Next week sees the last two runs for the Wentworth – Pooncarie - Menindee Mailman – Geoff Metcalfe.

Retirement calls for the Menindee mailman after 27 and a half years as an Australia Post contractor.

In close to 30 years, he only missed one trip, when he chopped his forefinger off and had to have surgery.

Geoff and his wife, Dianne Metvcalfe bought the business from Denis Dezdjek on August 1,1997.

This purchased them a white Isuzu 4-ton truck, and a thriving freight business.

Before Denis, the run was serviced by Bert Bertalli.

They upgraded to the iconic Isuzu 8-ton truck when there was too much freight for the smaller truck and trailer.

By 2010, the drought had decimated the freight business, and most of the customers we serviced in Menindee were no longer trading.

Table Grape Growers, Tandou, Tandou Cotton, professional fishermen and stone fruit growers to name a few. It was about this time that we sold the truck and the mail service became a ute.

Many, many changes over the years, the main one being the sealed road reaching Menindee in 2024 - at least Geoff had a little time on the fully sealed road!

That unsealed road presented a few challenges.

"The corrugations were enough to rattle your teeth, and hard on vehicles - home serviced after every trip. And in winter, getting bogged was an occupational hazard, as was pulling tourists out of the mud," recalled Geoff's wife Dianne on social media.

"The floods of 2011 were memorable. The road was nowhere to be seen near Yampool crossing, and near Tolarno Station it was an utter mess.

"Months of delivering the mail via Broken Hill when it became impossible to get through…. ‘The mail must go through’.

"Reflecting on the past 27 and a half years, it is clear that resilience and dedication have played a huge part in Geoff’s tenure as the Menindee Mailman.

The communities along the run have witnessed firsthand his commitment and tireless work ethic, regardless of the conditions. Geoff's retirement marks the end of an era, but his service will not be forgotten by those who relied on his dependable deliveries."