When the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Act was passed in June 1902, and a national Postmaster General's Department (the PMG) was established the responsibility the nation's mail and telephone services fell on local Post Offices. The Bendigo Post Office was designed by Public Works architect George W Watson and constructed between 1883 and 1887. The two story brick structure with basement has unpainted rendered facades and a 43m high clock tower complete with 6 bell carillon. The facades are elaborately decorated with Corinthian pilasters, balustrading, lions' heads and the state mansard roof with cast iron ridging and finials. (VHR #4739). Situated on Pall Mall it has always been called the Bendigo Post Office even though it was not until 1891 that the name Bendigo was given to the town. The Bendigo Post Office housed much more than just postal services and the building contained many early government departments and services needed for a growing district. The building celebrated its centenary on the 30th September 1987 to much fan fare with Ted Rankins, the then Postal Manager planning many of the week long events including tours of the post office, a grand parade with cake and staff in period costume, a ball at the Shamrock and a barbeque in Rosalind Park. The Post Office ceased providing postal services in 1997 after the privitisation Australia Post and Telstra but continues to play a central role for the community, providing important services to visitors and locals alike. Currently it is occupied by Bendigo Tourism and includes two exhibition spaces including the Living Arts Space and Djaa Djuwima a dedicated and permanent First Nations Gallery. Activities at the Post Office are supported by City of Greater Bendigo staff and a dedicated group of volunteers. These items are part of the postal collection donated by the Rankins family in memory of the last postal manager at the Bendigo Post Office, Ted Rankins. 0364.1: Single sided printed 'Order of Proceedings' flyer; Outlines the running of events for the celebrations on Wednesday 30 September, 1987 at the Post Office with the centenary logo centre top in crimson ink. 0364.2: Single sided, four-colour printed, DL size invitation for celebrations marking the centenary of the Post Office on Wednesday 30 September, 1987. 0364.3,.4,.5,.6,.7: Printed cake bag with centenary logo and image of Bendigo Post Office printed on front in crimson ink. 0364.8,.9,.10,.11: Square note paper with centenary logo and border printed in crimson ink. 0364.12 Envelope: Australia Post envelope with Bendigo 100th anniversary images. Date stamped and addressed to Mr Edmondston Postmaster, Elmore. bendigo post office, bendigo tourism, city of greater bendigo tourism, post office collection, ted rankins collection, city of greater bendigo volunteers

Original clock from Wandin North Post Office, Circa 1920.Wooden round wall clock with a white dial, which is losing paint, set in a wooden frame, with Roman numerals.clocks, wall clocks

Set of four Black and White photographs of W2 380. Photos not dated, c1975. .1 - Toorak Road, just past Osborne St, South Yarra, with the South Yarra Post Office in the view. Also Helmuts Milk Bar? Tram has the destination of Chapel St, route 8B. .2 - Turning from Park St South Yarra into Toorak Road. Tram has the destination of Toorak, route 8. Note the Bundy clock on the left hand pole. .3 - In St Kilda Road, at the Arts Centre, with destination of Elsternwick, Route 4E. .4 - turning from Toorak Road into Park St, route 8. See image i5 for envelope which has the names of Clive Gibson, Dave Menzies and date 1975 which could be the date the photos were sent to Dave Menzies for some reason.trams, tramways, w2 class, bundy clock, route 8b, toorak road, south yarra, park st, route 8, st kilda rd, route 4e, elsternwick, tram 380

Magazine, published by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Victoria "Met Lines" (Metlines) - A4, printed on white gloss paper, centre stapled with the MTA logo or symbol. Issued under the name of Kevin Shea as Chairman. Continues from Reg Item 1183 "Met Lines" - printed in an A4 version. Notes Editor as Judi Lalor and writer Sandra McLaren. Chris Astridge Major tram and bus items listed. Tramway names only listed, not railway. .1 - March 1989 - 20 pages - Track gangs, graffiti, signalling, making recruitment videos, body building at Preston Workshops. .2 - June 1989 - 16 pages - Flinders St station cover theme - 16 pages - modifications to Z class tram lights to improve visibility at stops, payroll, Wattle Park rejuvenation project, Essendon Depot Soccer team, Ian Barkla on Puffing Billy. .3 - September 1989 - 20 pages - Show grounds theme - Met Planning, Metplan, Met Plan, Jolimont Rail Yards, Mill Park Light rail extension, photo of 2004, The Met shop, 60th anniversary of Camberwell tram depot, apprentice awards, Melbourne Stamp show 1989, Wattle Park, New billiard table at Malvern, recycling of W2 trams in to mobile Tramburgers - Jim Johnstone and Greg Hart - was going to franchise 60 trams cut in half. (See also Reg Item 406 for other background - also see Jim Johnson) .4 - December 1989 - 20 pages - Christmas theme cover - "On the buses", the Met Bus workshop, details the bus maintenance, bundy clocks - where they were maintained, size of the bus fleet and major depots. Festoon lighting at Flinders St station and retirement of Howard Smith - see image i5. For next year 1990 - see Reg Item 1185.trams, tramways, the met, mta, preston workshops, tramcars, repairs, wattle park, essendon depot, metplan, camberwell depot, postage stamps, post office, malvern depot, scrapped trams, w2 class, flinders st station, bundy clock, buses, tram 2004

When the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Act was passed in June 1902, and a national Postmaster General's Department (the PMG) was established the responsibility for the nation's mail and telephone services fell on local Post Offices. The Bendigo Post Office, built in 1887 and is situated on Pall Mall, it was the central distribution centre for receiving and delivering communication and postal services until 1997 and is now the Bendigo Visitor Centre. Clocks such as these were issued by the Post Master General's Department which was a department of the Australian federal government, established at Federation in 1901, whose responsibilities included the provision of postal and telegraphic services throughout Australia. It was abolished in December 1975 and replaced by the Postal and Telecommunications Department.city of greater bendigo post office

Black and white photograph of the Bi-Centennial Clock on Esplanade. The clock support of steel and fabric appears to represent ships sails, the clock is missing. Situated on approach to Western Wharf or Post Office Jetty. In background brick public toilet. Also telephone box. Lakes Entrance Victoriajetties, clock tower

Paving completed November 1993. Centrepoint Arcade commenced 1985-86.Colour photo taken from the forecourt of the Post Office jetty, showing the paved area surrounding palm trees, bicentennial clock tower. Pizza shop and Centrepoint Arcade in background across the highway. Lakes Entrance Victoriaretail trade, township, waterfront