Pinjarra Post Office

Author

Shire of Murray

Place Number

01749

Location

20 George St Pinjarra

Location Details

Local Government

Murray

Region

Peel

Construction Date

Constructed from 1896, Constructed from 1923

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List Adopted
State Register Registered 10 Oct 1995 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 25 Aug 2011 Category A
Register of the National Estate Registered 27 Oct 1998
Register of the National Estate Interim 24 Jun 1997
Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register Interim
Statewide Post Office Survey Completed 01 Mar 1992
Classified by the National Trust Classified

Statement of Significance

Pinjarra Post Office is a fine example of a Federation Arts and Crafts public building. Pinjarra Post Office is aesthetically linked with other prominent public buildings within the town’s heritage precinct. Pinjarra Post Office is a fine example of the public architecture of George Temple-Poole, one of the State’s most prominent architects.

Physical Description

Pinjarra Post Office is a two-storey building designed by George Temple-Poole in Federation Arts and Crafts style with a single-storey addition by W. B. Hardwick.

History

Pinjarra Post Office was built in 1896, by H. Parker for £968.11.02, and designed by Colonial Architect, George Temple-Poole. The building was described as ‘a two-storey brick building, affording accommodation for the postal department on the ground floor, and quarters on the upper floor. There are also necessary outbuildings.’ The original building was built of terracotta coloured clay bricks with a shingled roof in the Federation Arts and Crafts style. In 1923, the building underwent additions and alterations under the supervision of the Principal Architect of the Public Works Department, W. Hardwick. The alterations included the conversion of postal offices to the postmaster’s residence on the lower level with two bedrooms and a lounge within the earlier building space. A singlestorey addition to the northern side created space dedicated to postal activity. Minor modifications were made to the building exterior and interior between 1923 and 1944, including the change in the building function from residential to postal activity. In 1968 the Meckering Earthquake caused structural damage to the second storey of Pinjarra Post Office, As a result, the entire second storey elevation was rebuilt after 1972. The building ceased operating as a Post Office in July 2008. Post Office services reopened in the newly-constructed ‘Pinjarra Junction’ shopping centre. In 2009-10 internal repairs and maintenance work were carried out. In 2010 planning consent was issued for a beautician and a video shop to occupy the building. Some internal works will be required, such as the installation of a stud wall and the construction of a bathroom.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Other Reference Numbers

Ref Number Description
067 Municipal Inventory

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
8905 Pinjarra Post Office. Conservation works: final report. Conservation works report 2007
5475 Pinjarra Post Office - cnr George & James Streets, Pinjarra : Conservation Plan / written by Heritage & Conservation Professionals for Terpou Corporation. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2002

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use Transport\Communications Comms: Housing or Quarters
Original Use Transport\Communications Comms: Post or Telegraph Office
Other Use Transport\Communications Comms: Post or Telegraph Office

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Arts and Crafts

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof TILE Terracotta Tile
Wall BRICK Handmade Brick

Historic Themes

General Specific
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS Mail services

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

05 May 2021

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.