It was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon in his capacity as New South Wales Government Architect and was built from 1900 to 1903 by R. Saunders (freestone), Loveridge & Hudson (trachyte), Mountney & Co. (steel joists and girders), Chas Dobson & Co. (mosaic tile floors) and J. P. Woods (carver's work).

[1] The first official postal service in Australia was established in April 1809, when the Sydney merchant Isaac Nichols was appointed as the first Postmaster in the colony.

Again the Post Office was responsible for the public telephone exchange, further emphasising its place in the community as a provider of communications services.

[1] The appointment of James Barnet as Acting Colonial Architect in 1862 coincided with a considerable increase in funding to the public works program.

Those constructed during this period featured a variety of architectural styles, as Barnet argued that the local parliamentary representatives always preferred "different patterns".

The original office was situated in the "Sessions House" on the corner of Watt and Church Streets, with Duncan Forbes Mackay, the Superintendent of Convicts, as the first Postmaster.

During the 1870s the telegraph office in the city was handling 55,000 messages per year, which provides an indication of the importance of this form of communication at the time.

[1] In 1881 alterations and additions were approved, providing a separate place to sort mail, a room for the use of the postmen, and increased office space.

In 1883 the ceiling of the office was replaced (following the collapse of the original) and the provision of a balcony similar to "one at the Joint Stock bank" was also approved.

[1] The city experienced a period of considerable economic and social growth, arising from the development of the coal industry in the latter part of the nineteenth century.

However, after two of the contractors withdrew from their contracts in April 1900, the Department of Works decided to continue with the construction using day labour, at an estimated cost of £20,000.

Some of the tenders included R/ Saunders of Pyrmont for freestone, Messrs Loveridge and Hudson for trachyte, Mountney & Co of Sydney for rolled steel joists and girders, Chas Dobson and Co for tile mosaic floors and JP Woods of Waverley for carving work.

One bidder, hotel magnate Jerry Schwartz, went public with a $3.33 million bid to turn it into a conference centre and bar, which was successful.

[5][6] Newcastle Post Office is a visually dominant building in the streetscape, located on a prominent corner position within the civic centre.

There is a substantial amount of built-in shelving retained to most of the rooms and there is a half-glazed early partition wall defining the hallway.

The carpeted former staff lunchroom and timber-floored side room currently occupy this level, with a long sheet-vinyl-floored corridor running across the rear of the building between both stairwells.

Architraves and skirting of the mezzanine level are largely modern, with some early remnants, particularly on the windows facing the light well from the lunchroom.

There is a board and batten ceiling in the southeastern corner room with substantial damage, and acoustic tiling to the remainder of the level.

The surrounding streetscape comprises three to multi storey commercial, retail and residential mixed-use buildings of predominantly nineteenth century construction.

There is recent public seating at the front of the building, along with garbage bins, lamp posts, picket fenced pine trees and a memorial with drinking fountains.

Newcastle Post Office retains the features which make it culturally significant, including the use of freestone and sculptural work, the domed pavilions and classical motifs, along with its overall grand scale, form and architectural style.

[1] The northwestern corner and original stair have been reconfigured, date of change is unknown[1] In 1973 the mail handling role of the building ceased when this function was moved to Broadmeadow.

Its form and scale reflect the prosperity of the city in the late nineteenth century with the development of the coal industry and provide evidence of the changing nature of postal and telecommunications practices in NSW.

[1] Newcastle Post Office is aesthetically significant because it is an excellent and imposing example of the Federation Academic Classical style of architecture and is a central landmark feature of the civic precinct.

[1] Newcastle Post Office was designed by NSW Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon, a key practitioner of the Federation Academic Classical style of architecture.

[1] Newcastle Post Office was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.

[1] The form and scale of Newcastle Post Office reflects the prosperity of the city in the late nineteenth century due to the development of the coal industry.

The amount of money spent on its construction and the architectural qualities of the building provide an insight into the way of life in Newcastle during this period.

Newcastle Post Office was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, Government Architect and a key practitioner of the Federation Academic Classical style of architecture.

[1] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.