More than 200 locals gathered in Coleambally to protest the downgrade of their post office.
“This is what a community looks like when it refuses to be quietly written off.”
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That was NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton’s summary of the turnout in Colemablly last week, when more than 200 people rallied to demand the reinstatement of their Licensed Post Office.
Residents filled the main street before 8am, before work and school, to show their frustration at Australia Post’s decision to downgrade the town’s LPO to a Community Postal Agency earlier this year.
The change shifted postal operations into the local pharmacy, where mail is now sorted on a trestle table under a carport and long‑standing services have been lost.
The change also means a loss of dedicated PO boxes, and banking, bill payments, identity checks, passport services or parcel tracking.
The nearest full‑service post office is now 35km away in Darlington Point, a distance residents say is unmanageable for many older community members.
Local resident Daniel Griffiths said the pharmacy had stepped in because the town needed someone to, but the arrangement was never intended to replace a full post office.
“The services lacking, Bank at Post is the major one,” he said.
“It’s an issue for the older residents, for sure.”
Mr Griffiths said some locals were already discussing how they would cope with the extra travel.
“The next step, some of them were saying, is to get on their mobility scooters and head to Darlington Point to use it.”
Residents say they were not consulted before the downgrade, with a community survey showing 95 per cent had no opportunity to provide feedback and 97 per cent want the LPO restored.
Mrs Dalton told the crowd that 73 post offices closed across Australia last year, and said Coleambally could not afford to lose essential services.
She called on Australia Post to reinstate the LPO.
If it does not, she will demand the Federal Government to intervene, saying the community had made its position clear.
Australia Post has indicated it will re‑evaluate the situation in six months, but Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae says the community needs more certainty.
“It does not give council or the community any confidence,” she said.
“Since the rally, nobody has reached out, which is very disheartening.”
“The community is very disenchanted with the withdrawal of central services, which is becoming more and more common out here in rural areas.”
In a statement provided to the Southern Riverina News,an Australia Post spokesperson said the promised review has already started.
“Australia Post understands how important postal services are to the Coleambally community and acknowledges concerns raised by some locals about current arrangements.
“We continue to support Marilyn’s Pharmacy, and thank them for stepping in at short notice to operate a Community Postal Agency to ensure there was no disruption to essential postal services.
“A review of the current service model is under way, including inviting feedback from residents, to better understand local needs and determine the most suitable and viable option for the future. We will continue to keep the community updated.”
Residents turned out at 8am before school and work commitments to show their frustration.
David Farley and Member for Murray Helen Dalton spoke with community memebers on the day.
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