Royal Bank of Queensland, Lowood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Bank of Queensland, Lowood |
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Former Royal Bank of Queensland, 2009
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| Location | 12 Railway Street, Lowood, Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 – 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1901–1917 |
| Official name: Dental Surgery, Bank of Queensland Ltd, National Bank of Australasia, Royal Bank of Queensland Ltd | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600496 |
| Significant period | 1900s–1910s (fabric) 1901–1986 (historical use) |
| Significant components | strong room, toilet block/earth closet/water closet, shed/s |
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The Royal Bank of Queensland building in Lowood is a very old and important building. It used to be a bank! You can find it at 12 Railway Street in Lowood, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1901 and 1917.
Over the years, it was known by different names, like Bank of Queensland Ltd and National Bank of Australasia. Today, it's not a bank anymore; it's a dental surgery. Because of its history, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's protected because it's a special part of Queensland's past.
Contents
History of the Lowood Bank
This small building, made of timber, was first built in Main Street, Lowood. It was put up between 1901 and 1917. It was originally a branch of the Royal Bank of Queensland Ltd.
How Lowood Grew
Lowood became a busy farming area after a train line to Ipswich opened in 1884. This made it easier for farmers to transport their goods. In 1901, the Royal Bank decided to open a branch in Lowood. This bank had started in Brisbane in 1885. For about 20 years, it was the only bank in the town.
Bank Mergers and Moves
In January 1917, the Royal Bank joined with another bank called the Bank of North Queensland. This new bigger bank was named the Bank of Queensland Ltd. The Lowood branch kept its doors open under the new name.
Later in 1917, something amazing happened! The entire bank building in Lowood was moved to its current spot on Railway Street. It even had a heavy brick and concrete strongroom inside, which weighed almost 40 tonnes! Imagine moving a building that heavy.
In 1922, the Bank of Queensland merged again, this time with the National Bank of Australasia. The building continued to be a branch of the National Bank until 1986. Since 2015, the building has been used as a dental surgery.
What the Building Looks Like
This building has only one floor and is made of weatherboard (wooden planks). It faces Railway Street in the middle of Lowood. The building is shaped like a rectangle. It has a corrugated iron hipped roof, which slopes down on all sides. There's also a smaller, shallow roof over the front porch. A skillion (a single-sloping roof) covers the office and workroom at the back.
Outside Features
The building sits on concrete stumps. The front porch, called a verandah, is at street level. The ground slopes down towards the back of the building. The verandah has pretty carved wooden arch brackets. These brackets have a special four-leaf clover design called a quatrefoil in the corners. The railing of the verandah has a criss-cross pattern with circles. The ceiling of the verandah is covered with boards.
There's a small entrance area, or vestibule, that sticks out. It has two wooden doors with a decorative window above them, called a fanlight.
Inside the Building
Inside, the walls are covered with tongue and groove boards. This means the wooden boards fit together tightly. The ceiling is flat and also made of boards. The inside has been changed a bit to create rooms for the dental surgery, a waiting area, and a toilet.
The building has sash windows, which slide up and down. A very strong room, called a strongroom, is built into one side of the building. It's made of masonry (like brick or stone) and is now used for storage.
At the back of the building, there's a metal shed on metal posts. There's also a separate toilet block made of weatherboard and fibrous cement. Metal sunshades are attached to the sides of the building to help keep it cool.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The former Royal Bank of Queensland in Lowood was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's considered very important for a few reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history unfolded. This building helps us understand how banks grew in rural areas of Queensland in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It's a piece of the past that shows how towns like Lowood developed.
- It's a great example of an old bank building. The building still looks a lot like it did when it was a bank. It shows us what a small, timber bank building from the early 20th century in a country town would have looked like. The original strongroom is still there, which is very cool!
- It's beautiful and important to the community. People in Lowood value this building because of its pretty wooden front. It adds character to the street and is a beloved part of the town's look.
