Karangahake Post Office Centenary

Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 30, September 1986

September 14 1905 marked the centenary of the Karangahake Post Office. Opened on that date in 1885, the Post Office served the large population of the goldmining era in Karangahake. The 80th Jubilee of the Karangahake district was in 1969 end in the Jubilee booklet, an extract, under the heading "Public Amenities", reads as follows:-

Karangahake Post Office.

'The Karangahake Post Office was situated in the main street and had a public office, an operating and sorting room and a residence for the Postmistress (Mrs Jane Airey) and her family. This Post Office is now at Hikutaia, and since it was moved the business was conducted in the home of Mrs Airey, the Fitzgeralds, and later by the Bramble girls in a small building erected for the purpose. Then it was taken over by the last store in Irishtown, but since that was burned down another small office was built nearby and both Mrs Boyd end Mrs O'Reilly officiated there. Now Mr Lusby is in charge.

'Mackaytown had its own Post Office facilities for quite a few years - first at Mrs McNamara's store, then at Mrs Walton's home and finally at the Mackaytown Hotel, when Mrs Flavell was caretaking there.'

The store-post office was burnt down on 15 July 1956, with the loss of a small amount of mail and the date stamp. The "office" was then moved to a house until a small building was erected by residents on a section on the main road. After at least two more moves the Post Office was moved in 1970 to the Taylor's residence in Mackaytown.

The present office building was erected in 1977 by Mr Jim Wilson and Mrs C Wilson took over as Postmistress from Mrs V Taylor. The present postmistress, Mrs V Bowyer, took over the agency in 1980 and at present the Post Office serves the residents of both Karangahake and Mackaytown.