General News
23 July, 2026
Mail deliveries at beach
AUSTRALIA Post is to start direct deliveries to properties at Cooya Beach after a concerted community campaign.
Current PO Box owners have been told that following a review, Australia Post will begin letter delivery direct to properties from Tuesday 6 October 2026.
Cooya Beach residents currently receive a reduced rate for use of a PO Box. This reduction will cease as of 31 March 2027, if customers continue use of their PO Box after direct mail has begun.
In order to receive direct mail, Australia Post customers must install a letterbox on the edge of their property, positioned so that it can be safely and easily accessed from a delivery vehicle. As deliveries are made by a motorcycle, the letterbox must be within easy reach without the driver needing to dismount.
Although direct mail will begin from 6 October, people will have until 20 November to install their letterbox.
Customers due to receive direct mail were also advised on the size requirements of the letterbox and the correct way to advise senders of their new mailing address.
Initial confirmation, from Australia Post, that direct post will begin sometime in the future, was received earlier this year.
A formal letter was received by Catherine Rosenbrauer who has lived at Cooya Beach since 2021 and has been campaigning for change over the last few months.
In February of this year, Ms Rosenbrauer (above) requested a follow up to the original survey conducted by Australia Post during June-July 2022 for mail delivery to Cooya and Bonnie Doon.
“The original survey by Australia Post, as to whether houses should have direct post, was pointless,” Ms Rosenbrauer said.
“If people were out at that time that the survey collectors visited properties, that was taken as a no vote against direct delivery.”
Ms Rosenbrauer said that since 2022, there had been a significant increase in population through three new housing developments in Bonnie Doon, totalling over 100 new dwellings.
“Accordingly, there are now new reasons to consider mail delivery,” she said.
In correspondence with Australia Post, Ms Rosenbrauer noted that more than 25% of the population in the area were over 65, so some people had mobility issues, resulting in difficulty travelling to the post office to collect mail.
“Many of the new residents are young families, so it is difficult for mothers of infants to wrangle children in and out of cars when having to visit the post office to collect mail,” she said.
“There is the cost of having to arrange a post office box and, while there is a discount, those on a pension find any additional cost a burden.
“There is also the cost of having to travel to the post office, which is not in walking distance. Residents have issues with vendors who will not deliver to a post office box.”
According to Ms Rosenbrauer, both the local Douglas Shire Council and Federal MP Matt Smith supported the delivery of mail to these suburbs.
Among many positive things, the Cooya resident strongly feels that direct mail will help attract people to live in the area.
