Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) a wooden match.

1877		Avoca Mail (Vic.) 7 Aug. 3: Matches had to be lit by the people present, wax vestas being those found most useful, but the variety patronised by selectors, and known commonly as ‘post and rails,’ that is ‘safety matches,’ was also largely consumed.
1908		Sydney Stock & Station Jrnl 6 Mar. 2/4: What is commoner than a wooden match? Post and rails the men call then without giving them any further consideration.
1910		Tocumwai Guardian (NSW) 4 Nov. 3/3: I saw a member of the Berrigan shire council lighting his pipe with a ‘waxy’ yesterday, but I know the stores ring in the post and rails whenever they can.
1924		Newcastle Morn. Herald (NSW) 10 Apr. 3/6: There are plenty who can remember the sulphur-headed match [...] They were necessarily put up in large boxes and got the name of posts and rails.
1941		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. 56: Post-and-rails, [...] (2) Wooden matches.