The first settlements in Tasmania, then known as Van Diemen’s Land, were in 1803 in the south and in the following year in the north.

There seems no doubt that during the early years of settlement the irregular inwards mails were distributed in much the same manner as had prevailed in Sydney prior to Isaac Nichols’s first appointment. The Lieutenant—Governors of the separate settlements also faced difficulties in regard to outward mails because of infrequent ship arrivals, so that it was necessary to call frequently upon casual whaling and sealing vessels to carry Government despatches and mails.

The dual Lieutenant Governorships of Hobart and Launceston gave place to a single Lieutenant Governor from 1813, but at this time, and until 1825, the Van Diemen's Land posts remained under the control of the authorities in Sydney, and the postal rates of New South Wales were also those of Van Diemen's Land. However, in 1825, Van Diemen's Land became a separate colony.

John Beamont was the first appointee to the position of postmaster of Van Diemen's Land. The appointment was made by Governor Macquarie late in 1812 and l3eamont arrived in Hobart in 1813 with Lt. Governor Davey but there is some doubt whether he actually took up the position, as on 16th October, 1813, Mr. Isaac Nichols, with the approval of the Governor, appointed Mr. J en Mitchell to be his deputy on the Derwent. Mitchell was permitted to retain all postages collected in Van Diemen’s Land as remuneration for his services and was also allowed rations for himself and two servants. The postal service provided was of a primitive nature and the only organized mail routes were from Hobart Town to Coal River and Pittwater once weekly. However, an important stage was reached in October 1816, with the appointment of Robert A. Taylor as a government messenger between Hobart Town and Port Dalrymple (Launceston), a distance of 120 miles. Taylor was required to provide a fortnightly service.

The carriage of mails on other routes was a matter of arrangement as opportunity offered and, as the postmaster had the right to retain postages, such arrangements as he did make from time to time were generally to his own advantage.

Mitchell held office until 1822 and was succeeded by John Thomas Collicott. By 1824, postal arrangements in Van Diemen’s Land had become more orderly. Post offices had been established at Launceston, George Town, Sorell, New Norfolk, Macquarie Plains, Hamilton, Bothwell and Green Ponds. The expense of conveying the mails between Hobart Town, Launceston and other offices was borne by the government which used convicts as messengers. Mails were carried on foot and, generally, fortnightly services were maintained. I correspondence of public departments was transmitted free. Overall arrangements were under tie control of Postmaster Collicott at Hobart, who fixed a scale of postage rates for the guidance of those in the interior. Each postmaster retained the amount of his collection as remuneration for his services.

The first postmasters in Van Diemen’s Land were termed “private postmasters”. However, the situation was changed with the establishment of an official Post Office Department on 1st June 1832. Mr. Collicott received the appointment of Principal Postmaster, with a salary and allowances, and the Postmaster at Launceston was similarly remunerated. Other postmasters were to be paid by means of a commission of 20 per cent of their collections. At this time also a new scale of postage rates was brought into operation and in 1833 postmasters were paid by fixed salaries instead of by commission. Over the next few years several methods of controlling the Post Office were tried and, throughout, Mr. Collicott remained as Principal Postmaster. He was finally placed in overall charge in 1834, being appointed Postmaster General, a position he retained until his death in 1840.

Source: APO Philatelic Bulletin February 1961