The Lismore Post Office team should take a bow. Recently, they won Australia Post's Corporate Post Office of the Year award.

The Corporate Post Office (CPO) of the Year award recognises the corporate post office team that has gone above and beyond in customer service and community spirit. The award shines a spotlight on the Corporate Post Office team that consistently delights their customers and the local community. 

The Lismore CPO demonstrated this in the wake of the 2022 floods. Over the course of eight months, despite the Post Office itself being badly damaged in the floods, the Lismore Post Office became a much-needed community hub. The team upheld the trust and support that the community expects from Australia Post, culminating in the reopening of the Lismore Post Office in December last year. 

Manager of the Lismore Post Office, Glyn Harding said this was a bittersweet award.

"We were recognised out of a disaster, so it's bittersweet, but I'm happy for the Australia Post group in Lismore because they did do a great job after the floods. It's recognition for the work that they did. I'm very proud."

"It just showed how much the community needs Australian Post and that we're there for the community. It was good to get that recognition. It also incorporates the delivery centre as well. We got the award because it was a retail award, but when the flood occurred, we all came together, the delivery centre, the mail and retail all came together as one group, so they need to be recognised as well for the work they did," Glyn added.

Travel back in time 18 months, and all of corporate Australia Post in Lismore was shut down with the CBD and South Lismore delivery centre on Three Chain Road underwater. Luckily, Australia Post had an industrial shed in Snow Street, South Lismore, which was on higher ground and still had water through it but not substantial. This was used as a mail collection location one week after February 28, 2022.

"Basically, the community was able to still get their mail, still able to order their parcels online and have somewhere to collect them from," Glyn explained.

"And it wasn't just Lismore that flooded, it was the surrounding areas as well, so we were able to support those areas as well with their mail. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get out there in a lot of cases, but at least if they could get in, there was somewhere that they could collect their mail and also any parcels."

Lismore CPO managed to get their hands on a mobile postal van from Queensland that was initially used at Snow Street before travelling to Wardell, Woodburn and Broadwater so the smaller communities could still pay their bills and post letters.

A temporary pod was set up on the old Trevan Ford site, which unfortunately had water through it when the March flood hit a month later. It was approximately three weeks later when the new pod arrived and was operational again.

"We were lucky we didn't get another flood," Glyn smiled, "Because that was the last one they had. I don't know what we would have done after that if there was another flood."

During this time, as was the case for many businesses trying to rebuild and service the community, there were staff dealing with their own flooded homes whether it was 1 metre in the house or mostly submerged where everything was lost.

At that time, people would go into Australia Post and tell their stories. This is where the service to the community comes into effect.

"It was a very emotional time. We had people coming in, generally affected, and to hear their stories. It was very emotional, and the suffering they went through with this flood because it was unprecedented. I'm just glad that we were there to help and do our bit."

Glyn said that is still the case today, not necessarily flood talk anymore but people coming in for a chat, especially older people who are struggling with the online world.

"It may be to deposit money or pay a bill or post a letter, and sometimes it is just to come in for a chat."

If you have a reason to go into the Lismore CPO in the next few days, congratulate the team on a well-deserved award under the most difficult circumstances.