The Bega Pioneers' Museum has countless reports and stories on local issues. This one is on the history of the Bega Post Office.
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IN 1863, William H Hopkins took over Otton’s mail weekly contract from Moruya to Bega and at the same time took over Robertson’s Pambula-Eden service. In 1865, T Underhill secured a twice-weekly contract for carrying mails from Bodalla to Eden, via Bega, Wolumla, Merimbula and Pambula.
In 1866, Charles and James MacGregor were the contractors. By 1869, Hopkins had secured the contract. The following year, 1870, two separate contracts were let – Bodalla to Bega being given to James MacGregor, whilst Hopkins carried on the Bega-Eden section. The latter route was carried out on horseback, twice a week, by Hopkins until 1876, when Michael Flood’s tender was successful. Then followed James Spears (1878); Angus McFadyen (1879); and Michael Flood (1880-83).
George Peisley secured the contract from 1884 to 1886; it was then a three-times-a-week service. John R Rixon had it in 1890; and when Thomas Griffin gained the contract in 1891, the service was six times a week. James MacGregor had the Eurobodalla to Bega service in 1871-74, and was succeeded by Pat Quinn in 1875, John MacGregor in 1875-77, and Edmund Corrigan in 1878.
The horseback service became twice weekly in 1873, and thrice weekly the following year, and daily in 1879. Corrigan also carried the mail from Moruya to Eurobodalla three times a week. Following Corrigan, succeeding contractors used coaches. These were Patrick Browne (1880-1882); Corrigan again (1883-1885); J. and M. Corrigan (1886-1889); John Corrigan (1890); and James Averell (1891).
Merimbula Wharf.
Mails were carried from the Merimbula Wharf to several destinations. In 1866, a service commenced between Merimbula Wharf and Eden Post Office, Charles and James MacGregor of Bega securing the weekly horseback contract. For the following two years Pambula was added to the route.
Late in 1868, the service was changed and ran from Merimbula Wharf to Merimbula Post Office and Bega Post Office, Andrew Rixon gaining the contract. He used a two-horse coach to carry the mails. When W H Hopkins secured the contract in 1869, he reverted to horseback.
The next two contractors were Joseph Twyford (1872); and Ann Twyford (1873).
Another weekly service commenced in 1869 from Merimbula Wharf to Merimbula, Pambula and Eden, the contractor being William Shea, who kept it until John Haywood gained it in 1878, and kept it until 1880. From 1881 to 1884, J W Twyford carried out the service which now only went as far as Pambula.
