Sending parcels and letters can often be a frustrating experience. The long queues, trying to find the right box and packaging materials, deciphering complicated shipping options—it's enough to make you never want to step foot in a post office again!

If so, you’re far from alone, but thankfully, Australia Post has come to the rescue by launching a community hub that promises to alleviate common post-related problems.

The company unveiled its new Community Hub @ Post on Monday, October 30. It turned the historic Orange Post Office in the New South Wales Central Tablelands into a modern space.

The hub has been designed to solve a wide range of common customer dilemmas—from the cost and time associated with returning online purchases and long lines at the post office to difficulties associated with independently managed small businesses.

Australia Post launched their first Community Hub @ Post in Orange, New South Wales. Credit: Australia Post/Facebook

One of the features of the hub is the changing rooms. Customers can access three of them to try on those new online buys, and if it’s not the right fit, they can return it on the spot. So, no more wasted time and energy sending back items once at home.

There’s also digital queuing—where customers scan a QR code and then receive a text when it’s their turn—which alleviates the need to wait in line.

An onsite barista will serve coffee all day, and the hub will play all-Australian music to add to the customer experience.

There’s something for small business owners, too, with a dedicated area for them to sort, wrap and send orders.

Small business owners have a dedicated area in the community hub. Credit: Australia Post/Facebook

There is also a spot called Australian Makers Collection, featuring a product range from strictly Aussie creators and a platform for online retailers and small businesses to showcase and sell their products.

In addition, the hub will continue to offer the full range of existing services, including parcel lockers, banking services and all letter mailings.

Paul Graham, Group Chief Executive and Managing Director of Australia Post said the organisation was 'reinventing' how to serve the changing needs of customers.

'Today is a landmark day for Australia Post as we reimagine the post office for the future,' he said. 'Every day, our network of over 4,000 post offices plays an important role in connecting Australians, particularly in regional and remote Australia.'

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the project was a win for the locals of Orange.

'It’s fantastic to see the new community hub in Orange up and running,' she said on Monday.

'This is a great example of Australia Post modernising their business to meet community needs and will help connect small businesses with new customers and make sending and receiving parcels even easier for locals,' she added.

The company plans to open more community hubs in Williamstown in Victoria, Burnie in Tasmania and Noosa Heads in Queensland.

Key Takeaways

• Australia Post has launched its first Community Hub @ Post, transforming the historic Orange Post Office in the New South Wales Central Tablelands into a modern retail space.
  
• The hub features change rooms for customers to try on online shopping purchases and arrange returns on the spot, digital queuing through QR code scans, an onsite barista offering coffee all day, and an area for small business owners to sort, wrap and send orders.
  
• The hub will also continue to offer a full range of existing Australia Post services, including parcel lockers, banking services and all letter mailings.
  
• Australia Post has plans to open more community hub locations at Williamstown in Victoria, Burnie in Tasmania and Noosa Heads in Queensland.
  

Are you planning on visiting Australia Post’s new hub? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

 

[Kman]

Orange is is a bit far from SA. However, most Post Offices still do a great job. It's the mail sorting centred that need to be sorted out.

On 23 Oct I sent a parcel from Glen Osmond SA to Ocean Shores NSW. It arrived yesterday but not before it bounced a number of times:

Adelaide-Sydney-Adelaide-Sunshine West(Vic)-Sydney-Brunswick Heads(NSW) which is 5km from Ocean shores-Chullora(NSW) 15km from Sydney-Casino(NSW)-Mullumbimby-Ocean Shores.

9 days including day of postage.

For comparison
Woodside SA to Brisbane took 3 days.

Woodside SA to Burnside SA (26km) took 9 days.

Now.tell.me.where the problem is.

 

[elaine41]

If I want to have a coffee, I'll go to a cafe not the post office. I never buy clothes on line as you are slugged with the high price of return post when they don't fit. Do I need to have music in the background when I go to buy stamps or post a parcel? Definitely no. As a senior with hearing loss this is just extra noise which makes it more difficult to hear what the staff are saying when I eventually reach the counter.
The best way AP could reinvent itself is to look at the time it takes for mail to reach its destination & the places it goes on the way. That would make me a happier customer.

 

[23Helen]

I live in Orange and visited the renovated post office yesterday. One huge bonus is the improved access to my P.O. BOX. There is a ramp and the area is much more secure than before. Still a few teething problems inside, but it was only day two and it is the first of its kind. Another big bonus is we get our post office opening on Saturdays again.

 

[Chippie]

Australia Post at it dumbest again ! When will they get it, all we want is our mail and packages delivered to the right address, in one piece or lost and in the shortest time, gee it's not rocket science! I ordered an Item from China it was processed, packed, shipped , flown here and through customs and waiting for Aus post to pickup in 3 days, it took Aus post 7 days to collect it and deliver it from Sydney to Gold Coast. The crazy thing is they took it to Ipswich to process, obviously after sorting in Sydney, then back to Gold Coast. They should stop all the BS and just do the job they are supposed to!!

 

[maggiej]

Another excuse for upping the postage costs . this is Not what the Post office was initially for.

