Yaraka and Isisford to share a postcode

Maranoa MP, David Littleproud, on Thursday confirmed he had been able to secure a postcode change for the small community that was suffering the indignity of being lumped in with places such as Keppel Sands and Baralaba and paying insurance premiums that reflected cyclone activity in those places.

“I’ve had many discussions with Australia Post on this issue affecting Yaraka and, in a massive win for this community, today they’ve told me they will change Yaraka’s postcode from 4702 to 4731,” Mr Littleproud said.

This is the postcode used by Isisford.

The two towns are 150km apart in the same shire, and share a common bond through education and health activities, which is more than can be said of the tenuous link between Yaraka and coastal towns such as Gracemere that it is currently sharing the 4702 postcode with.

It’s a hangover from the days when Yaraka was serviced by rail, but now means only that residents are penalised via insurance premiums, being classified as having crime rates similar to the other towns with that postcode.

Mr Littleproud said he was proud to have persuaded Australia Post to finally give Yaraka a new mailing identity.

“The inequity was a joke, quite frankly, and I’m glad Australia Post has listened to Yaraka and we’ve been successful in getting this remote town’s postcode changed.” 

His office has advised that Australia Post will notify Yaraka residents by the end of June that the change is occurring and “advise them of what they need to do to prepare”.