Opening of Smith's Mill Post Office 1901

Alfred Charles Smith was one of the first settlers to take up land in the area to set up a sawmill. Since 1915 that land has been known as Glen Forrest.

After the second section of the Eastern Railway passed through in 1884 timber, gravel and all manner of produce was able to be transported down to Perth, the port of Fremantle and beyond. The area became very busy with activity and in time families came to settle. Amenities required by the community were built such as the store, the first school building and the hall.

However, what was especially needed was a Post Office. Since the opening of the railway the mail had been handled by the stationmaster but in 1900 tenders were called for a Post Office and this was built alongside the Octagonal Hall and opened on 1st March 1901. The following year a group of 235 residents presented a petition to the Colonial Secretary to ask for savings bank facilities at their Post Office. This was agreed to and another official opening was held on 21st July 1902 by the first Postmistress Miss Edith Lamb.

Edith was the Postmistress for six years followed by many others including Nancy Morgan who held that position, we are told, for 40 years!

We have other interesting photographs of other Post Offices in the Shire including Mundaring’s first Post Office built in 1898 after the start of the Mundaring Weir. Mail was collected there to be taken out to Engineers and workers at the site of the Weir.

From July 2024 to June 2025 we exhibited a really interesting and well received exhibition "Return to Sender". You can view it on our website.

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