Australia Post has confirmed it will close one of its outlets on the Sunshine Coast.
The Maroochydore Post Office on the Duporth Avenue side of the Big Top Shopping Centre will close on March 7 next year.
The post office was in Ocean Street in the 1990s before moving into Duporth Avenue near the Big Top car park roundabout and then to its current location.
An Australia Post spokesperson said the “difficult decision” to close followed a notice to vacate from the landlord, which prompted consideration of the outlet’s future.
“Visitor numbers at this outlet have fallen by 35 per cent over the past four years and are now well below the state average,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the Maroochydore area was well serviced by other post offices, including one at Sunshine Plaza and another at Cotton Tree.
One man is determined to take up the fight to keep the post office open.
Darcy Saville, who had a post office box in Maroochydore, said the post office was always busy and he could not understand why Australia Post had not bothered to find another location in close proximity.
“That’s Maroochydore’s CBD. Can you imagine a CBD without a post office?” he said.
Mr Saville said the alternative locations were not convenient for the post office’s elderly and disabled customers who did not drive.
“Sunshine Plaza is a kilometre away across a busy road. If you’re blind or in a wheelchair, are you going to go over there?” he said.
Mr Saville said Sunshine Plaza was not convenient even for able-bodied people, particularly in peak times, when its car parks were busy or full.
The Sunshine Plaza post office has post office boxes and Sunshine Coast News understands PO box holders at Duporth Avenue will be able to transfer across
The Australia Post spokesperson said 24/7 parcel facilities would be provided so people could send and receive parcels at home any time of the day or week.
