Bundeena’s longest serving postmaster was a much loved character.
By Susan Denford
Tom Jones was born in 1908 at Helensburgh. He served with the Australian Navy for 21 years and moved to Bundeena in 1937 after honeymooning here. He took over the General Store lease in 1947, when the population of Bundeena was 500.
Tom ran the general store for 23 years until 1970 when he moved to the arcade site and set up the new Post Office and the Liquor Store, which he owned and operated. In 1971, after suffering medical issues he sold the Liquor Store but kept the post office.
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Tommy always had a smile for you. If you asked how he was, his usual response was “delicious” or “any better I’d be dangerous”. I couldn’t count the times I gave him a $50 note and asked if he could change it. He would give me back a new $50 out of the draw. His philosophy was “If you wake up in the morning it’s a good day”.
When he retired in March 1994, aged, 86 years, Tom had been our postmaster for 47 years. He remained in Bundeena, living in Uncle Tom’s Cabin at Jibbon. Tom passed away in June 1996.