Gympie Stock Exchange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gympie Stock Exchange |
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The former Gympie Stock Exchange, 2008
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| Location | 236 Mary Street, Gympie, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1881-1882 |
| Architect | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Australian Joint Stock Bank (former)/Gympie Stock Exchange Offices and Club (former), Neilson, Stanton and Parkinson Building | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 15 April 2011 |
| Reference no. | 602772 |
| Significant period | 1882-1922 |
| Significant components | bank |
| Builders | Andrew Collins |
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The Gympie Stock Exchange building is a special old building in Gympie, Queensland, Australia. It used to be a bank and then a stock exchange. It was designed by a famous architect named Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built between 1881 and 1882.
This building is important because it shows how Gympie grew during the gold rush. It's now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected for its history and design.
Contents
A Glimpse into Gympie's Gold Rush History
Gympie, first called Nashville, started when gold was found near the Mary River in 1867. This discovery brought many people to Queensland and helped the young colony financially.
At first, people found gold easily on the surface. But soon, they had to dig deeper to find more gold. This deep mining needed a lot of money and big companies.
How Gold Changed Gympie's Buildings
As Gympie grew, its early simple buildings were replaced by stronger, more permanent ones. This happened especially in the 1880s and 1890s. Fires in 1877, 1881, and 1891 also helped this change, as new brick buildings replaced the old timber ones.
One of these new buildings was the Australian Joint Stock Bank (AJSB). It was built after a big fire in 1881 destroyed many buildings on Mary Street.
The Australian Joint Stock Bank in Gympie
The Australian Joint Stock Bank started in 1852 when gold was found in other parts of Australia. They opened a branch in Gympie on March 10, 1868.
In 1878, the bank bought land to build a permanent branch. They wanted a building that looked strong and reliable. The architect, FDG Stanley, designed a beautiful brick building with a basement. It cost about £1,400 to build.
Who Was FDG Stanley?
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley was a very important architect in Queensland. He worked for the government from 1863 to 1881, and for eight of those years, he was the main Colonial Architect. He designed many famous buildings across Queensland, including other banks and churches. His work is known for its quality and variety.
The Bank's Challenges and Changes
In 1893, Queensland faced a big banking crisis. Many banks, including the AJSB, had to stop trading for a while. The AJSB reopened as a limited company.
The bank continued to operate from the Gympie building until January 17, 1902, when it closed its branch there.
From Bank to Stock Exchange
Soon after the bank closed, the building was sold to the Gympie Stock Exchange in 1902. The Stock Exchange had been around since 1884, helping people buy and sell shares in gold mining companies.
The Stock Exchange bought the building for £1,600. They made some changes, including adding a separate timber building at the back for their "call room," where people would shout out their bids for shares. The main bank building became their offices and club.
Why Was the Stock Exchange Important?
The Gympie Stock Exchange was very important because of the huge amount of gold being mined. It helped companies raise money for mining. Gympie was one of Queensland's biggest gold producers during this time.
The Gympie Stock Exchange focused only on mining shares. It even competed with the Brisbane Stock Exchange, keeping many share deals local to Gympie.
The Decline of Gold and the Stock Exchange's Closure
Gold production in Queensland started to slow down after 1903. Even though Gympie had a record year in 1899, the overall decline began to speed up after 1906.
Because of this drop in gold mining, the Gympie Stock Exchange eventually closed around 1922. The building was sold in 1923.
What Happened to the Call Room?
The timber call room building was taken apart. One part became a house on Mothar Mountain but was later destroyed by fire. The other part was moved near the Cooroy railway station and is still there today.
After the Stock Exchange closed, the building was owned by the Sykes family until 1976. Then, a law firm, Neilson, Stanton and Parkinson, bought it. They have made only small changes to the original building.
What the Building Looks Like
The former Gympie Stock Exchange building is a single-story brick building with a basement. It has a grand entrance that looks like an ancient temple. This style was popular for banks because it made them look strong and reliable.
Outside the Building
The roof is hidden by a decorative wall called a parapet. The front of the building has tall, square columns that create a covered walkway. These columns support a flat, decorated section above them. The main entrance in the middle is even grander, with round and square columns and a triangular top part called a pediment.
Fancy wrought iron railings are between the columns, and a beautiful iron gate marks the entrance. The front walls are smooth and painted, with three arched openings: the main door and two large windows.
The sides of the building are made of red brick and have narrow paths separating them from other buildings.
Inside the Building
When you enter, there's a small lobby with two sets of doors. The inner doors have special handles made of brass, timber, and glass. This lobby leads into the main banking area.
The manager's office and the bank's strong room (vault) are off to one side. The back part of the building has a central hallway with several rooms.
Inside, you'll find wide timber doors, some with glass panels above them. The floors are mostly carpeted now, but the original pine floorboards are still underneath. Many original details like brass door handles, porcelain fingerplates, and locks are still there.
The strong room has a very thick door made of timber and heavy metal. The room itself has strong brick walls and a concrete roof. The manager's office has an old fireplace with a decorated timber mantelpiece.
The Basement
The basement was used for storage. You can see the brick supports and sandstone foundations of the vault above. The timber floor above is open, showing the beams. There are also old metal bars on the windows, which are now sealed.
Why This Building is Special
The former Australian Joint Stock Bank and Gympie Stock Exchange building is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's very important to Queensland's history.
Showing Queensland's History
This building helps us understand how Gympie's gold mining industry grew. As mining changed from easy surface gold to deep underground mining, the town needed more permanent and fancy buildings. This bank was one of them.
It also shows how important banks were during the gold rush. They helped turn gold into money. Later, as the Gympie Stock Exchange, it played a key role in buying and selling shares for mining companies.
A Rare Part of History
As a former stock exchange, this building is quite rare. Only a few stock exchanges existed in Queensland when gold mining was big (in Brisbane, Gympie, Charters Towers, and Ravenswood). This building is one of the few remaining examples.
A Great Example of Its Kind
The building is a good example of a regional bank from that time. It has a banking hall and offices, all built in a classical style. Its location on Mary Street, high above the old gold diggings, shows how important banks were in Gympie.
The inside of the building is still very much like it was, with its original layout, room sizes, timber work, and strong room. Since it was designed by the famous architect FDG Stanley, it's a great example of his bank designs.
Beautiful and Important Design
The building is also important for its beauty. The detailed timber work and finishes are very well made. Its design, size, and shape make it a lovely part of Mary Street, fitting in well with other old buildings from the 1880s and 1890s.
Its balanced classical design, often used for banks, was meant to show how stable and reliable financial institutions were.
Images for kids
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Australian Joint Stock Bank, Gympie, circa 1871
