Moments in time

Photo: Maryborough Post Office, c.1915. Image courtesy of Fraser Coast Libraries

Maryborough was a thriving township when the Maryborough Post Office was constructed in 1865-66 to designs prepared by Colonial Architect, Charles Tiffin. Tiffin was also the architect of the Maryborough Bond Store. In continuous use for over 150 years, the post office is the oldest post office known to survive in Queensland.

The original design (pictured above) featured a time-ball, which was hauled up and dropped at precisely 1pm every day except Sunday, when a signal was sent through via telegram from Brisbane. 

Unfortunately the time ball (or a clock tower for that matter) was not visible to those working in the fields, so the town acquired another useful time keeper, the booming time cannon. It was fired daily at 1pm by employees of the Electric Telegraph Department to alert the community of the time. 

Firing the time cannon continues today as part of Maryborough’s living heritage. Every Thursday (and on special occassions), a replica of the cannon, created locally by Olds Engineering, is fired at 1pm at the markets. You can see the original time cannon on display in the Bond Store.

Not satisfied with only being able to accurately tell the time once a day, the citizens rallied for a town clock. 

In 1872 the first clock was added to one side of the tower facing Wharf Street. Then in 1879, the citizens of Maryborough were finally heard with a further storey, designed by architect FDG Stanley, added to the tower. This allowed the installation of a four-dial clock with bells which was officially started on 9 December 1879.

The first telephone exchange in country Queensland was opened at the Maryborough Post Office in November 1882. A new wing was constructed to house the expanding operation in 1885. 

The post office continued to have further additions and adaptations to accommodate the ever growing city, including further enclosers, additional awnings and a balcony. Some of the additions were removed during the 1950s and 1960s when the loggia were reopened. A separate building for the telephone exchange was added in 1948.

Maryborough Post Office 1870. Image courtesy State Library Queensland