Burketown's only local post office is set to close when Joy Arnold retires in February. (Supplied: Joy Arnold)
In short:
Residents in Queensland's remote Gulf of Carpentaria are concerned their next mail delivery could be the town's last.
The Burketown post office is set to close at the end of February when its long-time postmistress retires.
What's next?
Australia Post says it will continue to look at alternative arrangements for the community.
Residents in Queensland's remote Gulf of Carpentaria could be forced to make a six-hour round trip to collect their mail when the town's only post office closes next month.
The Burketown post office, 2,000 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, will likely close when long-time postmistress Joy Arnold retires in February.
"I've enjoyed being here. It's been great and I don't want to leave, but all my kids are on the coast," she said.
"Time will be up after the wet season to shut the doors and auction everything off [if it doesn't sell]."
Postal operations will likely close in Burketown at the end of February. (ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson)
Ms Arnold purchased the Australia Post operation with her late partner Terry in 1981.
However, after 43 years of operation, the grandmother of six said she was ready to call time.
For the past four years, the 79-year-old has looked for someone to buy the remote business, which also doubles as the largest of the town's three general stores.
But she has had no success.
Australia Post said it was still looking for an alternative option.
Once the post office closes, the town's 200 residents will likely have to travel to neighbouring remote communities, like Doomadgee or Normanton, for mail collection.
Those return trips could take between three to six hours.
Primary school teacher Emma Jensen said the long drive to collect mail would be unsustainable.
"We are often cut off for at least four months of the year, and with wet season often longer," she said.
Originally from Gympie, the 28-year-old said the remote community heavily relied on products and services through online shopping.
"Anything that the town doesn't offer we have to get in [via mail]," she said.
Like many Burketown residents, Emma Jensen relies heavily on the local mail service. (ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson)
From school and work supplies, to pet food, care-packages from home, or some much-needed retail-therapy, Ms Jensen said she collected parcels at least twice a week.
"If we can't get access to mail that makes us even more isolated than what we already are," she said.
Calling for help
Mayor of Burke Shire Ernie Camp said while the loss of the local postal service was concerning, the council could not take over the operation.
"Adding something else to the shire's core business would just be another burden," he said.
Cr Camp said he held out hope that Australia Post would provide a solution, or another local business would take on the mail service.
"D-day is just about here … [and] I'm calling on Australia Post to help us," he said.
"Show some flexibility and some assistance. I don't expect them to take the full burden, but what incentives they can give as far as keeping Australia Post as a brand name in rural Australia?"
Ernie Camp says his council cannot afford to absorb the post office operations. (ABC North West Queensland: Emily Dobson)
In a statement, Australia Post said it would continue to look at alternative arrangements for Burketown, but did not elaborate on what they might be.
"We sincerely thank the Licensee [Joy Arnold] for her dedicated service to this community over many years," a spokesperson said.
"[We] will keep the community updated around next steps."
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