2018-06-14 Thu

‘Australia's Mining Town’s Local Post was founded specially for the establishment of Gold Miners which issued special stamps for this colony.

During 1890s in a gold rush began in the region around Coolgardie, Western Australia. The minors shifted to the town in search of the work making Coolgardie the third largest town in Western Australia.

The basic necessities, back in those days, were extremely limited. Similarly, there was no means of communication. There was no government postal service in Coolgardie. The nearest post office was more than 100 miles away at Southern Cross.

In 1894, to meet the postal needs of the miners, organizers developed a private delivery service operated mostly by bicycle. The Coolgardie Cycle Express Co. delivered the mail until 1896 when the Western Australian postal service began servicing the area.

The first stamps issued for the service were rather crudely designed blue 1-shilling and 2sh, 6-penny Bicycle stamps. The stamps depict a cycle in the centre, words ‘Coolgardie Cycle Express Company’ on the three sides and the denomination at the bottom.

In June 1896, three more stamps were produced. These stamps, denominated 6d, 2sh and 5sh, were much more slickly produced and picture a camel and rider in the design, as some of the mail was now carried by camel.

The Camel and Rider stamps were only in use for a short time before the private delivery service was replaced by the government postal service.

Image Curtsey: https://www.linns.com and https://www.glenstephens.com