Barabba Post Office

**Fast Facts**
Town or Locality:	Barabba
By:	Barabba Community
Used for:	Postal Services

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The Barabba Post Office opened in 1877 with the mail being dispatched weekly on Saturdays. In November 1971 when consideration was being given to its closure the postal authorities said: [The] non-official office serves a farming community of 12 households (including the Postmaster). Mails are exchanged six times a week with Adelaide (inward mail is resorted at Balaklava) ...

The office was erected by residents in 1926; prior to this it was conducted in a room in the school which opened in 1877.

Source: The Manning Index of South Australian History.

Additional information from "Life around the Light - A History of the Mallala District Council Area"

The above Post Office was known as Barrabba from 1877 - 1887 after which the spelling changed to Barabba. When the railway was built from Hamley Bridge to Balaklava the mail was carried by train.This service commenced in 1879. The early postal service was run from the pantry on the verandah of the Barabba School house and from 1898 to 1922 school mistress Miss Amelia White provided this valuable service.

In 1926 when school teacher Mr John Trainer came to Barabba he required the use of the pantry so the people built themselves a small wood and iron structure measuring 9 ft. x 8 ft. on the corner diagonally opposite the school house. They purchased and installed letter boxes as the post office was only open for 1 hour per day. In the beginning there were three mail runs a week from Stockyard Creek and later this became a daily service. In the 1960s the Barabba post office, and the Stockyard Creek post office were closed as recognized offices and a roadside delivery was provided from Owen.