THE first Cobb & Co coaches departed from Brisbane and Gympie on 12 November, 1868. They carried both passengers and mail.
After a seven hour journey, the coach from Brisbane stopped for the midday meal and a change of horses at Bankfoot House in the ‘Glass Mountains’. The coach from Gympie had a similar stop on the following day (day two).
Owner of Bankfoot House, William Grigor, is recorded as the official Postmaster for ‘Glass Mountains’ from 1868 up until his death in 1907. Mail was left at Bankfoot House for posting and incoming mail distributed.
When the Caboolture to Mellum Creek (Landsborough) railway line was opened in February 1890, the railway quickly took over the mail contract.
William on horseback, took the mail lodged at Bankfoot House to the new Coonowrin railway station and picked up the mail for the district. The station was renamed ‘Glass House Station’ in 1894.
After William died in 1907 his daughter Clementina carried on the service until about 1910 when the post office agency was transferred to the railway station. The station was again renamed in 1914 to Glass House Mountains Station.
By the end of 1936, the post office was incorporated into the new general store by Mr E Greaves, in the Glass House Mountains township.
Photo of the original Bankfoot House from 1868 which included the Post Office. There is a small hole in the centre of the front wall, near the centre verandah post. Mail to be posted was dropped into that opening. This house was demolished in 1930 – you can see it is in a bad state of repair from this photo.
