Richmond Post Office is a heritage-listed former post office at 286 Windsor Street, Richmond, City of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet and built from 1875 to 1888. The original building was built by a Mr. Johnson, with the second-story addition in 1888 added by Samuel Bought. It is also known as Richmond Telegraph and Post Office. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 23 June 2000.
History
The lower Hawkesbury was home to the Dharug people. The proximity to the Nepean River and South Creek qualifies it as a key area for food resources for indigenous groups. The Dharug and Darkinjung people called the river Deerubbin and it was a vital source of food and transport.
Governor Arthur Phillip explored the local area in search of suitable agricultural land in 1789 and discovered and named the Hawkesbury River after Baron Hawkesbury. This region played a significant role in the early development of the colony with European settlers established here by 1794. Situated on fertile floodplains and well known for its abundant agriculture, Green Hills (as it was originally called) supported the colony through desperate times. However, frequent flooding meant that the farmers along the riverbanks were often ruined.
Governor Lachlan Macquarie replaced Governor Bligh, taking up duty on 1 January 1810. Under his influence the colony prospered. His vision was for a free community, working in conjunction with the penal colony. He implemented an unrivalled public works program, completing 265 public buildings, establishing new public amenities and improving existing services such as roads. Under his leadership Hawkesbury district thrived. He visited the district on his first tour and recorded in his journal on 6/12/1810: "After dinner I chrestened the new townships...I gave the name of Windsor to the town intended to be erected in the district of the Green Hills...the township in the Richmond district I have named Richmond..." the district reminded Macquarie of those towns in England, whilst Castlereagh, Pitt Town and Wilberforce were named after English statesmen. These are often referred to as Macquarie's Five Towns. Their localities, chiefly Windsor and Richmond, became more permanent with streets, town square and public buildings.
With the Hawkesbury area being notoriously flood prone, the five towns were established to provide security and accommodation to those settlers whose farms were exposed to flooding from the Nepean, Hawkesbury and Georges Rivers, and to act as depots for shipments of grain and produce to and from the district. Richmond became a focal point in the region as an important market town and social centre. Between 1819 and 1857 the region remained flood free and experienced a peak in prosperity, with the town growing steadily as a result. During this time the Hawkesbury region provided a substantial part of the agricultural supplies to the colony.
Despite the decline of the farming communities in the later Victorian period, Richmond remained an important service centre within the region, and continued to grow into the twentieth century.
Mail was delivered to Richmond three times per week from 1830 where the local constable would deliver it on a voluntary basis. The first post office was officially established in Richmond in 1844, with a telegraph office later operating out of the railway station.
In , the residents of Richmond petitioned for a new post office to be built. The new office, designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet, was opened in October 1875. Originally a one-storey office costing £1,479, the colonnade around the building was added in 1879, with stables and other additions constructed in 1882. The original form of the ground floor suggests that part of this space was initially used as a residence for the postmaster. A second storey was added soon after to provide additional residential space, being completed in August 1888 at a cost of £869.
The Georgian Revival style infill of the ground floor colonnade was constructed in 1906.
Australia Post vacated the building and moved to a shopfront across the road in 1998-99.
Description
Richmond Post Office is a two-story English bond, Victorian Italianate building of struck trowelled clinker brick, with a hipped slate roof to the main building and lead ridge capping. The roof is punctuated by two double brick and render chimneys to the southwestern side, and a single brick and render chimney to the centre southeastern side of the main building.