Pingaring General Store and Post Office

Statement of Significance

The site and place represent considerable associations with the
establishment and development of the Pingaring community facilities and settlers.

Physical Description

The structure is timber framed and clad with fibro-cement sheeting. The corrugated
iron roof is gabled with a break pitch verandah extending along the entire front length of the shop.

History

In 1931 a shop was erected at the new railway
siding called Pingaring. The main community centre was located at North Burngup, 5 miles south of
the siding. The mail delivery point was at mailbox corner at North Burngup (see Ref Lake Grace
Shire)
There was no gazetted town for Pingaring, and the small centre that developed was on private farm
land which was developed with the generous co-operation of the owner, Luke Price. Isabella
Pritchard established the general store which was managed by Percy Byass who applied to the PMG
in 1933 for unofficial post office status. The weekly roadside mail was henceforth delivered to the
Pingaring Store and PO from the North Burngup corner. The twice weekly train was still not run by
the government at that time, and offered no government services. On 20 July 1933 Percy Byass
was appointed the Telephone Office Keeper. The telephone was located in the Goods office at the
Railway Siding, and was installed on 10 August 1933, the same time as Hyden's service. The phone
service was open set hours.
The Byass's General Store provided a number of goods and services; groceries, drapery, library,
veges, post office, HV McKay agency, Derry Nashura Wines and Bunge Wheat buyers agency. In
1937 Byass left the store, dismantling it and rebuilding on the existing Byass Farm.
The post office relocated to McCallums, and Tom Evans operated a shop for a while.
On 22 September 1937 Alexander McGregor Mclnnes McCallum (who had earlier delivered mail from
Burngup to the mail box corner at North Burngup) took over as Postmaster of the Pingaring PO,
relocating his farm building to a site adjacent to the General Store at Pingaring Siding, (see Ref No
CWA) On 10 November 1950 Miss JM Baker took over as Postmaster, at McCallum's. By 1954
when the CWA commenced building on that site, the McCallum's dwelling was gone, and the post
office was operating from the newly constructed Hansen's house on the north side of the CWA. The
General Store which Byass re-established after the war, on the original site, after a time at Lake Biddy
Store during the war. From c1945 Byass also ran a Shell fuel agency from the store, although the
post office was operated from McCallum's and then Hansens. Albert Christian Hansen took over the
post office on 1 January 1954 in his residential premises. Alfred Spencer Baker, Hansen's father in
law, took it over on 7 May 1955 and on 1 April 1956, Mrs Alice Florence Byass, took over the post
office facility, relocating it back at the General Store. Mrs Byass was the postmaster and store
proprietor, after the death of Percy Byass in 1954, she was assisted by her daughter Ivy, and later,
from 1 February 1965, the Byass's son Alan and his wife Norma ran the store until 1971 when they
sold the place. In 1968 the post office was made into a phone exchange.
In 1946 Fred Jensen commenced the mail delivery tender. He continued that service until 1987
when he retired and Craig Fisher took over the run until the Manager of the Pingaring Store assumed
the responsibility.
Under a shady tree, in what is now the parking area in front of the store, was the "gum tree tavern",
the community social spot. The shop had a liquor licence, but there were no community facilities to
enable the residents of the area to meet and have a social drink, so it was in front of the Store.
In 1986 Pingaring Nominees, representative of the Pingaring community, took over ownership of the
Pingaring Store, and associated house, next to the CWA. Since then the store has been extended
twice.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: intact or redeemable
Authenticity: low degree

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.