Rain, hail, sleet and shine, Gavin Pillidge delivered the mail to Braidwood for 16 years. Mr Pillidge, who retired last week, says his time on the job has been “a bit of a privilege.”
While originally living in Canberra, Mr Pillidge has lived in Braidwood for the past 13 years. He has enjoyed living in town saying, “it’s a nice spot” and that “the people have been quite friendly.”
Hailing from New Zealand Mr Pillidge who emigrated age 22, has done everything from selling fruit juice to couriering and operating a feed wholesale business. He says that while he thinks Australia is a great place to live, “I always still call New Zealand home.”
Mr Pilligde commented that “what I set out to do when I first started was I wanted to deliver people’s mail the way I would like my mail delivered to me.”
He has enjoyed “the interactions with the people, particularly the kids,” but decided it was “time to ease off” after working “a 13 or 14 hour day for virtually 16 years.”
He looks forward to expanding his involvement with the community radio station and has got “a project car,” a ‘78 two-door Lancer, to occupy himself.
Mr Pillidge said, “I just want to say thank you to all the people who have allowed me to deliver their mail over time.”
