Dramatic Australia Post revamp of Orange Post Office begins, 'Community Hub' to open 2023

Pitched as a reimagining of Australia Post for the digital age, the "transformation" is a first-in-the-nation trial that could lead to wider roll out.

The interior will be almost entirely gutted. Retail space for local produce, banking facilities, new service pods, a twenty four-hour lobby, and what appears to be a dining area feature in design plans.

Construction at the 144-year-old Summer Street building kicked off in late July.

A temporary post office site has been set up in the Orange City Centre. Mail and parcel collection is on Colvin Lane.

The renovations are expected to be completed before the end of this year.

"Works have now started on the transformation of the Orange Post Office into our first ever Community Hub," a spokesperson for Australia Post told the Central Western Daily.

"We look forward to unveiling our new Post Office later this year and will keep customers updated with any further details."

Terms of a lease for Post Office Lane were raised with Orange City Council at its last meeting. The public was shut out, on the grounds of "commercial in confidence." It's unclear if the project is related.

The development application - approved on June 6, 2023 - reveal a host of planned changes.

The building will be repainted, with the current mustard swapped for light grey. New signage and electric sliding doors will be installed.

Other alterations include modification of the existing loading dock, and installation of new toilet, admin, and kitchenette facilities.

Australia Post Group CEO and Managing Director Paul Graham and Executive General Manager Retail, Brand & Marketing Catriona Noble foreshadowed the project in 2022, announcing Orange as the pilot location for the new "community hub" design.

"We used to be a letters business ... Now with the advent of the internet and email, what's the modern version of Australia Post?" Ms Noble asked at the time.

Orange Post Office was built in 1879 at a cost of about £6000. Postmaster General Saul Samuel opened the building in a ceremony on February 10, 1880.

Several major renovations were carried out during the 20th century, with the last in 1995. The exterior clock assembly was electrified in 1983.

The Summer Street building is protected via NSW's State Heritage Register and the 2011 Orange Local Environmental Plan.

Multinational consultancy firm Landini Associates filed the latest design plan on behalf of Australia Post.

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.