Former Warracknabeal resident Ian Wright has written a book about the town’s postal history, titled ‘Everything comes to him who waits’.

A retired secondary school teacher with an interest in local postmarks and stamp collecting, Mr Wright found inspiration in the current and iconic Warracknabeal Post Office building, the town’s third post office.

Mr Wright said he spent about a decade writing the book.

“It took about 10 or 11 years, in bits and pieces,” he said.

“I started looking through back issues of local newspapers, starting at 1885.

“It surprised me just how difficult life was in the early stages of Warracknabeal, not just the post office, but generally. 

“Horsham was seven hours away by horse, and there was no doctor in town.”

In the 1850s, mail was delivered from Horsham to surrounding stations, including the Scott Brothers in Werracknebeal – the original spelling of Warracknabeal. 

A postmaster was first appointed in 1868, with the first post office thought to be a log hut on the West Warracknabeal Station of Andrew Scott. 

Later, John Sutcliffe, a teacher who set up his own school at Warracknabeal, realised the importance of postal services to the community, and was appointed postmaster. 

He ran the post office from his school, which was common practice at the time. 

When Mr Sutcliffe built a home, the post office was relocated to its verandah and existed from 1874 until 1890. 

The original post office was often termed the ‘sentry box’ or ‘pigeon house’ by the local community.

The coming of the railway to Warracknabeal was a major development in 1886 and the telegraph office was located at the station. 

Mail was then taken to Murtoa by train for the first time. 

In 1890 the first brick post office was built, however it failed the test of time, quickly becoming too small and in need of repair.

“The building lasted about 15 years, it was built over an underground stream. Similar buildings at Donald and Dimboola have lasted as they had better foundations,” Mr Wright said.

The present day and third post office, which is often referred to as mock Tudor style – English Domestic Revival style – was unusual for a small country town.

“John Monash, from Monash University, who was a WWI General and engineer, engineered the building, putting the foundations 17 feet into the ground, through the river sands, stabilising it for all these years,” Mr Wright said.

The build caused controversy in parliament as it was two-storey and cost 2500 pounds – the amount of money equal to one third of the entire amount devoted to post offices in Queensland. 

There was further controversy when a post mistress was appointed in 1922 – one of more than 40 post masters in its history.

Marilyn and Gary Krahe were the first private owners of the post office, taking over in March 1998 and are the longest serving postal managers in the 155-year history of Warracknabeal postal services.

Mr Wright’s book outlines the history of the Warracknabeal Post Office and the postal and social changes in the town and across the state.

‘Everything comes to him who waits’ is available from Warracknabeal Post Office and Wheatlands Agricultural Machinery Museum, with all proceeds going to Warracknabeal Historical Society. 

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