On April 14, 1900, page 12 of the Sydney Morning Herald reported:

“Karl M. Creelman, the cyclist from Nova Scotia who is wheeling around the world on his bicycle and who has been the guest of the Rev. H. A. Robertson, Balmain, these last two weeks, left the GPO., George-street, yesterday morning for Parramatta, thence to Queensland, going as far north as Cooktown, thence to Japan and China.”

The GPO is the General Post Office in Sydney, and it’s one of Australia’s most distinguished heritage buildings. Designed by architect James Barnet in the Victorian Italian Renaissance style, the GPO opened in 1874, replacing an earlier postal facility that had occupied the site since 1830.

Upon its opening, the GPO was regarded as one of the finest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere, reflecting Australia’s post-gold rush prosperity. Purportedly, 26 Clydesdale horses transported the main keystone block for the George Street arch in 1868, a testament to the scale of its construction. During a royal visit to Sydney, the Prince of Wales—Albert Edward, Queen Victoria’s eldest son and the future King Edward VII—had the honour of laying the foundation stone.

Over the years, the building underwent several expansions, most notably the addition of its iconic clock tower in 1891. At 73 meters tall, it remained Sydney’s tallest structure for decades. This clock was more than just a timepiece; the tower played a role in meteorology, using mechanically operated, colour-coded flags to transmit telegraphed weather messages.

The main entrance features a white marble statue of Queen Victoria and beneath her on the colonnade arches are 24 heads representing either a continent, country or state representing a global network for the GPO. Some symbolic figures include: Russia, Italy, Germany, Canada, India, Polynesia, Scotland and Africa, amongst others.

More controversial was the additional artistic feature of relief sculptures on the Pitt Street side, created by Italian sculptor Tommaso Sani. These depict ordinary workers, including fishmongers, sailors, postmen, barmaids, printers, and architect. At the time, many critics deemed them unfit for such a grand structure. Today, however, they are celebrated as an important milestone in Australian artistic identity.

For over a century, the GPO served as the communications hub of New South Wales, housing Sydney’s first public telephone exchange. During World War II, the clock tower was dismantled to prevent it from becoming an air raid target. It was restored in 1964, though its viewing platform remained closed to the public. The building continued to evolve and later, in 1982, it became home to the world’s first large-scale mechanized mail sorting system.

With the rise of digital communication, the need for traditional postal services declined. As a result, the Australian government privatized the GPO in 1996, leading to an extensive restoration and repurposing.

Since 2019, the Fullerton Hotel Sydney has occupied the historic building, undertaking a major restoration effort. Over 30 stonemasons dedicated more than 38,400 hours to meticulously cleaning and restoring the intricate stonework of the façade, preserving its heritage while adapting the space for modern use.

Today, remnants of the GPO’s past remain woven into its new identity. The original Dock Master’s office now houses Prime Restaurant, the mail sorting room became Crystal Bar, former horse stables were transformed into Coach Bar, and the horse-and-cart unloading area is now Subterranean Bar. If you’re fortunate, you might even get a room on the upper floors with a view of the clock tower—and how do I know this? Well dear reader, because that’s the room I stayed in!

During my time in Sydney, I stayed at the Fullerton Hotel, once the bustling heart of postal communication. The hotel offers heritage tours so it should come to no surprise this was a priority for me and I keenly joined historical guide Veronique to learn more about the history and stories of the building’s early days.

Today, the Sydney GPO blends history with contemporary purpose, a fitting parallel to my journey following Karl’s footsteps.

And just as Karl kept his book of post stamps and stories or sentiments from people he met, so do I.

When Karl left the GPO in 1900 to continue his journey north through Australia, I, too, departed from that exact spot, continuing the path northward. But first, I paused for cocktails and a catch-up with a friend I met two years earlier while tracing Karl’s journey in Chettinad, India. Life has a way of connecting the dots.