September 20th, 2026National win for Creswick Post Office

Creswick Post Office has been named the winner of Australia Post’s Our AP Way LPO of the Year award.

An Australia Post spokesperson said it was a real testament to the amazing service that Casey Preston, pictured right, and the team have brought to the Creswick community over the years – “delivering mail and providing services, rain, hail and shine”.

“As the only post office within 20km, the outlet is a vital hub for the region, and the family connection runs deep – Casey has been licensee for over 25 years, continuing on from her mother Janine Booth, who ran the outlet for more than 50 years before her.”

Casey, who attended the award ceremony last week said just being nominated for the top 10 was exciting but to be crowned winner was a proud moment for everyone.

“It was just amazing. And it was great for all the winners, there were lots of really good people nominated for all sorts of different areas with Australia Post.”

Casey said the win was for a range of services offered and even included how the shop was presented, cleanliness and making a visit to the post office easy for customers.

“The shop was redesigned in February and it was good to have a bit of a change. I also think our scanning compliance, which is quite high, helped with the win. We do anything from 7000 to 8000 parcels per month with a scanning compliance of about 99.6 per cent. I’m quite proud of that.”

Casey and her husband Jason took over the post office from her mother Janine Booth, pictured below, in July last year but she already well known to the community.

“I have worked with mum since I was 20, so 24 years ago, and I managed for a while when mum took on the council role. And I have probably been the manager since 2015 and the full-time manager for five years.

“Mum is now spending time with the grand-kids and travelling with dad, but she still fills in casually for me when needed.

“Mum has built a great business with great foundations and has the trust of the community, and we just felt like we wanted to continue that for the community. My husband and I both grew up here in Creswick, so we’re very much community – and I felt I would let the community down if it went somewhere else and all that knowledge and trust was lost.”

Casey said while the community bank was next door, the post office also offered banking services with 80 financial institutions.

“We do a lot of banking here and the older people prefer to come to us than drive to Ballarat or try to do their banking online. It’s just easier. They like talking to people and having a receipt.

“Then there are the young families and middle-aged people who are using us for their online shopping. That is such a thing now and we get so many parcels through the post office.

“I think we are lucky that despite so many regional banks closing, Australia Post is picking up those services. They’ve fought hard for us, and we’ve got so many people who love there is a post office just around the corner from them.

“We also like having a chat and of course people have watched me grow up in the post office – they’ve known me for most of my life. And now my children come in and help out as well.”

Casey said it was a win for not only the post office and the staff but also for the town of Creswick.

“It is just as much my win, as the staff’s win and the community’s win. I want everyone to feel part of it because everyone’s contributed in some way or another.

“Hopefully, I’ve made Creswick proud and the community proud.”

Words: Donna Kelly Images: Contributed