In particular, storage of parcels presents a large and visible problem with the office having to install a container behind the building to accommodate changes in how people shop.

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Mayor Hoban, who expects the problem to grow as Macksville continues to expand, moved a motion at council’s 12 September meeting to address the issue.

Nambucca Valley Council resolved to write to the Chief Executive of Australia Post, requesting an expansion of infrastructure at regional post offices such as Bowraville and Macksville which have seen an increase in demand.

“Many metropolitan post offices have seen a decline in counter services, however in rural areas post offices are fast becoming a one-stop-shop for numerous services,” explained Mayor Hoban.

“Apart from mail processing and delivery and managing post office boxes, services include money orders, bill payment and banking, packaging products, stationery, gifts, travel insurance, currency conversion and passport applications,” she said.

“The processing of parcels to do with internet shopping has got to the point where they are having to store parcels in shipping containers at the back of the building.

“There are some issues (with this), particularly when it’s raining or extremely hot – anyone who has stood in a shipping container in the height of summer would know what I’m talking about,” said Mayor Hoban.

Furthermore, according to Mayor Hoban, as staff leave the counter to search for parcels outside, the post office is unattended, opening the business up to theft and other bad behaviour.

NOTA spoke to employees at Macksville who confirmed the use of a container to store packages, however they denied the container was hot or caused problems as it was in fact air-conditioned.

Bowraville staff told NOTA that although the overall volume of packages had increased “since COVID”, the turn-over was relatively quick in that most people came and collected them quickly and there were few problems with storage.

“Besides, most parcels get delivered,” a staff member at Bowraville said.

By Ned COWIE