At a recent holiday in Ballarat, Victoria, I photographed some ‘old-time’ letter boxes in Lydiard Street.

The letter box outside the Ballarat Railway Station in Lydiard Street North (pictured above) is still in use. I like its name: “Post Office Receiving Pillar”! Also notice the “hand holding bar” handle on the front.

The other one in Lydiard Street South, near Chancery Lane, is not in use and has had the slot sealed with a “Not In Use” plaque. It is more ornate and has a small door at the bottom to access the mail.

The inscription on the front reads:

“This historic cast iron Mailbox has been restored as part of the Lydiard Street Heritage Improvement Project Funded by the Regional Centres Improvement Program.

The assistance of Australia Post is gratefully acknowledged. Ballaarat City Council

This Mailbox was cast in Melbourne from an Australian design between 1860 and 1920. The cast iron mailboxes were discontinued by Australia Post in 1920 due to their escalating cost.

Your mail can be posted either to the north of the Post Office at the corner of Sturt and Lydiard Streets or in the Mail box to the South around the corner in Dana Street.”

Note the original spelling of “Ballaarat”. This was the combination of two words: “Balla” and “Arat” which is aboriginal for “resting place”. In 1994 the “official” spelling was declared as “Ballarat” when the new City of Ballarat was proclaimed. Both spellings continue to be recognised.

It is also interesting that the plaque states that “cast iron mailboxes were discontinued by Australia Post in 1920”. The other photo is of a cast iron mailbox outside the Ballarat Railway Station that is still in use today!

I wonder if there are any other cast iron mailboxes in use in Australia today?