[1] Located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Cameron and St John Streets, Launceston Post Office was built on the former site of the Royal Olympic Theatre, which was part of the London Tavern.

Eldridge had recently completed a design for the Hobart Supreme Court buildings (1884–87) and his working drawings for the Launceston Post and Telegraph Office are dated 8 July 1885.

[1] When opened, the building was not well received by the local community; the bold external patterning and colour was considered controversial, as was the interior arrangement of the mailroom and quadrangle.

The committee raised an estimated £1,339 for the purpose, but also used the opportunity to redress the presentation of the upper tower by replacing the top section with a taller design.

The design for the Edwardian Baroque tower top, with clocks in all 4 faces, was by Hedley Westbrook, possibly under the supervision of the Commonwealth Senior Architect John Smith Murdoch, and working drawings were prepared by May 1908.

The post office underwent extensive internal alterations in 1933 to expand the functional space for mail sorting and counter space, including the former newspaper room and postmaster's office into the mailroom and annexing part of the quadrangle, alterations to the St John Street entrance to provide access to telephone and private boxes, remodelling of the ground floor rooms on the east and west sides of the quadrangle, infilling the cartway openings on the north boundary and refurbishing the area for office accommodation, converting the first floor rooms overlooking Cameron Street into a single space, and other alterations.

[1] In 1976-79 conservation works were undertaken to the tower to address fretting stonework, weathered pointing and extensive staining due to rusting of the ironwork around the clock faces.

Other works included the installation of a lift shaft, reconfiguration of the toilet areas located along the southwest wing and new glazed office partitions.

Above this was a conical roof in general alignment with the early French Renaissance or "Francois Premier", a reference that was, at the time, running within both Free Romanesque and Queen Anne circles.

The polygonal drum contains four arched panels over each clock, which are further amplified by a splayed voussoir stone surround, a common treatment for bullseye windows in the Edwardian Baroque high tide.

[1] The tower is flanked by two-storey brickwork walls constructed in tuck-pointed red face brick set on a coarsely rusticated bluestone plinth.

[1] The Cameron Street elevation (south) is break-fronted and framed by two piers, with a large flattened arch with accentuated voussoirs and keystone leading to the entry vestibule.

At the top, a triangular pediment between two solid flanking piers surmounts the central bay featuring an oval window with consoles in dressed sandstone.

Originally, a centrally-positioned triangular pediment (similar to the Cameron Street entry) featured on this elevation but has been subsequently concealed by the balcony roof additions.

Built as the main post office for Launceston, it has fulfilled this role over a lengthy period, being the central point in the city for a wide range of services which have evolved over the decades.

Elements which are not of significance include the infill to the arched cartway openings to the north wall, and the two-storey east wing addition and verandah to Cameron Street.

Built as the main post office for Launceston, it has fulfilled this role over a lengthy period, being the central point in the city for a wide range of services which have evolved over the decades.

Even accepting changes to the original circulation (to both counters-in-the-round and the removal of stairs to the upper gallery) and the refurbishment of the building perimeter areas as tenanted offices, stylistically, the quadrangle demonstrates a sense of purposeful planning which is rare, if not unique, in the national context.

[1] The centralisation of the public quadrangle around which all transactions were carried out at counters to separate departments located around the perimeter and in distinct offices makes it different from other design.

[1] Stylistically and architecturally, Launceston Post Office is a seminal public building in the Federation mode, possibly the first clear example in Australia given its documentation around 1885.

[1] Criterion E: Aesthetic characteristics Launceston Post Office is an excellent large-scale stone and brick decorated public building in the Federation Free Style mode.

[1] Criterion F: Technical achievement Launceston Post Office is a seminal public building in a Federation mode, possibly the first clear example in Australia given its documentation around 1885.

The use of Tea Tree sandstone, and in particular the extensive carved ornamentation, are representative of the highest standards of workmanship and contribute towards an aesthetic "totality", despite alterations to the St John Street (west) elevation.

[1] Criterion G: Social value Australia Post has had a presence on the site for almost 120 years, providing postal services to a large portion of the general and business community.

[1] Criterion H: Significant people Launceston Post Office is important for the associations with architects W. Eldridge and Hedley Westbrook, and the involvement of Alexander North.

[1] This Wikipedia article was originally based on Launceston Post Office, entry number 105210 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2019 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 15 May 2019.