A very small bank
By Judy Evans
@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
@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
@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
@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

@Ineeddentures (13314)
•
1 Jul
Wow
That idea really small bank
You couldn't care for many childsin that lol
3 people like this
@Ineeddentures (13314)
•
1 Jul
@JudyEv
Ah that does make a difference right enough.
A big difference
1 person likes 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


@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


@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
@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
4 Jul
@JudyEv Jack of all trades, master of none (lol)
1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (88082)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
1 Jul
Looks like something from Little House on the Prairie
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (85905)
• 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.
