Western Australian Bank, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Western Australian Bank |
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Western Australian Bank, York, in 2018
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| Alternative names | Bank of New South Wales, Westpac |
| General information | |
| Address | 147 Avon Terrace |
| Town or city | York, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°53′16″S 116°46′06″E / 31.8879°S 116.7683°E |
| Construction started | 1889 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Talbot Hobbs |
| References | |
| York municipal inventory | |
The Western Australian Bank building in York is a very old and important building. It is the third oldest bank building still standing in Western Australia. For a long time, until 2019, it was the oldest bank building still being used as a bank!
History of the Bank Building
This special building was designed by an architect named Talbot Hobbs. He designed it in a style called Victorian Academic Classical. This means it looks grand and formal, like buildings from the Victorian era. Talbot Hobbs also designed other banks for the Western Australian Bank.
The land where the bank stands was bought in 1889. The bank officially opened its doors for business on August 24, 1889. The very first manager of this bank was a man named James Rose.
Did you know that the manager's home was right above the bank office? When it first opened, the bank was located next to a chemist's shop called Edwards & Co.
How the Bank Changed Names
Over the years, the Western Australian Bank joined with other banks. In 1927, it teamed up with the Bank of New South Wales. Later, in 1982, these banks merged again. They joined with the Commercial Bank of Australia to create a new, bigger bank called Westpac Banking Corporation.
Westpac continued to use the building as a bank branch for many years. However, the Westpac branch in this building closed on September 27, 2019.
Protecting the Building
Because this building is so old and important, it has been officially recognized. It was added to the National Estate register on March 21, 1978. This register lists places that are important to Australia's history. It was also classified by the National Trust on March 5, 1985. This means it is considered a heritage building that should be protected.
