![You've got mail ... longstanding Jindera residents and post office licensees Pat and Mary-Lynne Hayes, with the new purpose-built premises. Picture by James Wiltshire You've got mail ... longstanding Jindera residents and post office licensees Pat and Mary-Lynne Hayes, with the new purpose-built premises. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/PDupDCSG52UXrq68xwPPyU/35f3be10-c929-4af7-a096-160ceb4ca49e.jpg/r255_0_5472_3612_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Pat and Mary-Lynne Hayes joke they have two years to go before they're officially Jindera "locals".
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The couple, who've lived in the town for 28 years, are best known as the familiar faces of the bustling village post office.
For the past seven years, they've sorted, stacked and supervised all the mail for Jindera, which has a "unique" set-up in that it does not have street delivery.
It means the Australia Post licensees are kept on their toes managing the town's postal services - including 896 post boxes!
Being the central point for mail has seen the post office become somewhat of a community hub - a gathering place for residents to catch up and connect, according to 'Postman Pat'.
"We get a broad cross-section of the community coming in for their mail and parcels - from a 97-year-old to the pre-school kids who come in for a visit," he explained.
"There's a village feel (to the post office) and in many ways it helps retain community spirit."
It's one of the reasons they have kept the name, Jindera Village Post Office, despite the fact the town "has grown exponentially" in recent years, according to Pat.
This growth recently saw the post office move from the building it had occupied for 18 years to a new, purpose-built premises.
"We just outgrew it," Pat said of the old site.
The Hayes built on land they had (rather serendipitously) previously purchased, with the first official day of trading on February 13.
Still, it was no easy task to transplant staff, systems and services - and keep the mail running on time for a burgeoning population.
"It was a large moving process," Pat admitted.
"We worked seven days a week for a month - it took a full day to move the boxes."
But testament to the post office's popularity, Mary-Lynne has been "humbled" by the community's offers of help during the move and positive feedback about the new building - including gifts of chocolates, flowers and wine from customers.
The husband and wife team, who will celebrate 35 years of marriage on August 6, say they love working together every day in the post office.
"What's not to like? It's fantastic," Mary-Lynne smiled.
Although at night, after a de-brief over a glass of wine and a beer, they do like to go their separate ways to watch their own television shows.
Pat, who spent 35 years as a pharmaceutical rep, said even after seven years, working in the post office was "not like a job".
"It's like socialising with friends - the community are our friends," he said.
Mary-Lynne, who previously worked in children's services, believes "being organised and really community minded" are the most important skills needed to run a post office.
The pair, who raised their four children in Jindera, have always been an active part of the community with Pat serving many years on the Jindera Football Club committee and currently chairman of the Jindera Community Forum - as well as making the odd cameo appearance in local theatrical productions!
He reckons the best thing about Jindera is "it's close enough but still far enough away from Albury".