ISLAND POSTAL TEAMS WANT ISLAND RESIDENT TO RE-POSITION THEIR LETTER BOXES
Island postal teams say that the majority of island letter and post boxes, are ‘in the wrong place’.
Russell Island postal contractor, Frank O’Rourke, says the island postal delivery service is ‘unique’ to our islands.
It is a similar situation on Macleay Island for Lennie Byrne and his postal delivery team.
The island posties deliver to island homes slightly differently.
On Macleay they use ‘postie’ bikes, and on Russell Island they use small motor vehicles.
The reason for vehicles on Russell Island, Frank O’Rourke says, is because of the ‘changing face’ of postal delivery.
“it is no longer letters into a small letter box, as it was before the internet and emailing.
“Since the pandemic, there has also been a huge growth in package delivery because of the huge amount of online sales of just about everything,” Frank says.
He and Lennie Byrne both say that the majority of island ‘letter boxes’ are ‘totally inadequate’ for todays modern and changing postal delivery service.
And to make their jobs even more difficult, they say the majority of island letter boxes are located ‘in the wrong place’ and they need to be ‘bigger and more accessible’.
Frank O’Rourke says because his team prefer to use small vehicles, getting to letter and post boxes on the fence line is ‘too difficult and damaging’.
“The majority of island letter boxes are too small for today’s modern delivery of small and larger parcels and hardly any letters.”
Both Frank and Lennie would love to see island residents move their letter boxes out onto the grass verge in front of their homes.
“Being located on the fence line, our vehicles can and have damaged some stormwater piping.
“By moving the letter box to the grass verge makes all the difference.
“Our vehicles don’t damage the front verge in front of homes and it makes the delivery of island mail so much quicker and more efficient,” Frank O’Rourke says.
The front verge of homes is beyond the home owner’s boundary and is owned by Redland City Council.
However, island residents are able to locate their post boxes in this area, similar to the picture with this story.
Redland City Council says that letter boxes need to be 300mm bending the kerb or guidepost line and fixed on a breakable post and made of wood.
Australia Post says post or letter box needs to be ‘in easy reach for delivery’ by the postal delivery officer, ‘without alighting from the delivery vehicle’.
Australia Post representatives have unrestricted access to all delivery points.
And a final word that involves common sense, if you receive regular or many parcels, GET A BIGGER LETTER BOX!
• Russell Island postal contractor Frank O’Rourke delivering to a letter box in the best position for island homes.