General News
23 June, 2026
Lois posts final record
A PHENOMENAL era in Australian postal history is about to end.
A PHENOMENAL era in Australian postal history is about to end.
Lois Schramm will retire in August, just months short of 50 years running the Mitiamo post office.
The justice of the peace, former netball coach and CFA volunteer purchased the post office on January 14, 1977.
The Schramms swapped life on dairy farms and piggeries for life in Mitiamo.
“When we came here, the post office still had the 24-hour telephone exchange,” Lois said.
“I had been a telephonist after I left school and taught ... even taught my husband how to operate the exchange.”
She recalls using Morse code on party lines to alert district residents of fires.
Jill Ramskill, owner of the town’s general store, will take on mail services when Lois retires to live with daughter Rosalyn in Lockington.
Lois said life running the post office had changed greatly over the past 50 years.
“I find emails are heartless and that has made Christmas heartless because people don’t send personal letters and cards as much now,” she said.
Now aged 83 - she shared a birth date with Queen Elizabeth - Lois said there were many happy memories of life in Mitiamo.
“We saw an advertisement about this post office being for sale and made the move here, raising our family and being part of a great little community,” she said.
General manager retail operations south for Australia Post, Kate Foley, said: “Australia Post congratulates Lois Schramm on reaching almost 50 years of service at the Mitiamo Licenced Post Office.
“Over nearly five decades, Lois and her (late) husband Barry have played an important role in supporting their local community, providing trusted postal services and building strong connections with customers across generations.
“We thank them for their dedication and the lasting contribution they have made to both their community and our network. We wish Lois all the very best in retirement and we’re pleased that services will continue to be available to the community via the general store.”
Lois is believed to be Australia Post’s current longest-serving post office owner.
Mitiamo Progress Association is planning a farewell function for Lois closer to her retirement from the post office.
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