Tambaroora Post Office
The first post office at Tambaroora was established 9th July 1852, with
Brinsley G. Sheridan in charge. The mails were conveyed via the Post Office at
Bathurst, which was opened in 1828, and then via the Sofala Post Office which
was established in 1851.
Henry Whittacker succeeded as postmaster on 21st December 1852. The next
postmaster was William J. Slack who was appointed on 1st December 1853.
In 1861, John Beard of Tambaroora held the contract for a service once weekly
between Sofala and Tambaroora, by horseback
Telegraph Office
Introduction of the telegraph system in New South Wales was in 1858, with
lines soon being constructed throughout the state. Prior to 1867 telegraph
offices were opened as separate establishments.
It is believed that the Tambaroora Telegraph Office was opened about October
1862. Robert Pizzey was appointed telegraph station master at Tambaroora on 1st
October 1862. Premises were rented from T. Pater from 1st October 1862.
John P. Olson succeeded Pizzey on 16th July 1863, then came Alexander Burnett
on 1st March 1866. Alexander Burnett later became a postal inspector, and
eventually superintendent of mails at the GPO Sydney. The latter was a very
important position.
Amalgamation
The amalgamation of the post office and the telegraph office was completed in
1st January 1870. Both offices were placed in charge of telegraph station master
Alex Burnett. Burnett was promoted as station master and line repairer at
Wellington.
John William Clinch succeeded as post and telegraph master on 27th October
1871. During 1871 George A. Reid replaced Clinch.
Because of the rapid increase of the goldfields population the Department
decided to separate the two offices and appoint J. S. Willard as postmaster. He
took over the post office on 1st March 1872. The post office was conducted in a
dilapidated hut. Mr. Willard offered to build a 15 foot by 12 foot room, which
was completed on 31st August 1874.
In 1908 W. Willard sent a telegram to the Department advising that his father
had died. After some negotiation Willard junior agreed to carry on as
postmaster.
Telephone
A telephone was installed at the post office on 10th July 1914, and public
telephone facilities became available. Tambaroora was included in the list of
Exchanges in the telephone directory for April 1920 for the first time.
In 1918, W. A. S. Willard resigned and was succeeded by R. Craven, a
schoolteacher.
On 23rd March 1923, the postal inspector at Bathurst made a report on
Tambaroora. As a result of the inspector’s report the Department decided to
close the Tambaroora Post Office, and to connect the telephone subscriber’ s
service to the Exchange at Hill End.
The Tambaroora Post Office was closed on 31st March 1923.
