[1] Kerang, an irrigation district of dairying, horticulture, lucerne and grain production, is located about 280 km north-west of Melbourne on the Loddon River.

Between this period and the early 1860s, a public house, stores, a church and dwellings were constructed near the local river crossing, which eventually became the nucleus of a small village that was proclaimed as Kerang in 1861.

It also underwent a general refurbishment of interior spaces including replacement of some ceilings and verandah soffit with fibre cement sheet lining.

The infill of the northernmost bay of the southern verandah with a brick dwarf wall and glazed screen possibly occurred at this time, along with the overpainting of the rendered dressings.

The roof is hipped, with slate tile cladding and galvanised iron ridge capping, coved stucco cornice moulding to eaves soffits, Dutch gables over the public space, a small gablet vent directly over the central pavilion and multiple tall red face brick chimney stacks which show Elizabethan influence.

[1] Despite the construction of an extensive south wing addition in the 1940s and other minor alterations, the external intactness of the original post office and quarters building is very good.

[1] The overall condition of the building appears very sound and well maintained, with the exception of some minor cracking in the western wall of the post office public hall and general refurbishment requirements.

It demonstrates all of the typical characteristics of the type including a frontal postal chamber which is expressed in the external form of the building, dual public access to an internal public hall via prominent loggias, distinct side access and clear separation of the residential component and an assumption of civic role as a major town form.

The comprehensive application of the Italianate style with Queen Anne detailing and Elizabethan influence also remains clearly evident despite the construction of the south wing.

Individually, and as one of a group of civic buildings with aesthetic importance which retain a high degree of legibility, the post office is also a landmark element in the town.

Watson was in charge of the Central Division of the department from 1882 and his position, coupled with freedom from the reign of former Chief Architect William Wardell, can be seen in the opportunistic exploration of new ideas in many of his designs including Kerang.

[1] This Wikipedia article was originally based on Kerang Post Office, entry number 106132 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2019 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 9 March 2019.