Rapids Landing and Brookfield residents may be one step closer to receiving a residential mail delivery service with the service starting dependent on results of an Australia Post poll.
If enough residents want the change and are prepared to sign the form and get it into the post or drop it in to the post office, we'll get 50 percent and we'll get the service.
- Terri Sharpe
The poll, currently underway in the suburbs of Rapids Landing and Brookfield, only occurs after a petition has been held which must show 25 percent of residents support such a change.
Rapids and Brookfield residents recently banded together and with the help of social media, petition organiser Terri Sharpe asked for volunteers to collect signatures supporting the change.
She had over thirty volunteers raise their hands and together they collected 252 signatures, well over the required 25 percent.
"I was overwhelmed with the support shown by our residents, but we're only halfway there," said Terri.
This is the third time the Poll has been undertaken in the area, with the previous two times lacking the required 50 percent support.
"Now is the time to act - don't be complacent and leave it to other people," said Terri.
"If enough residents want the change and are prepared to sign the form and get it into the post or drop it in to the post office, we'll get 50 percent and we'll get the service.''
Some residents keen to get their mail delivered have even thought about the reasons people may vote against the change and offered possible solutions to consider.
"We've heard that the cost of buying a letterbox could be an issue for some people, so we put up some great video links on social media that show how to make your own letterbox (Shire approved)," said local resident Jess Barwell.
"It could be a great opportunity for people to get creative and repurpose materials that would otherwise be thrown away."
Rapids Landing and Brookfield are approximately 2.5km and 3.5km from town respectively.
"People assume - couriers in particular - that we must live miles out of town to not have a home letterbox. It causes so much confusion when I say we are literally a minutes' drive from the centre of Margaret River," said Terri.
The Poll was hand delivered to every household in the Rapids and Brookfield area on Sunday May 1, with Australia Post accepting return forms only until May 27.
Terri stressed the importance of indicating a preference, and then getting the form into the post as quickly as possible.
"With non- returns counting against the change, Australia Post must receive around 450 yes votes," she said.
"So, I implore anyone who wants to start getting their mail delivered to their house - please do your bit.
"You can make a difference, but you've got to care enough to act."
Results of the Poll are expected to be released several weeks after the May 27 deadline.
