Junee Post Office owner Neil Bull sees life as a gamble worth taking

That decision more than three decades ago has kept the 73-year-old young.

“I just try to keep stress from my life, and it really doesn’t hurt to laugh a lot.”

Mr Bull has become known as Junee’s ‘book of knowledge’ because his post office is a revolving door of customers looking to pick his brain on any number of topics.

A fact made more impressive knowing Mr Bull left school at age 14. Back then he was living in Sydney’s Bondi Junction.

“I didn’t have an education past that, I don’t have any formal training or qualifications,” he said.

“My family was big on horse racing, and I was involved with gambling for a long time, so I took jobs here and there as I ran in and out of money.”

Ten years later, he found himself across crossing the Victorian border.

“I was 24 in 1970 when I went to Melbourne for two weeks and stayed there for 40 years.”

By the time he was 28, he was a part-owner of a car dealership.

Two years later, he shifted directions. 

“I bought and sold real estate for five years until about 1976, then I spent the early ‘80s as a bookmaker in Melbourne,” he said.

Mr Bull’s natural mind for mathematics kept him successful for two decades on the racetracks.

When Mr Bull left the bookie life, he and his wife spent two years travelling.

“We came through Junee about 14 years ago and I just liked the town. I liked the feel, I liked the people. It reminds me of growing up in Bondi Junction.”

Soon after arriving, Mr Bull’s wife read in the paper that the town’s post office was coming up for sale.

“I jumped in the car, had a look around, and bought it,” Mr Bull said.

He now works there five days a week, keeping his weekends for golf and good movies.

“A lot of people come in to pick up their parcels, so I know the vast majority of people and there’s never any nastiness.

“People are just friendly here, it doesn’t matter if they don’t have a penny or if they’re loaded, they’ll still treat you well.”