GPO Martin Place

OVERVIEW

Australia Post refurbished the Martin Place GPO returning it to its original postal function. The archaeological assessment and application covers the basement area of the Martin Place building (meaning the 1874 George Street wing, the 1887 Pitt Street extension and the 1898 George Street extension), which is all the area occupied by the building, and also the area behind the Martin Place section of the building.

ARCHAEOLOGY

The aims of the archaeological recording were to ascertain whether similar remains such as those found under the 1927 building were present in the GPO courtyard area, to investigate the Tank Stream in this area, to monitor the site of the 1942 remains or any remains GPO building for any archaeological remains or any remains belonging to an earlier Tank Stream route, to record all aspects of the Tank Stream oviform and channel construction, to monitor the Tank Stream fabric during the redevelopment works, and to record any intact soil profiles.

GPO Courtyard

• The remains of machine made brick and concrete footings belonging to the mail rooms built after 1887
• No information relevant to the Tank Stream was observed.

1942 GPO Building

• No archaeological remains were observed

Tank Stream Fabric

• Two sections of 1866 brick oviform survived on the GPO site, one to the south of the courtyard, the clocktower having been built over it and the second to the southern end of the site.
• The interior of the oviforms showed that the interior coursing included mortar lines between the ‘ashlar blocks’ . The original 1866 sections showed what appeared to be a hollow terracotta base, presumably to provide a platform and angle for the bottom of the brick sides.

CLIENT

Lend Lease

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The photos used in this report are by Casey & Lowe. All other images are from SLNSW and SRNSW

Archaeological Assessment for GPO Martin Place

Archaeological Recording of G.P.O and Tank Stream