing a line of service counters – visitors entered a light-filled courtyard surrounded by different counters for different services: stamp sales, registered mail, money orders, savings bank transactions and telegraph operations.
The building, which is now regarded as one of Australia’s earliest examples of Federation Free Style design, combines elements of Queen Anne, Romanesque, and Arts and Crafts influences, making it one of the earliest and finest examples of this emerging architectural movement in the country. Constructed from rich red brick with Tea Tree Sandstone detailing, the building features decorative stone carving, stained-glass windows, and elaborate pediments, cupolas, and finely crafted masonry.
But the building’s most recognisable feature is its clock tower. The first proposal for the clock tower attracted considerable public debate, with many residents unhappy with the original design. What followed was a fundraising campaign that financed a redesigned clock and bell installation – one that the community was happy to back. The tower was completed in stages between 1903 and 1910, and became one of Launceston’s iconic landmarks. It remains a cherished element of the city’s skyline.
Image: Launceston Post Office, circa post 1880
