Australia Post announces closure of Rockdale Post Office

A post office closure in south Sydney has been met with fierce opposition from locals and businesses, who claim the suburb will ‘disappear’ if essential services continue to pack up shop.

Australia Post announced earlier this month that the Rockdale Post Office will close on September 4 after decades of service.

An impending post office closure in south Sydney has been met with fierce opposition from locals and council, who have labelled the decision a “sign of the times”.

It comes after Australia Post announced earlier this month that the Rockdale Post Office will close on September 4 after decades of service.

AusPost said the decision came down to a decline in customer numbers and the high concentration of outlets in the area.

“Australia Post has made the difficult decision to close the Rockdale Post Shop from September 4 following a 20 per cent drop in customer visits over the past four years,” an AusPost spokesperson said.

“Customer visits are now well below the state average for NSW.

“The Rockdale area is very well serviced with seven post offices within a 2.5 kilometre radius, including the Banksia Post office just one kilometre away.

“All Rockdale team members will be offered new roles at surrounding outlets or closer to home.”

The Rockdale Post Office will close on September 4. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

A sign on the front door lists the upcoming changes. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

However, this reassurance proved little consolation for Bayside Council, who swiftly moved to launch a petition urging AusPost to reconsider.

Mayor Bill Saravinovski said council “strongly objected” to the closure due to the “devastating effect” it would have on local businesses and community members who rely on the post office for essential services.

“It’s bitterly disappointing, this is just another nail in the coffin for the town centre,” Mr Saravinovski said.

“While I understand that there is a post office at Kogarah and an agency at Banksia, it’s not the same … there is a social impact for our residents and the Rockdale community.

“We believe they (AusPost) should have shown a bit more consideration for the area as we’ve got a high number of non-English speaking background residents and elderly residents who want the old-fashioned service, and I don’t believe they are asking for too much.”

Local business owner of Braga Travel, Gina Braga, said the community was “up in arms” about the announcement after the recent closure of other key services in the town centre.

“We are absolutely devastated,” she said. “We’ve lost our own bank that’s moved out of this area, businesses are supposed to opening up, and council have gone to great lengths to re-do this area in order to encourage businesses to stay open.

“And yet we have services like the banks and post offices planning to close, we can’t have this.”

Local resident Joan Simpson labelled the closure a “bad decision” for the community. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

Gina Braga said she may have to move to Hurstville if the store closes, as she relies on its services to run her travel business. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

Ms Braga said the possibility of closure was “so depressing” given her business uses the post office daily, and would likely have to move to Hurstville to survive.

“It’s so busy it doesn’t make any sense, there is no logic in closing this office and we need this office in Rockdale,” Ms Braga said.

“If the banks gone and the post office is gone then what’s next? Rockdale is disappearing.”

Rockdale resident Joan Simpson said residents who use the post office to pay their bills and access other facilities will be hit hardest by the closure.

“They (AusPost) say they are losing money and I’m not really sure I believe that,” she said.

“But regardless, this is one of the biggest post offices in the area and it should not be closed.

“This office is close to other facilities and you don’t have to have a car to get here. For so many pensioners in the area that is crucial, particularly when we are trying to keep older people in their own homes,” she said. “It’s crazy to take away essential services like this.”

As council prepares to meet with AusPost next week to push for the outlet to remain open, residents are being informed of the changes taking place from September 4.

At this stage, PO boxes will remain at the site, while remaining postal products and services will be available at nearby Banksia, Bexley, and Kogarah outlets.