In just under two months, a small enclave on Sydney’s lower north shore will no longer have a post office.
Milsons Point Post Office services hundreds of residents in the tiny suburb of just over 2000 people – but it is scheduled to close its doors on November 12 after the long-term lease ended.
One of these loyal customers is shop owner Venietta Slama-Powell.
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Slama-Powell, the owner of lifestyle shop and florist Bloomingales, told 9news.com.au the closure will “cripple” her business.
“There are about 600 guaranteed people who absolutely rely on the services of Australia Post in Milsons Point,” Slama-Powell said.
“A lot of the people in Greenway [a social housing complex in Milsons Point], for example, are aged over 75.
“Most of the residents need to get around assisted due to their health or disabilities.
“It’s already difficult for them to go up 350 metres to access the post office.”
Slama-Powell makes hundreds of deliveries per week using the post office.
She and other residents would be forced to walk uphill to the closest post office 1.5 kilometres away in North Sydney, where parking is limited.
“As a small business owner, I work 150 hours a week. I work seven days a week. To suggest that I can go somewhere else to send my postage is just… it will cripple my business,” she said.
“I actually don’t have the capacity.
“I work most days on my own in my business. I work from 3am if I’ve got to go to the flower markets and I close at 5pm which then allows no time to go to the post office.”
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There are hundreds of post office boxes which will need to be relocated too, she said.
Slama-Powell said she fears the local community will suffer under the closure.
“In terms of business, post offices generally play a crucial role in supporting local economies and business,” she explained.
“They bring people there. There [will be] fewer customers coming to the area. It promotes more business closures.
“It just has a general negative ripple effect on local businesses and their operations.”
Despite a groundswell of support from residents to keep the Milsons Point post office open, Australia Post has confirmed it will close in November.
A spokesperson told 9news.com.au visitors to the Milsons Point post office had slumped by 20 per cent in recent years.
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“Australia Post understands the community concern, and is holding a Customer Transition Session on Thursday, 18 September 2025,” the spokesperson said.
“As an entirely self-funded organisation, any decisions about our post office network are made with careful consideration and our future viability front of mind.
“Customer visits to this outlet have fallen by 20 per cent over the past four years and are now well below the NSW average.
“This is an extremely well-serviced area, with seven post offices within three kilometres, including the North Sydney Post Shop and McMahons Point LPO, both located around one kilometre away.”
It is understood Australia Post made an offer to the landlord, however a commercial agreement could not be reached.
It is believed Milsons Point’s closure is partly due to Australia Post’s modernisation initiative, which is in response to declining letter volumes.
Despite a raft of recent closures, Australia Post is required to keep 4000 branches open across Australia, including 2500 in regional areas.
NSW member for the North Shore Felicity Wilson has also thrown her support behind residents fighting to keep the post office open.
Wilson described Milsons Point Post Office as a “crucial asset” for her community.
“Milsons Point is uniquely home to Greenway, a social housing complex that has over 300 elderly residents who rely on the post office for taking out cash and paying bills,” Wilson said.
“I’ve already written directly to both NSW’s Minister for Transport and the Federal Minister for Communications asking for them to intervene to save the post office.”
Slama-Powell has started a Change.org petition to save the post office.
Hundreds of residents have also marched to Kirribilli House to plead with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to keep it open.
A spokesperson for Transport for NSW, which owns the building, said the lease has been a month-to-month agreement since 2022.
“Transport for NSW acknowledges the important role that a post office can play for businesses and residents in their local community,” the spokesperson said.
“Despite the rent not changing since 2021, Transport offered a ten-year lease at the current rental rate to the existing tenants with an opportunity to change their decision to vacate the premises in February 2026.”
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