A very small bank
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (357147)
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.
13 people like this
12 responses
@JudyEv (357147)
• Rockingham, Australia
2h
@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.
@FourWalls (76150)
• United States
6h
Personal service guaranteed at this branch!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (357147)
• Rockingham, Australia
Just now
Oh wow! That looks about the same size but has been kept in better condition.
@Ineeddentures (7123)
•
8h
Wow
That idea really small bank
You couldn't care for many childsin that lol
2 people like this
@JudyEv (357147)
• Rockingham, Australia
2h
Maybe I should have called it a health care centre for babies. A nurse would be in attendance to weigh babies, give advice, etc.
@JudyEv (357147)
• Rockingham, Australia
2h
It's certainly tiny. I wonder if there was a safe in it somewhere.
@JudyEv (357147)
• Rockingham, Australia
2h
I probably called it the wrong thing. There would be a nurse in attendance who would weight new babies and give advice. Children weren't actually cared for there. I will edit my discussion.
