Post Office & Stables (former)

Item details


Name of item:	Post Office & Stables (former)
Other name/s:	Post Office & Stables, East Maitland Post Office
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Postal and Telecommunications
Category:	Post Office
Location:	Lat: -32.7458828262 Long: 151.5874546040
Primary address:	18 Day Street, East Maitland, NSW 2323
Parish:	Maitland
County:	Northumberland
Local govt. area:	Maitland
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Mindaribba

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	2		DP	348906

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
18 Day Street	East Maitland	Maitland	Maitland	Northumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Lustrat Pty Ltd	Private
Strata Plan No. 78634	Private

Statement of significance:


	The former East Maitland Post Office is a fine example of a simple symmetrical but elegantly proportioned and detailed public building and comes from the office of one of the most important Government Architects, James Barnet. It is an impressive free standing building on a large site which together with its stables building provides important evidence of the history of the postal service in New South Wales. (Branch Managers Report 28 July 1986)
	Date significance updated: 01 Oct 10
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Construction years:	1870-1870
Physical description:	The post Office is a two storied, rendered brick, Victorian Italianate building of symmetrical design with a single storey timber verandah having a curved iron roof which returns at the sides to form single storey office wings. The main roof is hipped in form and of corrugated iron, embellished at the eaves by timber brackets and moulded string course. There is a sandstone paved footpath at the street frontage. The site also includes a garage which was formerly a stable and a detached toilet block.(Branch Managers Report 28 July 1986)
Modifications and dates:	1 June 1989 Heritage Council approval given for repairs, refurbishment and change of use. 10 March 1998 Heritage Council approval given for repainting the building.


Former use:	Post Office

History

Historical notes:

Constructed c.1870 the former post office was designed in the office of the Colonial Architect James Barnet.

The building ceased to be used as a post office on 3 August 1971 and was then used as a recreation and meeting room for the Maitland Branch of the Australian Postal Institute.

On 12 May 1986 the Heritage Council was advised by the Department of Local Government and Administrative Services that the property was surplus to the requirements of the Australian Postal Commission and that it intended to sell the property.

A Permanent Conservation Order was placed over the site on 15 May 1987. It was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	(none)-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act	Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1): (1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material; and (2) Garden maintenance, including cultivation, weed control, the repair and maintenance of existing fences, gates and garden walls and pruning and tree surgery but not including extensive lopping; and (3) Change of use	May 15 1987
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register	00494	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former	00494	15 May 87	80	2344
Local Environmental Plan		03 Sep 93
Register of the National Estate		18 Apr 89	126	0008

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written		1986	Branch Managers Report
Tourism	Tourism NSW	2007	Maitland Heritage Walk (central precinct)	View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045608
File number:	HC 86/1929, S91/03712

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

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