Australia Post (1942 - 1992)

Series synopsis:

The Australia Post series of films at the National Archives of Australia is by no means a series, but a collection of films and footage relating to the nation’s postal service. The approximately 120 films, videos and television advertisements are predominantly owned and controlled by Australia Post, although there are a handful of titles belonging to other agencies such as the General Post Office of the UK. The titles were produced variously for recruitment campaigns, promotion of services, staff education and training, change management, and the celebration and recording of significant events.

Curator’s Notes:

The National Archives Australia Post series covers a 50-year period, from 1942 to 1992. During this time postal services were controlled first by the Postmaster-General’s Department (PMG), then from 1975 onwards by the Australian Postal Commission (or Australia Post). The earliest title in the Australia Post series is a film record of the clock tower of the Sydney GPO building being dismantled during the Second World War, while the most recent title is an instructional video for mail sorting staff, dated 1992. The difference between them is indicative of the diversity of the collection.

The titles were produced or commissioned on a needs basis, both for use within the organisation and for external promotion. Original production formats included 16mm film, 8mm film, half-inch video, three-quarter inch video and one-inch video. The choices of format reflected a cost effectiveness approach to production, duplication and distribution.

The production of titles up until the 1970s was fairly infrequent, but two noteworthy films were made: The Post Office and the Royal Tour in 1954 and Olympic Post Script in 1956. Prior to its division into Australia Post and Telecom Australia (now Telstra) the PMG controlled both postal and telecommunications services, including broadcasting. For the PMG, the Queen’s visit in 1954 and the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 were momentous events, and the two films celebrate achievements in communications technology on each occasion.

The bulk of the Australia Post series was completed in the late 1970s and the 1980s. This period was bookended by two very significant events in the administration of the postal service: the split of the PMG in 1975 and the legislating of Australia Post as a Government Business Enterprise Corporation in 1989. It was also marked by the introduction of new technologies in the delivery of postal services. To aid in the management of these changes, Australia Post, under the New South Wales state administration of the commission, established a corporate communications unit. The unit produced a variety of training and education, in-house promotional, and recruitment programs. In addition, with a view to both priming and educating the public and promoting new services, a range of television commercials was commissioned. Some of the leading Australian advertising agencies of the day, such as Mojo, MDA, McCann Erickson and Clemenger, were contracted. Numerous state-of-the-art television ads, many winning awards, were made and televised within the context of national campaigns.

Adrienne Parr, curator

Titles in this collection

Australia Post – 200 Years (1988)

This is a short programme produced to mark Australia Post’s commemoration of the 26 January 1988 Australian Bicentennial.

Australia Post – Animation (c1988)

This is a set of five Australia Post animated television advertisements, produced between October 1988 and June 1989.

Australia Post – Australia Post Inc (1990)

This in-house program, directed at controlling postal managers (CPMs) and postal managers (PMs), discussed what the Australian Postal Corporation Act (the APC Act) meant for individual post offices.

Australia Post – Changing Times (1975)

This is an Australia Post black-and-white television advertisement informing the public of the impending changes to the then Postmaster-General’s Department.

Australia Post – Express Courier (1988)

Twin Australia Post television advertisements promoting the Express Courier service.

Australia Post – Intelpost (1987)

This is an Australia Post television advertisement promoting Intelpost.

Australia Post – Joint Stamp Issue (1988)

This program records Australia Post’s release of a special joint Australian and United States bicentennial stamp and a commemorative bicentenary book of stamps.

Australia Post – Letter Writing Venice (1986)

This is an Australia Post television advertisement promoting international postage.

Australia Post – Lettergram (1988)

This is a set of three Australia Post television commercials (TVCs) promoting the Lettergram service.

Australia Post – Meeting the Challenge (1988)

This in-house program was produced for Australia Post management and employees to inform them of what the Australian Postal Corporation Act (the APC Act) will mean for the organisation.

Australia Post – News Release E-Post Electronic Mail (1985)

This 1985 video press release explains E-Post, a new service offered by Australia Post.

Australia Post – Olympic Post Script (1956)

This black-and-white film was produced to celebrate the communications achievements of the PMG (Postmaster-General’s Department) during the summer Olympic Games, held in Melbourne from 22 November to 8 December 1956.

Australia Post – Onward Speed (1970)

Produced by The Film House for the Australian Post Office, this is an amusing instructional film on maximising the effectiveness of business mail procedures.

Australia Post – Post Office Film (1942)

This is an unedited mute, black-and-white film record of the dismantling of the Sydney General Post Office (GPO) clock tower, as well as street scenes near and around the GPO, in 1942.

Australia Post – Post Office Speeds the Mail (1970)

This is a short program produced by Bennett Honda for the Australian Post Office to introduce and promote the new use of motorcycles by postal delivery officers.

Australia Post – Post Office Spruce Up (1987)

This program, produced for in-house use aimed at individual post office managers, details the Australia Post ‘Spruce Up’ campaign.

Australia Post – Postcode Grandma (1988)

This is an Australia Post television advertisement promoting the essential inclusion of correct postcodes when addressing letters, in order to guarantee delivery.

Australia Post – Postpak Rap (1988)

This is an Australia Post television advertisement promoting the use of its own product, the Postpak.

Australia Post – Recruitment (1989)

This is a collection of short videos produced by Australia Post, each entitled ‘Australia Post Career Employment’. The collection profiles eight different career opportunities for individuals considering working for Australia Post.

Australia Post – Royal Tour (1954)

This program was produced by the Public Relations Division of the Postmaster-General’s Department (PMG) to celebrate its role in the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Australia. It follows the Queen as she tours New South Wales, Victoria and ...

Australia Post – Security (1989)

This program, produced for in-house training use, outlines the operations of Australia Post’s Security and Investigation Service and alerts personnel to the range of potential mail crime.

Australia Post – Standard Letters (1974)

This is an Australia Post television advertisement informing the public of the new system of paying postage on domestic mail items, according to their standard or non-standard size.

Australia Post – The Last of the TPOs (1985)

This program was produced to mark the closure of the last remaining TPO (Travelling Post Office) service in Australia.

Australia Post – This is the Mail (1966)

This is a black-and-white film, showcasing what was then the newly opened Redfern Mail Exchange. It looks at Redfern’s centralised system of mail collection and distribution. While detailing the range of mechanised mail-sorting equipment employed, it’s careful to accentuate the ...

Australia Post – We Deliver 1 (1988)

These are two of a series of television commercials (TVCs) promoting Australia Post’s new corporate identity as well as its products and services, and featuring the ‘We Keep Australia Posted’ song.

Australia Post – We Deliver 2 (1988)

These are three of a series of television commercials promoting Australia Post’s new corporate identity as well as its products and services, and featuring the ‘We Keep Australia Posted’ song.

Australia Post – We Deliver 3 (1988)