Post Office Monash Square

HISTORY OF YALLOURN - POST OFFICE (provided by Luisa DeAgnoi)
1874 - Coal first discovered in Yallourn area, form of lignite.
1886 - Small private mine opened up to promote the brown coal.
19.10.1888 - The Great Morwell Coal Mining Co registered to mine coal.
10.9.1890 - Private railway line built and connected to main railway line at Hernes Oak siding, selling over 200 tons coal per week.
1897 - The Mining Co produced the first briquettes, selling at 17 shillings 6 pence per ton, but in 1898 the Co was wound up.
1917 - The coal mine reopened with sales at 15 shillings per ton.
Sept 1917 - The Government Brown Coal Advisory Committee planed to establish a 50,000 kw capacity power house in teh area and transmit power by transmission lines to Melbourne and other parts of the state at an estimated cost of 1,686,000 pounds with open cut mining method.
20.12.1918 - Bill passed in Parliament authorising appointment of three Electricity Commissioners, whom were appointed in April 1919.
July 1920 - Sir John Monash appointed Chairman of Commissioners.
1920 - A R LaGerche prepared and submitted a town plan to Victorian Government, approved, and township laid out in 1921.
Jan 1921 - Official inception of State Electricity Commission with Sir John Monash as the first Commission Chairman.
Feb 1921 - Work began for power house and open cut on 270 ha land pruchased from Charles Savige for 7,150 pounds, with son Lindsay being the first local employee.
1921 - Three works camps set up at East Camp, West Camp and South Camp.
1921 - Latrobe proposed as name of town nearby to Latrobe River but as Latrobe town already exists in Tasmania, the naming of the town was called YALLOURN from two aboriginal words - YALLEEN (meaning brown) and LOURN (meaning fire).
1921 - First house erected in Yallourn in Maiden Street.
1921 - Yallourn population 138 (116 males and 22 females) all in camps.
Dec 1921 - Site for railway station decided and called Yallourn.
10.2.1921 - The first Post Office (a receviing office) opened in an Eastern Camp Hut with J C David appointed Receiving Office Keeper.
July 1921 - Post Office raised to Allowance status with Money Order and Savings Bank facilities and H Alexander appointed to the position.
Nov 1921 - A Telephone and Telegram Office was opened at the Post Office.
1922 - A Post Office Receiving Office opened at West Camp.
13.2.1922 - State School No 4085 opened with 15 pupils.
June 1923 - Population - 250 in township and 1200 in the camps.
Oct 1923 - Postmaster H Alexander and complete Post Office facilities relocated to West Camp from East Camp and name changed to Yallourn; and East Camp used as Receiving Office with Chas J Selk appointed Receiving Office Keeper.
1923 - Power house built and electric power connected to Moe, Trafalgar, Yarragon and Tyers.
24.6.1924 - Power lines and power connect to Melbourne.
22.9.1925 - W J McLean appointed Postmaster with opening of new double storey brick building in Yallourn and Post Office raised to Official status Grade 3.
11.5.1927 - G W Yeoman appointed Postmaster at Yallourn.
1933 - There were 792 occupied dwellings in Yallourn and West Camp with total population of 2764 (1572 males and 1192 females).
30.11.1934 - Severe floods burst the weir, flooding the open cut and destroying most equipment, taking 6 months to repair and drain the open cut before resuming production.
4.6.1937 - H J W Elliott transferred to Yallourn as Postmaster.
1947 - Total population 4602 (2611 males and 1991 females). There were 1326 occupied dwellings.
11.2.1953 - J J Caulfield promoted on transfer to Yallourn as Postmaster after retirement of H J W Elliott.
1954 - Total population 5580 (3408 males and 2172 females). There were 1151 occupied dwellings after the closure of West Camp.
26.10.1956 - J J McNamara promoted from Grade 2 to Grade 3 on transfer as Postmaster.
24.3.1960 - H T Christie promoted from Grade 2 to Grade 3 on transfer from Mirboo North to Yallourn as Postmaster.
1961 - Total population 5010 (2974 males and 2036 females). There were 1121 occupied dwellings.
14.1.1965 - T R Cook transferred from South Australia as Yallourn Postmaster.
1966 - Total population 4250.
27.7.1967 - C F Harrison promoted from Grade 2 to Grade 3 on transfer from Violet Town as Yallourn Postmaster.
1971 - Total population 3220.
31.7.1973 - G R McNamara promoted from Grade 2 to Grade 3 on transfer from South Australia as Yallourn Postmaster.
11.12.1975 - Post Office downgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2.
18.3.1976 - T J Tobin promoted from Senior Postal Clerk to Grade 2 on transfer from Tatura as Yallourn Postmaster.
1976 - Total population 1880.
1977 - Total population 1400.
1978 - Total population 970.
1.3.1979 - Mrs V A Talbot became Postmistress on downgrading of Yallourn Post Office to Unofficial status.
31.1.1980 - Post Office closed for business permanently.
Jan 1980 - Total population 500 in 135 occupied dwellings.
Mid-1980s - Yallourn completely excavated for Brown Coal Mining.