It stands next to the former Mercury Building and has served as the headquarters of the Tasmanian Postal system since its construction in 1905, though mail processing has now been moved to Glenorchy.

On 6 July 1901, the visiting Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary) laid the foundation stone.

The Commonwealth government however refused to fund the post office tower and bells, calling them 'enormous and unnecessary'.

[3] The clock was made by Fritz Ziegeler of Melbourne.It has the traditional Westminster chimes and is fitted with a Denison double three-legged gravity escapement with jewelled pallets and hardened legs.

In 1912 Roald Amundsen posted his telegram to the King of Norway from Hobart GPO to announce the first successful trip to the South Pole.