“Terrible News”: Neutral Bay Post Office announces shock closure after 52 years on Military Rd.

By ANNA USHER

It’s the end of an era in Neutral Bay, with the local post office operating for over half a century set to shut its doors on August 12.

The post office in the May Gibbs Plaza and fronting Military Rd alerted customers to the closure with a note taped to the front window on Thursday morning.

An Australia Post spokeswoman has confirmed the branch will cease trading at its current location next weekend, with new premises at Big Bear shopping centre to open on Monday, August 14.

“The new post office site will feature a refreshed interior along with a new bank of self-service parcel lockers, which will be free for customers and available during shopping centre hours,” the spokeswoman said.

“All Australia Post team members will continue their roles as usual at the relocated post office site, which will continue to offer a full range of services.”

Neutral Bay Post Office merged with the old Cremorne outlet in 1971, with Member for North Sydney Bill Graham officially opening the office at 135 Military Rd on September 9.

Local resident Shirley McDonald, who lives in nearby Yeo St, told Mosman Collective the closure was “terrible news”.

“I use the Post Office a few times each week and feel very miffed about this, I don’t drive a car, and it is a major inconvenience to go to Big Bear,” she said.

“Moving the Post Office out of the heart of Neutral Bay village is terrible news.

“I suppose it means another apartment block will replace the Post Office and ruin May Gibbs Plaza.”

The new service at Big Bear Shopping Centre will be “around the same size”, the Australia Post spokeswoman said, offering parcel lockers in a first for the suburb.

Existing PO Boxes will also be relocated.

Parcel lockers offer online shoppers another delivery option via secure, 24/7 accessible lockers, meaning customers can collect their mail day or night by using a one-time PIN/ barcode sent to them via SMS or email.

“A Parcel Locker is a secure storage space where you can have 48 hours to collect your parcel,” the Australia Post website says, “and you can send from them too.”

We’re told that the Big Bear Post Office will still process bill payments, sell gift cards, phones and general merchandise, and accept passport applications.

If you need to access a Post Office on Saturday, August 13, customers are advised they can use McMahons Point or Greenwich Post Offices from 9am – 12pm.

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