 

[Cyberchook]

Australia Post at it dumbest again ! When will they get it, all we want is our mail and packages delivered to the right address, in one piece or lost and in the shortest time, gee it's not rocket science! I ordered an Item from China it was processed, packed, shipped , flown here and through customs and waiting for Aus post to pickup in 3 days, it took Aus post 7 days to collect it and deliver it from Sydney to Gold Coast. The crazy thing is they took it to Ipswich to process, obviously after sorting in Sydney, then back to Gold Coast. They should stop all the BS and just do the job they are supposed to!!

I agree the tracking shows the greatest delays in any overseas ( or local) delivery are here in our own country Australia Post Services. Also, I had a parcel ordered from one of our BigW stores it took 9 days to get here!

 

[LubblyJubbly]

Sending parcels and letters can often be a frustrating experience. The long queues, trying to find the right box and packaging materials, deciphering complicated shipping options—it's enough to make you never want to step foot in a post office again!

If so, you’re far from alone, but thankfully, Australia Post has come to the rescue by launching a community hub that promises to alleviate common post-related problems.

The company unveiled its new Community Hub @ Post on Monday, October 30. It turned the historic Orange Post Office in the New South Wales Central Tablelands into a modern space.

The hub has been designed to solve a wide range of common customer dilemmas—from the cost and time associated with returning online purchases and long lines at the post office to difficulties associated with independently managed small businesses.

View attachment 33436

Australia Post launched their first Community Hub @ Post in Orange, New South Wales. Credit: Australia Post/Facebook

One of the features of the hub is the changing rooms. Customers can access three of them to try on those new online buys, and if it’s not the right fit, they can return it on the spot. So, no more wasted time and energy sending back items once at home.

There’s also digital queuing—where customers scan a QR code and then receive a text when it’s their turn—which alleviates the need to wait in line.

An onsite barista will serve coffee all day, and the hub will play all-Australian music to add to the customer experience.

There’s something for small business owners, too, with a dedicated area for them to sort, wrap and send orders.

View attachment 33435

Small business owners have a dedicated area in the community hub. Credit: Australia Post/Facebook

There is also a spot called Australian Makers Collection, featuring a product range from strictly Aussie creators and a platform for online retailers and small businesses to showcase and sell their products.

In addition, the hub will continue to offer the full range of existing services, including parcel lockers, banking services and all letter mailings.

Paul Graham, Group Chief Executive and Managing Director of Australia Post said the organisation was 'reinventing' how to serve the changing needs of customers.

'Today is a landmark day for Australia Post as we reimagine the post office for the future,' he said. 'Every day, our network of over 4,000 post offices plays an important role in connecting Australians, particularly in regional and remote Australia.'

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the project was a win for the locals of Orange.

'It’s fantastic to see the new community hub in Orange up and running,' she said on Monday.

'This is a great example of Australia Post modernising their business to meet community needs and will help connect small businesses with new customers and make sending and receiving parcels even easier for locals,' she added.

The company plans to open more community hubs in Williamstown in Victoria, Burnie in Tasmania and Noosa Heads in Queensland.

Key Takeaways

• Australia Post has launched its first Community Hub @ Post, transforming the historic Orange Post Office in the New South Wales Central Tablelands into a modern retail space.
• The hub features change rooms for customers to try on online shopping purchases and arrange returns on the spot, digital queuing through QR code scans, an onsite barista offering coffee all day, and an area for small business owners to sort, wrap and send orders.
• The hub will also continue to offer a full range of existing Australia Post services, including parcel lockers, banking services and all letter mailings.
• Australia Post has plans to open more community hub locations at Williamstown in Victoria, Burnie in Tasmania and Noosa Heads in Queensland.

Are you planning on visiting Australia Post’s new hub? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

Pity they won't deliver big parcels to gated communities - you have to pick them up from the post office - what's the point in paying delivery fees to sellers when you have to pick the things up yourself? Australia Post needs to rethink their deliveries - some elderly people are unable to collect heavy parcels from the Post Office - what are they supposed to do ?????

 

[elaine41]

Pity they won't deliver big parcels to gated communities - you have to pick them up from the post office - what's the point in paying delivery fees to sellers when you have to pick the things up yourself? Australia Post needs to rethink their deliveries - some elderly people are unable to collect heavy parcels from the Post Office - what are they supposed to do ?????

The whole reason for living in a gated community is to keep people out. There is no way that the postie can deliver parcels to them.

 

[LubblyJubbly]

The whole reason for living in a gated community is to keep people out. There is no way that the postie can deliver parcels to them.

That is complete nonsense - of course he can get in - he just has to read how on the address label. Anyone can get in if they follow the instructions on how to, and the person is home. Do you really believe that we are not allowed to have ANY visitors? So Coles, Woolies, and the myriad of other deliveries can get in - just that Australia Post are too bloody lazy to even try.

 

[Gsr]

Good to see that it opened in a country area first, mostly we are years behind the cities getting anything. Saying that orange is too far from me to be of benefit (at least 5 hours). I have noticed deliveries are much slower than they were a couple of months ago. Items from online stores I previously received in a couple of days are now sometimes taking a couple of weeks. Makes me wonder why, it is not that there are huge amounts of extra items being transported. I feel it is Australia post using customers as pawns in their whingefest they are having with management.