Jordan's Crossing station on the Southern Railway was renamed Bundanoon in February 1881. The Postmaster-General's Department adopted the name for its unofficial post office at George Osborn's village store.
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By the early 1880s Bundanoon was flourishing with established coal mines, sandstone quarries and sawmills in operation, and with numerous boarding houses catering for the many visitors attracted by a healthy climate and picturesque natural sites.
Both postal and telegraphic facilities were improved. The district paper, the Scrutineer, reported on 11 May 1882 that the station at Bundanoon had gained a neat wooden structure containing a parcels, ticket and telegraph office, with comfortable waiting rooms, and that George Osborn was building a new residence, post office and store within 150 yards of the station.
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In July 1890 Osborn advised the PMG Department that he wished to resign from the Postmaster position as he had sold his premises to John Slatter, and recommended him as his successor. Slatter formally applied.
Bundanoon Stationmaster Henry Stafford also applied for the position: "The station is in every way suitable to the postal business and the public would rather it be at the station. I am at present doing the public telegraph business for Bundanoon, Towrang, Barber's Creek, Wingello, Wollondilly and Exeter." He also stated that it was rare for postal duties to be separate from public telegraph duties.
A petition to the PMG, signed by numerous Bundanoon householders, requested that the Osborn/Slatter shop be retained. It was on the main road "in a central position convenient to all parties" and it "would be unsafe for children to cross to the railway station". Slatter was duly appointed Postmaster on 1 August 1890.
In February 1892 the Bundanoon Progress Committee sent a petition to the PMG, requesting an official, combined post and telegraph office. It stated that for some time residents had the use of telegraph facilities through the Railway Department, but the instrument had recently been replaced by a telephone connected to Goulburn.
PMG Inspector Tucker visited Bundanoon in July 1892 and reported that postal and money order business was transacted at Slatter's store and telegraph business conducted at the station. These arrangements were considered satisfactory.
There were constant complaints, however, about telegraphic delays using Goulburn, the lack of privacy and negative impact on competition among boarding house owners. Aspersions were cast on Postmaster Slatter, whose annual salary had risen to 48 pounds by 1899 and who, as a boarding house proprietor himself, could be charged with a conflict of interest.
Yet another petition was sent in February 1899. Signatures included those of John Buckland, boarding house keeper, William Pilgrim, a farmer, and Copeland Bennett JP. Bennett, who was Stationmaster at Bowral, had purchased acreage at Bundanoon where in 1894 he built a residence, Henderley (now Eastdene), fronting the Gullies Road. He took a very active part in Bundanoon affairs.
Finally, on 4 July 1899, the PMG's Chief Inspector gave the green light for an official Post & Telegraph Office at Bundanoon, noting that the place was yearly increasing in favour as a health resort and tourist district.
Several premises were offered for lease, and that of Henry Martin was accepted by the PMG Department. Martin's property was described as "opposite the present office, across the line, and only a few yards from the Railway Station". It contained a large room suitable for an office and five rooms with basement.
Miss Louisa Tobin, formerly in charge at Mulgoa, was appointed permanent Postmistress at Bundanoon. Her sister, Lilian M Tobin, was also transferred as temporary assistant and messenger. Lilian was described as an expert telegraph operator and a "sound reader", able to decipher morse code messages by reading the sound of the incoming morse.
On 5 October 1899, Bundanoon's first official Post & Telegraph Office opened for business. This concluded nearly 30 years' community agitation for better services. The town was set to advance into the 20th century.
- Berrima District Historical & Family History Society - compiled by PD Morton. Part 4 of a four-part series.
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