A very small bank

@JudyEv (361161)
Rockingham, Australia
June 30, 2025 7:25pm CST
This quaint little building is touted as the smallest bank in Australia. It’s certainly very small and was first opened in the 1930s as a branch of the Bank of New South Wales, which incidentally is where Vince started his working life, not in Shackleton but in the Bank of New South Wales. It measures 3 metres by 4 metres. During World War II, it was used as an Aircraft Observation Post during World War II and later became a childcare centre. It then became an agency for BankWest before finally closing its doors in 1997. Edit: A Child Care Centre is those days was where new mothers took their babies to be weighed and checked over. Toddlers were cared for at home or by private arrangement with a baby-sitter. The Bank of New South Wales was Australia’s first bank but later merged with the Commercial Bank to become Westpac. I always thought it a shame that such an historic name is now lost.
27 people like this
24 responses
@id_peace (16500)
• Singapore
1 Jul
That is so cute branch. I was surprise to see that it was actually a childcare center for a while.
7 people like this
1 Jul
Me too Couldn't have held many kids
6 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
@Ineeddentures @id_peace Sorry. A child care centre in those days was where Mums took their new babies to be weighed and to get advice if they needed it. The kids didn't spend time there being cared for.
2 people like this
@id_peace (16500)
• Singapore
1 Jul
@JudyEv Ah We are mistaken, it is more like the health check centre for the babies.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (198196)
• United States
1 Jul
That looks like the smallest post office which is in Ochopee Florida!
5 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
Oh wow! That looks about the same size but has been kept in better condition.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (198196)
• United States
2 Jul
@JudyEv Yes, it's still an active post office. We used to go by it when we went into the Everglades.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (140729)
• Philippines
1 Jul
It looks cute to have a bank like this. I wish I could see it personally.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
It's a tiny little building.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (77950)
• United States
1 Jul
Personal service guaranteed at this branch!
4 people like this
@FourWalls (77950)
• United States
1 Jul
@JudyEv — at least they have a porch to wait on!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
I wonder how often they had a queue out the door?
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (481867)
• Italy
1 Jul
Such a cute little building, I wonder how they guarantee the safety there.
3 people like this
@vandana7 (102290)
• India
2 Jul
One fat lady like I inside the bank, and the bank robber would be worried, she might block my way even if I killed her...LOL
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (481867)
• Italy
1 Jul
@JudyEv I am sure you are right.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
They probably don't worry about it! lol
2 people like this
1 Jul
Wow That idea really small bank You couldn't care for many childsin that lol
3 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
Maybe I should have called it a health care centre for babies. A nurse would be in attendance to weigh babies, give advice, etc.
2 people like this
1 Jul
@JudyEv Ah that does make a difference right enough. A big difference
1 person likes this
@kareng (78698)
• United States
1 Jul
Oh wow! It may be the smallest in the world!! It's very cut and quaint!
2 people like this
@kareng (78698)
• United States
1 Jul
@JudyEv Should have been, but maybe just a lock box.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
It's certainly tiny. I wonder if there was a safe in it somewhere.
2 people like this
@youless (113691)
• Guangzhou, China
1 Jul
Does this bank still works today? It is very interesting to see such a small bank. It shall be very safe there since the security is not necessary
2 people like this
@youless (113691)
• Guangzhou, China
1 Jul
@JudyEv Then it can be a museum.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
The building is not used at all now.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
@youless It's very small, even for a museum.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (194603)
• United States
2 Jul
Gee, that is a very small bank. It looks like a kiosk.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (194603)
• United States
4 Jul
@JudyEv I have seen churches about that size.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jul
@snowy22315 Yes, there is a tiny one in Bunbury that wouldn't be much bigger than this.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
Definitely a very small building. It would be pretty hot in summer too, I'm guessing.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (120998)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Jul
That is a small building
2 people like this
@vandana7 (102290)
• India
2 Jul
@JudyEv Come to think of it, you wouldn't need much security either. It would be too cramped for the thieves to run away with their bags at precise second. LOL
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
It's pretty tiny. You wouldn't get too many customers in there at once.
2 people like this
@Fleura (32367)
• United Kingdom
1 Jul
What a dinky bank! Honestly the way all the bank branches are closing over here, I'd be delighted to have a tiny bank like that anywhere within a few miles!
2 people like this
@vandana7 (102290)
• India
2 Jul
Why are they closing? Blink...we have one at a walking distance.
2 people like this
@Fleura (32367)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul
@vandana7 Here the bank basically persuade customers to do everything online, and even when you go to a branch they steer you towards using one of their machines. Then they say 'Oh no-one comes to the branch in person any more' and they close it. Now people face a round trip of 30 miles or more just to pay in a cheque. We used to have four branches of my main bank in the town centre and another four around the outskirts plus others in the nearby towns (three or four miles away), it was easy to pop into a bank wherever you were. Now only one of those ten or so is left and they do everything to avoid letting you see a real person.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
Our banks are closing left, right and centre too. Many of our small towns no longer have a bank at all.
2 people like this
@Ronrybs (20988)
• London, England
1 Jul
Not quite as small, but you see, or used to see, in rural villages little banks that only opened one or two days a week. With the rise of electronic banking, many seem to have closed
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
Dozens of our country branches have closed. It's a shame really as not everyone is into internet banking or anything else internet-wise.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jul
@Ronrybs You just about have to get the hang of it as it's not going to change - at least not backwards. Dozens of times I've seen 'for more information, go to our website'. And then sometimes the websites won't work properly.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (20988)
• London, England
4 Jul
@JudyEv No, my mum struggles with it a bit, but she is getting the hang
1 person likes this
@nela13 (59065)
• Portugal
1 Jul
I think it is the smallest of the all world!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
Perhaps it is. It's certainly very small.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
@nela13 I thought so too. Wouldn't it make a great cubby/play house for a child?
1 person likes this
@nela13 (59065)
• Portugal
1 Jul
@JudyEv but it is also só cute
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (58405)
• Philippines
5 Jul
That's how banking system is managed. The small bsnk is emerged with the big bank and changed its name.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jul
That's true and now a lot of them have closed altogether.
1 person likes this
@Nakitakona (58405)
• Philippines
5 Jul
@JudyEv I have worked in the bank before. II resigned there and after several yesrs it shuts down due to poor management.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (151933)
• India
2 Jul
Wonder how many worked in that bank!!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (151933)
• India
4 Jul
@JudyEv Jack of all trades, master of none (lol)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
I think there would only be room for one! lol
1 person likes this
@rakski (146363)
• Philippines
1 Jul
That's a bank?!? Oh wow, how small can it be?
1 person likes this
@rakski (146363)
• Philippines
2 Jul
@JudyEv true. Never seen such a small bank
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
It couldn't get much smaller, could it?
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (88082)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
1 Jul
Looks like something from Little House on the Prairie
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
I suppose it does. I enjoyed those books when I eventually got to read them.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Jul
That is indeed an interesting building and enjoyed hearing about it's history. It reminds me of an old picture my dad had of a post office about the same size as that bank. For some reason my dad loved taking pictures of old post offices.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jul
Linda put up a photo of a very small post office in Florida. Maybe it's the same one as your Dad's.
@JESSY3236 (20925)
• United States
1 Jul
cute little bank.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
I think so too. It would make a nice 'lady cave' for me.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (27473)
• Singapore
1 Jul
It still cares now for the customers instead of toddlers. Though small, it carries a punch as it is part of a big bank. I can see Bank West on the signboard, so I hope it is still functioning.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (361161)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul
Yes, BankWest is still one of our banks but a great many country branches of all banks have closed over the last few years.
1 person likes this