Guildford Progress Association vice-president Pam Adams said residents were having to travel to Campbells Creek or Castlemaine to pay their bills because the post office didn’t have an Electronic Point of Sale system.

“It’s heartbreaking to see them turn people away,” she said.

“It’s so disappointing because with a small business, every person is important.”

Guildford is located 12km south of Castlemaine and has a population of about 200 people.

Ms Adams said the owners had applied to get an Eftpos machine through Australia Post, but were unsuccessful.

“(Australia Post) came back and said 'no you’re too small; you don’t generate enough business', but how can they generate business if they are having to turn people away?

“We feel that just because we’re such a small town, we shouldn’t be discriminated against by Australia Post.”

Australia Post state communications manager for Victoria and Tasmania Nadine Lyford said a minimum of 12,000 transactions a year was necessary to cover the costs of the machine. (Guildford post office has less than 3000 transactions).

She said the buffer was in place to cover the cost of the machine and to protect store owners who faced having to pay fees if the transactions fall short of 10,000 per year.

“There is a cost involved in implementing and maintaining the system and for it to be viable we need to have those minimum 12,000 transactions,” she said.

Ms Lyford said Australia Post would “give due consideration” to the Guildford Post Office petition.

Member for Bendigo Steve Gibbons said he was also happy to speak to those involved and take the matter up for them.

Petitions can be found at the Guildford post office, local pub and general store.