Post Office Tree, Mossel Bay

The Post Office Tree, a venerable giant milkwood tree (Sideroxylon inerme), stands as a historical beacon in the coastal town of Mossel Bay, South Africa. This ancient tree is not just an impressive natural sight but a significant landmark steeped in postal history.

Dating back to the 1500s, the Post Office Tree is intertwined with the tales of early explorers. It was under the shade of this very tree that sailors, journeying around the tip of Africa, would leave messages for other seafarers in an old shoe or iron pot – a rudimentary postal service of sorts. The tree served as a crucial communication point, long before the advent of modern postal systems.

This historical site is believed to have received its first letter in 1501, left by the commander of a Portuguese vessel. The concept was simple yet effective – ships passing through Mossel Bay would retrieve letters left by earlier voyagers and carry them to their intended destinations, thus connecting sailors with their homelands and each other.

Today, the Post Office Tree is a celebrated landmark within the Dias Museum Complex, which also houses the Maritime Museum and the Shell Museum. Visitors to the site can delve into the rich maritime history of Mossel Bay and explore the significance of the tree in the context of global exploration and communication.

The tree itself is a sight to behold, with its sprawling branches and dense foliage providing shade and tranquility. A large boot-shaped post box next to the tree allows modern-day visitors to continue the tradition by sending postcards and letters from this historic spot.