Ginninderra Post Office

Ginninderra Post Office

The village of Ginninderra lay between the current suburbs of Nicholls to the east, Crace and Giralang to the south and Evatt to the west. A number of original structures remain in the current Ginninderra Village shopping complex to the west of the Gold Creek Golf Club.

Mr W Davis of Ginninderra wrote to the Post Master General’s Office on 4th January 1859 requesting the establishment of a post office. The nearest post offices at the time were Queanbeyan and Yass. George Thomas Palmer was appointed Postmaster on 1st April 1859. He was replaced by Frederick J Davis who subsequently resigned on 21st February 1861 and was succeeded by Herbert Medley. Medley resigned in April 1862 and was succeeded by George Harcourt who ran the general store. The store and post office were subsequently moved to another location approximately 150 yards away where on 17 July 1879 the Postal and Telegraph businesses were amalgamated. The office was located on the Yass to Queanbeyan Road. 

In 1937, Mr R.G.M. O'Sullivan who was for many years a teacher at Hall, was appointed Postmaster. The O'Sullivan family lived in the Teacher's Residence of the old Ginninderra School and operated the Post Office from a room at the rear of the school. The post office closed on 30 June 1962. 

There was much discussion at various times concerning closure and relocation to nearby Hall north of Ginninderra.

Ginninderra Post Office utilized a Numeral Canceller (Obliterator) NC 251 and a Type 1A (C71) date-stamp (1859-1883). Type 1D(i) (1887-1915 ) and type 2A date- stamp (later altered to FCT 1935-1937) and (ACT 1940 to 1958).

Ginninderra Post Office  ( Gillespie Family Collection - Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre)

Ginninderra numeral cancellation ‘251’ Freeman Type 2R25 on 2d blue diadem rated S (31 – 49 recorded)

28 July 1868 cover to Canberra from West Maitland, addressed to Ms ( Emily) Smith, eldest daughter of the Rev. P. G. Smith. 31 July 1868 Type 1A Ginninderra cds transit mark to obverse. Sydney, Goulburn, Gundaroo and Canberra cds reverse.

Ginninderra Type 1A date stamp of 21 November 1879

26 June 1899 cover (embossed flap) from 'Gungahleen Gininderra' to Newtown cancelled with Ginninderra numeral cancellation '251' (Freeman Type 2R25) and circular date stamp to rear.  Goulburn and Yass transit marks to rear. Note spelling of Ginninderra with one 'N'.  

20 December 1908 postcard from Ginninderra to Michelago. Sender believed to be Mrs Margaret Ward of 'Nine Elms'.

21 August 1913 Type 1D(i) Ginninderra cds on 1d red kangaroo

16 February 1928 H&T Type 2A Ginninderra F.C.T cds tying 2d red GV to piece. (Earliest recorded date – H&T record 1936-37 only)

8 February 1937 Type 2A Ginninderra F,C.T cds on piece (post office stationary

Ginninderra F.C.T red registration label with partial Ginninderra cds.

13 November 1946 H&T Type 2A Ginninderra A.C.T cds tying 1d purple-brown to George Adams cover. Violet NAVAL SERVICE handstamp. At this time Ginninderra Post Office was the nearest office to the Naval Wireless Station located near Ginninderra Creek in what is now the suburb of Lawson in the district of Belconnen. Station was commissioned in 1939 and closed in 1996.

Ginninderra A.C.T. blue registration label.