Slow start for snail mail

By Alison Noonan
CARRIER pigeons may be a faster way to send mail for Casey residents who are frustrated at the lack of post boxes in new estates.
Residents in the city’s growth areas, such as Narre Warren South, Cranbourne and Berwick, say they are sick of having to travel miles or cross busy arterial roads to access a post box.
Owner of George’s Cafe in Narre Warren South, Grant Brown, said he had been calling for council to lobby Australia Post for years to provide more post boxes in the area.
“I wrote to council two years ago, presented petitions and still nothing’s changed.
“The area is growing but we still have to go even further to post our mail. We have to go to Berwick Springs, Casey Central or Narre Warren, which is a long way to deliver a letter.
“In the city they have a box on every corner. This is a huge area so why don’t we?” he said.
Springfield Ward councillor Ben Clissold said the council had struggled to reach an adequate number of post boxes in the past largely because of Australia Post’s policy to relocate existing boxes rather than install new ones. He said that although Australia Post had undertaken a policy review, it still hadn’t come close to keeping up with the growth in Casey.
“Casey’s growth areas are ridiculously short of post boxes. Whilst Endeavour Hills appears to have about 10 post boxes, Narre Warren South has three.
“Council has worked persistently to try to fix the problem but it’s been a bit like trying to push start a bulldozer.
“We’d love the community, if they can find a post box, to send a letter of support to Australia Post,” he said.
Councillors at last week’s Casey Council meeting resolved to write to Australia Post requesting the provision of new post boxes on an annual basis.
A report presented to the council confirmed that the current Australia Post policy relating to the location of post boxes was inadequate.
“The two kilometre radius stated in the policy is too far to reasonably expect the majority of the population to walk,” the report said.
The report identified 12 areas in Casey that the council deemed to be ‘chronically under serviced’, including Eden Rise, Berwick Springs, The Chase, Bryn Mawr, Carlisle Park, Camden Green, Hillsmeade, The Hunt Club, Brooklands Green and Brindalee.
It was suggested that the Australia Post policy be reviewed, with changes including the introduction of a new 800 metre radius policy, the location of a post box within the local road network of all new housing estates, and the inclusion of postal facilities in all of Casey’s existing and future activity centres.