Plaque, Geelong Post Office

Geelong Post Office, one of the largest regional Post Offices in Victoria, erected at the height of public building activity in 1890, is perhaps the finest of the Boom Classicism style post offices designed by the Public works Department in Victoria. The architects were J.H. Marsden, assisted by J. H. Brabin. The two storey rendered brick structure, prominently located at the intersection of Ryrie Street and Gheringhap Street, is surmounted by an elegantly proportioned tower elaborately enhanced with classically derived ornamentation and containing a clock installed in 1911. the Post Office dominates the immediate townscape. The first automatic telephone exchange in Australia was established in the building in July 1912.

References

Trethowan, Bruce, "The Public Works Department of Victoria 1851-1900", Research Report Department of Architecture University of Melbourne 1975, Vol. 2 pp. 15, 98, 100, Vol. 1 p. 104.

Commonwealth Archives Brighton - Contract Drawings including plans, elevations, sections, details. Post and Telegraph Office, Geelong dated J.H.M. 29/06/89, with contract stamp dated 23 September 1889 and signed David Kinnard, contractor.

Geelong Advertiser, 12 December 1854 - tender notice for erection of Post Office at Geelong (the original post office on the site).

Foundation Stone

"This memorial stone was laid by His Excellency, the Earl of Hopetown, G.C. M.G. Governor of Victoria, 13 February 1890".

Geelong Historical Records Centre Photograph NO. 1308 (c 1915).

Smith, James (ed) Cyclopedia of Victoria Niven and Co. Melbourne 1904 Vol. 2 pp. 431-432 including illustration.

The columns of the Geelong Advertiser have not been searched in detail, but would include details of construction of the buildings and an account of the laying of the foundation stone in February 1890.

Group

Commercial

Category

Office building