"I like to brighten up people's days," Mr Gilson told AAP.
Last Monday, he was one of many in the central west NSW farming town to lose his house and possessions in a flash flood.
The community didn't want their beloved postie to leave town, so locals arranged for the loan of a car and caravan to help him stay.
Just one week later, Mr Gilson was back at work in the post office, sorting letters and parcels into alphabetical order.
"A lot of people here are by themselves, so I allow a bit of time to talk as I go around,'' he said.
"Those people have come up and given me a big hug.
"When they see me, they light up, so that's been my big positive moment."
The post office inside the Rural Transaction Centre, which also houses a bank and government services, was one of the first businesses to re-open.
Dave Herbert, chairman of the community committee that runs the centre, said about $10,000 worth of Christmas stock was lost in the flood, which also knocked out the building's back wall.
Staff are determined to support those travelling between their ruined homes and evacuation centres in neighbouring towns.
"A lot of these people are just day-trippers now - they're day-tripping back into their own lives," Mr Herbert said.
"We've just got to get people back home, so this is a little bit of normal."
Looking out the window, Brendan Mansbridge said it took time to process the wreckage around town.
"Every time you'd drive around, you'd notice something else: another house that's moved, or something that's not meant to be there," said Mr Mansbridge, who is also a committee member.
"It really was just like a war zone."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Dominic Perrottet visited Eugowra on Tuesday morning to meet with flood victims and business owners.
As Mr Albanese got off an army helicopter at the showground, one of the first locals to greet him yelled: "Go the Bunnies!" - a reference to the PM's beloved NRL club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Mr Albanese, who used the visit to announce joint state and Commonwealth disaster recovery grants, said it was clear the people of Eugowra want to stay and rebuild.
"It's quite inspirational seeing the courage and resilience of people in this fantastic local community," he said.
About 50 children returned to school on Tuesday for the first time since the flood.
Eugowra Public School, which is on a hill, took in students from the damaged Catholic school, and will welcome pre-schoolers in coming days.
Principal Carmel Doyle said she wanted all children to be back at school to ease families' stress.
"Just to have the kids back and see their smiling faces and know they're safe has been lovely," Mrs Doyle said.
"One boy on the playground said, 'Mrs Doyle, everything looks exactly the same'.
"I said, 'I know, isn't it wonderful?'."
Teachers hope being at school will help children briefly forget all that surrounds them.
"It's a little oasis up here, we're a bit separated from it all,'' Mrs Doyle said.
"It's like a weight has been lifted and staff are breathing a sigh of relief just to have the kids back."
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