Australia's First Post Office Opened 0n 28 April, 1809

For the first twenty one years New South Wales was without an official postal system.






On 25 April, 1809, Isaac Nichols (a pardoned ex convict), was asked by the Lieutenant Governer of the colony, Colonel William Patterson, to establish an office at which all parcels and letters addressed to the inhabitants of the Colony could be deposited previous to their distribution. Nichols was authorised to go aboard ships arriving from England to collect all mail and to give reciept for it.

And so April 28th, Australia's first post office was opened and operated from Nichols' own home in George street, near the hospital wharf on the west side of Sydney Cove.

People were notified via the "Sydney Gazette". They could pick up their mail from Nichols for the cost of one shilling per letter, £0.2.6 for small parcels and £0.5.0 for large parcels. Soldiers of the New South Wales Corps only paid one penny. Nichols himself would deliver mail to the more important members of the community.

Isaac was so devoted and diligent, Governer Lachlan Macquarie confirmed his position as Post Master on 23rd Jan, 1810, giving him authority to handle local as well as overseas mail. It was a position he held until his death in 1819.

Governer Hunter had also held a high opinion of him, describing him as "a most exemplary character", and wrote of his "utmost assiduity, most conspicuous diligence and unwearied attention". Through his "diligence and sobriety", the governor went on, "he has saved enough money as enabled him to build himself a comfortable home for the accomadation of not only himself and his family, but occasionally strangers".

This 1959 pre-decimal stamp shows Postmaster Isaac Nichols boarding the brig Experiment to collect the mail from England.








This patriotic song, composed by a Mr Jenkins and sung to the tune of Rule Britannia, was reported in a newspaper in Sydney on jan 27 1817, to have been sung during an evening dinner at the house of Isaac Nichols, to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the colony.

When first Australia rose to fame,

And Seamen brave explor'd her shore;

Neptune with joy, beheld their aim,

And thus express'd the wish he bore;

Rise, Australia! with peace and plenty crown'd,

Thy name shall one day be renown'd.

Bright Ceres shall adorn thy land,

And gild thy fields with waving grain,

While roving herds shall o'er thy meads expand,

And range the richs of the plain,

Rise, Australia! &.&.&.

Then Commerce, Too, shall on thee smile,

Advent'rous barks thy ports shall crowd,

While pleas'd, well pleas'd the parent Isle,

Shall her distant Sons be proud,

Rise, Australia! &. &. &.

While Europe's Pow'rs in conflict dire,

Exhaust the Flower of the brave,

Her peace shall flourish, shall flourish - none conspire,

Rise, Australia! &. &. &.