East Kurrajong Post Office

The following timeline is compiled from the post office files for Bull Ridge, East Kurrajong and Kurrajong East held by National Archives of Australia, Chester Hill, New South Wales - www.naa.gov.au

East Kurrajong Post Office was operated from various locations along East Kurrajong Road between 1895 and 1966.

• 1895 February & March – Two conflicting petitions advocating the establishment of a Post Office (known as a Receiving Office in those days) at Bull Ridge, one supporting the location of the post office at schoolhouse with teacher Mr Bertie James as postmaster and the other at Mr James Hancock’s residence on Bull Ridge Road.

• 1895 May - Neither Mr James nor Mr Hancock was offered the position and Mary Ann Green was appointed postmistress with the salary of £10 per annum.

• 1895 June – It was reported in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette that Bull Ridge Post Office had not carried any mail in either direction since opening.

• 1896 June - Decision was made to close Bull Ridge Post Office due to lack of patronage despite the number of signatories to the petitions.

NOTE: Surviving post office records held by National Archives of Australia, Chester Hill, NSW do not include the intervening years 1896 to 1910.

• 1910 January - Arthur Edmund Case was appointed as Receiving Office Keeper (ROK) following the resignation of Mrs Hannah Packer.

• 1911 September - Mrs Catherine Helena Case to replace Mr Arthur Case.

• 1915 December - Mrs Daisy Annie Hassall nominated to replace Mrs Case.

• 1916 January - Mrs D A Hassall retired from the position.

• 1916 February - Mrs Julia Ann Micock appointed as ROK. Mrs Micock was a widow aged 61 years, occupation Home Duties.

• 1921 September - Change of name from Bullridge to East Kurrajong.

• 1922 April - Mr Arthur Case was chosen to replace Mrs Micock.

• 1923 March - Telephone exchange was installed at East Kurrajong and operated Monday to Friday from 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 6pm and from 9am - 1pm on Saturdays.

• 1926 14 January - The Post and Telegraph Office was removed to the small timber home of Mr Arthur Frederick Whalan and his wife Elsie May located at 983 East Kurrajong Road. Whalan’s block originally comprised 59 acres of land described as Portion 117 Parish of Meehan County of Cook, from 1918.

• 1948 July - Mr Arthur Whalan died and the position was transferred to his wife, Elsie May Whalan aged 62 years. East Kurrajong Post Office renamed Kurrajong East from 1 January 1948.

• 1957 1 January - Commencement of operation by Ken & Kath Whalan, across the road from its previous location. An assistant, Jessie Bartley also worked at the Post Office.

• 1965 30 November – Post Office closed never to re-open.