What was working at Australia Post like?

I started at Australia Post as a typist and worked my way up to become the first female supervising officer in the courier service - the first woman to hold that position in Victoria and Australia. Some of the men weren’t too happy about a woman getting into those jobs, so I had to prove myself.
The transport branch was like a big family. Even though I was older than many of my coworkers who were in their 20s when I was in my 30s, I fit in well because I wasn’t really a “girly girl” - I enjoyed working with the men and being their friend, not their girlfriend. I’m still in contact with some of them who haven’t passed away; they’re grandpas now in their 70s, but we still ring up and talk rubbish to each other.
I had to face some interesting challenges. Once, they tested me by making me drive a Mini Minor with a broken gear stick to Footscray - I had to drive it all the way in second gear, trying not to stall at traffic lights. The men were all watching through the office window, expecting me to fail, but I managed it. Later, some of the bosses admitted they wouldn’t have been able to do that themselves.
I advanced through the ranks by applying for positions advertised in the government Gazette. Eventually, I made it into the courier service, which was fascinating because we dealt with all of Australia. We had depots in every suburb and state, and we could trace items anywhere in the country. Unfortunately, under the Liberal government’s “razor policy,” they dismantled the courier service, saying the government was losing too much money. It was a shame because we had one of the best tracking systems in the country.