View source for Westpac Bank building, Normanton

<!-- Article title: '''Westpac Bank Building, Normanton''' siteId: 15169 placeRef:600394 -->
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Westpac Bank Building, Normanton
| image =Westpac Bank, Normanton (2010).jpg
| caption =Westpac Bank, Normanton, 2010
| locmapin = Queensland#Australia
| map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|-17.6709|141.0786|region:AU-QLD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| location = Landsborough Street, [[Normanton, Queensland|Normanton]], [[Shire of Carpentaria]], [[Queensland]], Australia
| beginning_label = Design period
| beginning_date = 1870s–1890s (late 19th century)
| built = 1886
| built_for =
| demolished =
| architect = [[Richard Gailey]]
| architecture =
| owner =
| designation1 = Queensland Heritage Register
| designation1_offname = Westpac Bank, Normanton, Bank of New South Wales
| designation1_type = state heritage (built)
| designation1_date = 21 October 1992
| delisted1_date =
| designation1_partof =
| designation1_number = 600394
| designation1_free1name = Significant period
| designation1_free1value = 1880s (fabric)<br/>1886–ongoing (historical use)
| designation1_free2name = Significant components
| designation1_free2value = furniture/fittings
| designation1_free3name = Builders
| designation1_free3value =
}}
'''Westpac Bank Building''' is a heritage-listed [[bank]] building at Landsborough Street, [[Normanton, Queensland|Normanton]], [[Shire of Carpentaria]], [[Queensland]], Australia. It was designed by [[Richard Gailey]] and built in 1886. It is also known as Bank of New South Wales. It was added to the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992.<ref name=qhr>{{cite QHR|15169|Westpac Bank, Normanton|600394|accessdate=1 August 2014}}</ref>
== History ==
This single storey timber building was constructed in 1886 as the permanent premises for the Normanton branch of the [[Bank of New South Wales]].<ref name=qhr/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84118925|title=ROUNDABOUT.|date=28 August 1886|newspaper=[[Queensland Figaro And Punch]]|issue=189|location=Queensland, Australia|volume=VIII|page=15|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=3 July 2016}}</ref>
By the mid-1880s Normanton, on the [[Norman River]], had developed as the port for a large extent of pastoral and mining country, including the [[Cloncurry, Queensland|Cloncurry]] gold and copper fields, and the Etheridge and [[Croydon, Queensland|Croydon]] goldfields. The development of banking facilities was important to the commercial role of Normanton as a supply centre for the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]] region. Normanton was constituted a [[Borough of Normanton|municipality]] in 1886.<ref name=qhr/>
The Bank of New South Wales commenced trading in Normanton in 1884 in rented premises,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3432274|title=Untitled|date=22 July 1884|newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]]|issue=8,278|location=Queensland, Australia|volume=XXXIX|page=5|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=3 July 2016}}</ref> acquiring the present site in 1885. The building was designed by Richard Gailey, who was responsible for the design of bank buildings elsewhere in Queensland during the late 1880s.<ref name=qhr/>
The building was used as both the bank premises and manager's residence until the late 1960s when the manager moved to a new residence. The residential component of the building was kept as staff quarters until 1971 when it was replaced by new staff quarters at the rear of the bank building.<ref name=qhr/>
In 1978 substantial internal alterations were undertaken to the premises to update the banking facilities. The verandahs which had been enclosed by the mid-1960s were reopened.<ref name=qhr/>
In October 1982 the Bank of New South Wales acquired the [[Commercial Bank of Australia]] and then renamed itself [[Westpac Banking Corporation]].
A storage shed was erected on the site in 1991.<ref name=qhr/>
The Westpac Bank is the only remaining banking facility in Normanton.<ref name=qhr/>
== Description ==
[[File:StateLibQld 1 213528 Normanton branch of the Bank of New South Wales, ca. 1953.jpg|thumb|Bank of New South Wales, Normanton, circa 1953]]
Located on the corner of Landsborough and Little Brown Streets, the Normanton Westpac Bank is a single-storeyed exposed frame timber building on timber stumps, with a [[corrugated iron]] pyramid roof. It has wide timber [[veranda]]hs on three sides which have corrugated iron [[skillion roof]]s. The bank has a simple rectangular plan, with a "book room" in the eastern corner. There is a [[Weatherboarding|weatherboard]] annex and {{circa|1970}}s staff quarters to the rear of the bank.<ref name=qhr/>
The exterior is modestly detailed, with bracing, studding and nogging over [[Tongue and groove|tongue-and-groove]] boarding, paired shaped [[eaves]] [[Bracket (architecture)|brackets]] under the main roof, and timber doors and double hung sash windows. The verandah has square timber posts with a braced [[balustrade]]. The Landsborough Street elevation has central timber [[stairs]] with a timber [[pediment]] above the landing. The Little Brown Street elevation has timber stairs, new doors, and a partially enclosed verandah.<ref name=qhr/>
Internally, surviving evidence of earlier operations of the bank include gold scales and the manager's safes.<ref name=qhr/>
The Landsborough and Little Brown Street elevations are intact, and the building contributes to the townscape of Normanton.<ref name=qhr/>
== Heritage listing ==
Westpac Bank, Normanton was listed on the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.'''
The Normanton Westpac Bank, erected in 1886, is important in demonstrating the pattern of Queensland's history, in particular the pattern of development of the Gulf region of north-west Queensland, and the development of Normanton as a commercial centre for the Gulf region.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.'''
It is significant as a rare example of a large timber bank building, with early scales and safes, surviving in Queensland.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.'''
It is significant as a rare example of a large timber bank building, with early scales and safes, surviving in Queensland.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.'''
The building exhibits aesthetic characteristics valued by the community, in particular its contribution to the townscape of Normanton.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.'''
As a banking premises in continuous use in Normanton since 1886, it has a strong association with the community.<ref name=qhr/>
'''The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.'''
It has a special association with the work of Richard Gailey, as one of a number of rural bank buildings designed by Gailey during the late 19th century.<ref name=qhr/>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
=== Attribution ===
{{QHR-CC-2014}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Westpac building, Normanton}}
* {{Official website|http://www.westpac.com.au/branch/qld/normanton/normanton}}
[[Category:Queensland Heritage Register]]
[[Category:Normanton, Queensland]]
[[Category:Bank buildings in Queensland]]
[[Category:Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register]]
[[Category:Westpac]]
[[Category:Bank of New South Wales]]