The Hunter Valley is experiencing firsthand the pressures threatening regional post offices across the country, with the Branxton licensed post office closing its doors for the final time tomorrow.
While today, a Senate inquiry into Australia Post’s secret plans to restructure its national network.
Long-time operators John and Margaret Wilson will retire after 22 and a half years behind the Branxton counter, with the outlet ceasing operations at 5pm today. The region will instead see a brand new set up at Piggotts Pharmacy in Huntlee.
Further up the valley, concerns are also mounting over the future of the Merriwa post office. No new operator has been announced, though Australia Post say they’ve received multiple expressions of interests to take over operations.
The local concerns align directly with what a leaked Australia Post business case has now confirmed at a national level. The document, titled Post Office Network & Licensed Post Office Reimagined and dated 9 June 2026, revealed a Board-endorsed strategy to close up to 36 metropolitan licensed post offices and pursue widespread format conversions of regional outlets, potentially stripping away core functions, consolidating services into pharmacies or newsagents, or replacing them with parcel lockers.
A Coalition-led Senate inquiry will examine Australia Post’s management of its retail network, the transparency of its decision-making, and why CEO Paul Graham made no mention of the plan when he appeared before Senate Estimates on 27 May.
