On January 4, 1875, James Comrie of Kurrajong Heights wrote to the NSW Post-Master General in Sydney. He was pleading the case for the establishment of a post office at Kurrrajong Heights. He pointed out that local residents were a distance of three or four miles from the nearest post office, situated in Wheeny Creek, Kurrajong located at the foot of the steep hill well known as Big Hill.
He also stated that there were numerous visitors from other parts of the Colony, namely Queensland and Victoria. These visitors stayed at the many lodging houses on top of the hill. Mr Comrie spoke of the presence of a well-attended denominational school (the forerunner of Barker College) and a place of worship used for both Church of England and Presbyterian faiths as well as a thriving Sunday School.
Mr Comrie attached supporting signatures for seventeen well-known residents of Kurrajong Heights. They had also requested that Mr John and Mrs Marianne Leidich be appointed the first Postmaster and Postmistress. He stated they were a German couple who spoke and read English well although Marianne was actually English born. They were described as being intelligent, respectable and trustworthy. They would run the new post office and transport the mail to and from Wheeny Creek Post Office. It is interesting to note that their eldest daughter married Henry Peck, of the Kurrajong Heights Hotel fame.
The submission was accepted in February 1875 with the stipulation that Mr Leidich would be the Postmaster. He was to be paid £10 per annum and a commission of 10% on postage stamps sold and another £20 per annum for the round trip daily to Wheeny Creek. He commenced official duties on the 1 March that year in rooms at Ivy Lodge, now known as Lochiel House.
On the 10 January 1876 John Leidich submitted the report that in the previous ten months he had received 2,693 letters and 90 packets and received 2,508 letters and 2,366 packets. He pointed out that horse feed has increased in price and the steep hill had become very trying for the horse. The heavy going for the two miles on the hills was equivalent to six miles on flat ground. He requested an increase from £20 to £36 for the conveyance of the mail.
The request was refused, and John Leidich submitted his notice. Some agreement must have been reached, as he continued his duties until January 1879 when he submitted his resignation, intending to leave The Heights. There were a couple of applications for the position. On recommendation of James Comrie, George Witney was appointed. George was overseer for Rev James Cameron, of the Presbyterian Church, who was one of his sureties. Later that year the contract for carrying the mail between Kurrajong and Kurrajong Heights was awarded to Arthur Powell.
When George Witney relinquished the postmaster position in 1884, he and many other prominent citizens highly recommended Thomas Walker to the position. Thomas served the community well until his death on the January 24, 1923.
